Squats!

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EthanJeremiahsMama
EthanJeremiahsMama Posts: 534 Member
edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello MFP! I'm trying to do more squats everyday, at least 50 a day besides doing cardio. I was wondering, what has helped you exactly when doing squats, have you noticed more of a change in your lower body - thighs / hips? As I hope to try and lose more inches in that area, I know you cannot spot reduce.. but so far, I've heard that squats really do the job!

Do any of you do squats with weights? What do you recommend? Thanks MFP

Replies

  • Lauren8239
    Lauren8239 Posts: 1,039 Member
    Squats are amazing for toning the legs. I do them with weights with my fitness programs, and I'm still in awe with how my leg muscles have changed and toned up. I look at my pins and wonder if they're really mine. lol
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
    50 a day?? Wow you have buns of steel there lady!
  • AddA2UDE
    AddA2UDE Posts: 382
    I hate leg day! LOL! That being said, Your legs comprise the largest muscle groups in your body. They burn a LOT of calories and are an integral part of achieving your goal. Squats are excellent!
  • sixpacking
    sixpacking Posts: 148 Member
    I LOVE DOING SQUATS......do them with 45lbs plates....yes, legs and buns of steel is what i posses....no pink weights for sure.
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
    I hate leg day! LOL! That being said, Your legs comprise the largest muscle groups in your body. They burn a LOT of calories and are an integral part of achieving your goal. Squats are excellent!

    Yes and them being the biggest muscles can also produce the most testosterone. I have puked and fainted a few times after a grueling leg workout.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,068 Member
    I have a love/hate realtionship with squats and lunges! I love how they've changed my thighs and butt but man I hate doing them lol I do 200 squats every other day with 50 lbs of handweights. I started with just body weight and even noticed big improvements then! Good luck!
  • JaimeBrown5
    JaimeBrown5 Posts: 324
    I hate, hate hate squats!! Those are the only time I scream at the TV when I'm doing my Wii workout cuz the damn trainer is RUTHLESS!
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,068 Member
    I hate leg day! LOL! That being said, Your legs comprise the largest muscle groups in your body. They burn a LOT of calories and are an integral part of achieving your goal. Squats are excellent!

    Yes and them being the biggest muscles can also produce the most testosterone. I have puked and fainted a few times after a grueling leg workout.

    LOL! I haven't fainted but I've puked more than once on leg day!!
  • Jesung
    Jesung Posts: 236 Member
    You should always do squats with weights. Do barbell squats and add more weight on every time you go.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I do 100 squats on weekdays. I don't use weights because I do them on my breaks at work, but I do incorporate some of the Brazillian Butt Lift squats and lunges, which add more body weight. I did this to build my butt back up rather than to lose more of it though. I've always had a nice healthy bum but found that it was shrinking too much with my weight loss. It has worked too. I've lost 3 lbs and .8 in on my waist while gaining an inch on my bum. And it is so firm! My husband laughed when I told him I was doing Brazillian Butt Lift but he's a believer now. :wink:
  • JatieKo621
    JatieKo621 Posts: 425 Member
    In insanity there are TONS of squats, and one of my favorite varietal of doing them is called "squat kicks" where after you squat you come up and kick your right leg then back into a squat, come up and kick your left leg. It works the glutes, legs, back, and also your abs.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    "There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that provides the level of central nervous activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic conditioning than the correctly performed full squat." -Mark Rippetoe
  • FauxNinja
    FauxNinja Posts: 77
    Reverse Cowgirl will get the results you desire.
  • LittleD311
    LittleD311 Posts: 618 Member
    Hello MFP! I'm trying to do more squats everyday, at least 50 a day besides doing cardio. I was wondering, what has helped you exactly when doing squats, have you noticed more of a change in your lower body - thighs / hips? As I hope to try and lose more inches in that area, I know you cannot spot reduce.. but so far, I've heard that squats really do the job!

    Do any of you do squats with weights? What do you recommend? Thanks MFP

    I have struggled with Squats ever since I started doing INsanity, and then as I got stronger, I was trying to do 100 squats/day, first I started without weights, and then I incorporated weights in. I am currently in my 4th week of Chalean Extreme , and squats have been so much easier for me! Im loving them! I do mine with 8-10lbs, or even alone. good luck!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,349 Member
    Hello MFP! I'm trying to do more squats everyday, at least 50 a day besides doing cardio. I was wondering, what has helped you exactly when doing squats, have you noticed more of a change in your lower body - thighs / hips? As I hope to try and lose more inches in that area, I know you cannot spot reduce.. but so far, I've heard that squats really do the job!

    Do any of you do squats with weights? What do you recommend? Thanks MFP
    You don't need to squat every day. Squats put a butt on me. I had an almost non existent one in high school, but after squatting for a year, I ended up getting one. As for legs, it's put on lean muscle and I don't look like a "light bulb" (that's for men who only have great upper bodies and no legs).
    Squat free bar if you can. 12-15 reps. Refer to my "No BS exercise thread" to see how to do them.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I can do a bazillion body weight squats but personally I don't think they do much unless you add some weight. Start with the Olympic bar, do 3 sets of 15 with the bar (45lbs). Add 5 lbs a week, and eventually you'll be lifting heavy. That is when I started seeing results, when I added weight. Now I can squat 5 reps of 135 (I weigh 110).

    Edited to say: I squat 2-3 times a week max.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    I'll note that squats only engage the glutes if you go down far enough. I'm sure most of you do this but I see guys in the gym doing squats with weight and they only go down maybe 1/3 of the way. Full squat = having your thighs parallel to the ground before going back up.

    Another exercise that will engage your glutes is the deadlift. Might be a bit easier to engage the glutes as you have to start in the bent position before starting. (make sure you actually start in the right position or else you're just doing a straight legged dead that works your lower back vs glutes).

    Lunges are great. But try doing walking lunges while passing a weighted ball inbetween your legs. That will make sure you lunge down far enough and lunging down the hallway will help with coordination etc....
  • blakeman187
    blakeman187 Posts: 53
    Legs are the most important day. If you want a kick *kitten* upper body it will be achieved faster with a compound lift like squats. 50 body weight squats is a little eccentric though. Just use the squat rack, throw on whatever weight feels comfortable and do 3-4 sets of 10-12
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