Squats?

lcchrt

Hello

I want a beastin butt. (and body)

Please, tell me all there is to know about squats. (and other fun things)

I am a clueless woman who wants to start lifting then lifting heavy.

Help?

achampionsheart

squats help to define your thighs and back of your legs (hamstrings) my personal trainer has me doing them and i can actually feel my thighs tighten when i do them and i can even feel them tighten and get stronger on days i dont even do them....you have to make sure that your back is straight and you dont overextend your knees over your toes.....ive done it and its not good..hehe....they work, just make sure that your form and technique is good and youll be golden

trelm249

Squats are good for the butt, tis true.

That being said, dead lift. Better than squats.It more or less hits the same muscles and then even more. On a more practical note, heavy deadlifts do not require a spotter.

RunLiftEat

You may find this site helpful.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/

heybales

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/HipsWt.html
For a variety of exercises.

http://www.exrx.net/Kinesiology/Squats.html
If squats is the main one desired.

doctor_mike

But whatever you do, squats or deadlifts spend some time upfront working with a trainer to learn how to do the moves correctly. I've been in the gym long enough to know that these are two of the most ill-completed moves out there.....and if you are just beginning weight training, it is even more important to learn to do these things correctly...happy lifting....

pucenavel

The first big increase I had in leg strength came after my PT had me start doing one leg squats on a short bench.

Basically, you stand on one foot on a bench that is 6-10" off the floor with your insole lined up with the edge of the bench. Keep the "dangling" leg straight and lower yourself somewhat slowly down about 6" then back up. She had me do two sets of 30 on each leg.

I started seeing improvement almost immediately - by week three, I was seeing muscle definition starting to really change.

...and...

the other day I saw a 96 year old do 10 full squats - I mean he was going down to where his hips were lower than his knees. I was impressed.

Luthorcrow

Squats require good form which you are not going to see at most gyms and not all trainers really know there game. If you want to get off to a good start I'd pick up this DVD version of Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001U9FDP2/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

I have not been able to find a better video that breaks down the elements of form in an intelligent and understandable way. Plus Mark has about a dozen different students mixed in age, gender, build and height to demonstrate form across multiple body types.

Aside from that you could pick up a copy of Lou Schuler' "New Rules for Lifting for Women".

Both of those tools will give a good place to start.

Other than my general advice would be...

1) Always squat in a power rack. Safety first.

2) Never squat in front of a mirror. If you have to stack something in front of the mirror. You can't watch your form in a mirror while you squat. Once you do you break concentration. A good gym that is serious about weight training will not have a mirror in front of the power rack but many gyms do.

3) Once you have watched Mark's DVD or good YouTube videos, start with box squats. Your gym should have stackable boxes that you can adjust to the height just below where when squatting your hips are just below parallel with your knee joint. You may be able to squat deeper and if you can without losing the arch in your back great but you need to squat at least passed parallel.

4) Start light. You start with no weight and then a bare Olympic bar. Make sure you are comfortable with your form before adding more weight then add 5lbs or less at a time.

5) If your gym allows it squat bare foot. If not where an athletic shoe with a flat sole.

6) Don't use weight belts. Unless you are in weight lifting competitions it will just weaken your core and put your back at more risk.

7) Remember that your power comes from driving your hips. You should be thinking about the bar but but instead hips and lower back pushing the weight up.

8) It's not a linear motion. You can down at a moderate pace, bounce out of the box and push up with your hips as fast and hard as you can. You do not pause at the bottom and then come in the same stead pace you went down.

9) Keep everything above your hips, tight and locked (abs, back arch, chest, lats, etc.).

Here is intro YouTube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kawBY5p29fQ

supertracylynn

I seriously thought this said "squirts".
:noway:
Sorry.
I'll quietly back out of the room now....

:embarassed: