Heard my first bit of "broscience" today

damorzacon

So I'm in the squat rack doing dumbell curls...NOT! I was doing squats!! :happy:

Anyway, my buddies that work out at the same time were talking to some other guys (between their tricep/shoulder superset that we're friendly with about squats and I heard one of the say:

"I'm not going out for football, so I don't need to squat...especially deep squats like that" (gesturing over to me).

I just smiled to myself and this article came to mind:

http://artofmanliness.com/2009/04/06/7-exercises-to-make-you-look-and-feel-like-a-man/

As men, we sometimes feel as if the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Well, get used to bearing some weight by stepping under the squat bar! The squat will give you legs that are pillars of strength and a torso that is rock solid. So make like Atlas and squat big! If you avoid squats because you’re an “upperbody only” type guy, then it’s time to reevaluate your workout and make a serious change. Squatting heavy and deep will make you look and feel like a warrior.

They, of course, were working on their tricep/shoulder superset.

Hendrix7

This may be your first, but it certainly won't be the last.

DaveRCF

I tend to work out later in the evening at my gym. It is usually just me (old guy) and five or so guys that are at home for the summer from university. I've never seen any of them, ever, squat. They all look pretty athletic and I suspect some of them compete in varsity sports but the closest they get to a compound lift is of course the bench press.

Thing is, these guys look like they are in good shape. They do a lot of dumbbell work, pullups, dips and so on. Sure, a couple have chicken legs but that's nit picking.

So while I will be the first to promote the compound lifts, I don't believe they are the only path to fitness enlightenment.

damorzacon

So while I will be the first to promote the compound lifts, I don't believe they are the only path to fitness enlightenment.

I'm not saying they are either, I'd love to look like these guys. They're muscular guys and spend a couple hours in the gym almost every day, but I can't recall them working on their legs much if at all. One of my friends I can give a pass to because he's had 3 knee surgeries but he says he will still 1/2 squat with a weight he knows he can handle. The other refuses to do any leg work.

I just found it funny that they only reason that they would squat is for a sport and not to compliment their existing work.

KiltFuPanda

*eye twitches* I had someone say something like that to me back when I was teaching kung fu (I was using one of the students in a fireman's carry squat as a demonstration of a good leg strength exercise). He was under the impression that speed was everything, and heavy squats only served to slow people down.

I walked over to the 100 lb hanging bag, had the doubter hold the bag in a hug, and proceeded to knock him and the bag off the ground with a side kick. Told him along the lines of "you may get there first, but if you're not bringing something with that speed, you'll just bounce off the target".

acr0bat

I've even heard that kind of quote from guys who *are* playing football, e.g. "it'll slow me down".