SQUATS?? I need your advice?

Monroe121

Squats? Are they effective for toning my things? Or is it a waste of time/exercise? Your thoughts please?

Thank you,
Roe

albertabeefy

Squats? Are they effective for toning my things? Or is it a waste of time/exercise? Your thoughts please?

Thank you,
Roe

Squats are the single best strength-training exercise you can do. They strengthen your core, strengthen your glutes, hamstrings and quads and women who squat look MUCH better (a generalization to be sure, and also from this guy's perspective) than women who don't.

Do not worry that squats or any other compound exercise will make you bulky - it won't.

... and don't just squat ... all the main compound exercises are excellent for women:

Squat, Bent-over row, deadlift, overhead press, bench press, etc.

jameany2011

im trying the 30 day squat challenge. watching my calories for a week and doing the squats and my mom came over and made a comment about my thighs already. i hope its the squats. try it it cant hurt:)

ninerbuff

im trying the 30 day squat challenge. watching my calories for a week and doing the squats and my mom came over and made a comment about my thighs already. i hope its the squats. try it it cant hurt:)

There's really no need to do this many squats daily. But if it floats your boat......

To the OP, no squats aren't a waste of time.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

JamieG8991

Yes! Definitely do squats!! A trainer told me that they are a very effective exercise and it's true!! I love how they make my butt look!! :bigsmile: I don't just do squats tho. I do a variety of things, but squats are great!!

lhourin

Exact ditto to AlbertaBeefy. Squats kick *kitten* (literally).

Squats, lunges, and deadlifts are all you need for legs...forget machine exercises, which are pretty useless and not nearly as effective.

Just make sure you know proper form and WATCH YOURSELF doing them. They are great exercises, but form is so important (I just responded a little about this in the squat challenge thread, too, if you want general form tips...but definitely google a reputable source for images and videos)

sexymuffintop

Yarp to squats. They work.

Fiercely_Me

Very effective! Squats tones your quads, hams, and glutes. You can always add variety too, like performing squats on a Bosu to engage your abs as well. You can squat with or without weights although I saw better results when I used weights. Squats will tone your legs and get you looking good in heels in no time

Fiercely_Me

Exact ditto to AlbertaBeefy. Squats kick *kitten* (literally).

Squats, lunges, and deadlifts are all you need for legs...forget machine exercises, which are pretty useless and not nearly as effective.

Just make sure you know proper form and WATCH YOURSELF doing them. They are great exercises, but form is so important (I just responded a little about this in the squat challenge thread, too, if you want general form tips...but definitely google a reputable source for images and videos)

Yes proper form is very important. Sit the hips back as if sitting in a chair, with feet about hip-width apart. Knees don't go over toes when you squat, and keep your chin up with face facing forward, not down.

Capt_Apollo

yes. combine them with dead lifting, lunges, and bench press and overhead press, and cardio and proper nutrition for the body of my dreams.... errr, your dreams.

phjorg

Exact ditto to AlbertaBeefy. Squats kick *kitten* (literally).

Squats, lunges, and deadlifts are all you need for legs...forget machine exercises, which are pretty useless and not nearly as effective.

Just make sure you know proper form and WATCH YOURSELF doing them. They are great exercises, but form is so important (I just responded a little about this in the squat challenge thread, too, if you want general form tips...but definitely google a reputable source for images and videos)

Yes proper form is very important. Sit the hips back as if sitting in a chair, with feet about hip-width apart. Knees don't go over toes when you squat, and keep your chin up with face facing forward, not down.

this is false. knees not going over toes is pure myth. for proof look at every person ever who squats for comp. knees always go past toes.

JacquiMayCrook

So how many squats is the optimum number daily to best achieve all of this?

HeidiMightyRawr

No they aren't a waste of time, they're a great exercise!

Don't be afraid to add weight though (such as a barbell or dumbells) for even greater results

albertabeefy

this is false. knees not going over toes is pure myth. for proof look at every person ever who squats for comp. knees always go past toes.

From what I've researched, unless you already have knee problems, this is pretty much true.

Where your knee ends up in relation to your toe depends on your squat: Front Squats will have the knee past the toe. Olympic squats (often called high-bar squat) will have the knee over the toe. Low-bar squats usually are the closest knee-toe position.

Flixie00

Thanks to squats (and lunges), particularly weighted ones, I now have stronger legs, no knee issues when I run, and my bum has never looked this good :bigsmile:

dadof2boyz

Squats? Are they effective for toning my things? Or is it a waste of time/exercise? Your thoughts please?

Thank you,
Roe

Squats are the single best strength-training exercise you can do. They strengthen your core, strengthen your glutes, hamstrings and quads and women who squat look MUCH better (a generalization to be sure, and also from this guy's perspective) than women who don't.

Do not worry that squats or any other compound exercise will make you bulky - it won't.

... and don't just squat ... all the main compound exercises are excellent for women:

Squat, Bent-over row, deadlift, overhead press, bench press, etc.

*THIS

haroon_awan

The squat the single best exercise you can do in the gym, followed by the deadlift, barbell/pendlay row, bench press, chin up, glute ham raise, good morning, hyperextensions and a few more.

xMonroeMisfit

Squats are my best friend. Been doing them now for 2 months and my Fiancee said it looks like I have a new pair of legs.

mikejholmes

So how many squats is the optimum number daily to best achieve all of this?

5 sets of 5 reps.
With a heavy enough barbell on your back that the last few are challenging.
:happy:

Fighting4Healthy

this is false. knees not going over toes is pure myth. for proof look at every person ever who squats for comp. knees always go past toes.

From what I've researched, unless you already have knee problems, this is pretty much true.

Where your knee ends up in relation to your toe depends on your squat: Front Squats will have the knee past the toe. Olympic squats (often called high-bar squat) will have the knee over the toe. Low-bar squats usually are the closest knee-toe position.

I've always wondered about the knee/toe thing. Everyone always tell me to not let my knees go past my toes when doing squats so I had just given up doing squats because I didn't think I could ever do it right, now that I've seen this I'm thinking about starting the challenge back up in May

backpacker44

im trying the 30 day squat challenge. watching my calories for a week and doing the squats and my mom came over and made a comment about my thighs already. i hope its the squats. try it it cant hurt:)

I did that last month and my BF never shuts up about my butt.