Question about Squats

1st... what muscles are used when doing squats?

Glutes, hamstrings, quads........ core, lower and upper back to some extent if you are talking about weighted barbell/dumbell squats.

Will they help tone the inside flabby part of my thighs? (I know you cant spot reduce fat, but muscles can still be toned correct?)

not really, muscles either get bigger or smaller you cannot 'tone' them . If you want an area to look different you can only lose the weight/fat which is covering it then make particular muscles bigger.

2nd... how many should I do to actually work the muscles?

and 3rd... If my goal is to do lets say 100 of them, is it better to do all 100 within a 10-15 minute time frame, basically as quickly as possible, or would it be ok if I spread them out through out my day? Say 25 here and 25 there etc.

Are we talking about weighed squats or bodyweight squats? if you can do 100 reps of something in one set then this is too light to be really classed as resistance training. It might be part of a good cardio workout but it won't build any muscle, find a way to add resistance either with weight or by doing single leg movements if muscle building is your goal

All of this.

The question of weighted or body weight is important. Most people cannot do 100 "proper form" squats either way. I personally like to do body weight squats and I shoot for around 200. My goal is muscle endurance yours might be different. If you want to do weighted squats start light and go slow with proper form. In the beginning it won't be too bad but if you develop bad form habits in the beginning when you start using heavy weights it will become an issue,

1st... what muscles are used when doing squats?

Glutes, hamstrings, quads........ core, lower and upper back to some extent if you are talking about weighted barbell/dumbell squats.

Will they help tone the inside flabby part of my thighs? (I know you cant spot reduce fat, but muscles can still be toned correct?)

not really, muscles either get bigger or smaller you cannot 'tone' them . If you want an area to look different you can only lose the weight/fat which is covering it then make particular muscles bigger.

2nd... how many should I do to actually work the muscles?

and 3rd... If my goal is to do lets say 100 of them, is it better to do all 100 within a 10-15 minute time frame, basically as quickly as possible, or would it be ok if I spread them out through out my day? Say 25 here and 25 there etc.

Are we talking about weighed squats or bodyweight squats? if you can do 100 reps of something in one set then this is too light to be really classed as resistance training. It might be part of a good cardio workout but it won't build any muscle, find a way to add resistance either with weight or by doing single leg movements if muscle building is your goal

You can train muscles to be more contracted at rest. This is toning.

As in the opposite of relaxed? how so?

1st... what muscles are used when doing squats?

Glutes, hamstrings, quads........ core, lower and upper back to some extent if you are talking about weighted barbell/dumbell squats.

Will they help tone the inside flabby part of my thighs? (I know you cant spot reduce fat, but muscles can still be toned correct?)

not really, muscles either get bigger or smaller you cannot 'tone' them . If you want an area to look different you can only lose the weight/fat which is covering it then make particular muscles bigger.

2nd... how many should I do to actually work the muscles?

and 3rd... If my goal is to do lets say 100 of them, is it better to do all 100 within a 10-15 minute time frame, basically as quickly as possible, or would it be ok if I spread them out through out my day? Say 25 here and 25 there etc.

Are we talking about weighed squats or bodyweight squats? if you can do 100 reps of something in one set then this is too light to be really classed as resistance training. It might be part of a good cardio workout but it won't build any muscle, find a way to add resistance either with weight or by doing single leg movements if muscle building is your goal

Listen to this guy!

Another tip - do them as slowly as you possible can, so for example take 4 seconds going down, and 4 seconds coming back up again.

Something I do with my PT is to hold either end of a towel wrapped around a pole for balance, and go down until my bum is practically on the floor, and then back up again but I DON'T release the tension - ie. stay in a very shallow squat and then descend again. Do all of this very very slowly and make sure your posture stays good the whole way through. The tension will build until it is unbearable but it is really good for building muscle (ie. toning - as other people have said, they are basically the same thing).I usually only manage 5-10 before I scream out in pain lmao, they are very effective and very hard.

By-passing the definition of toning;

Squats will indeed work your adductors (inside thigh) providing your stance is wide enough. The wider the stance, the more the adductors will be involved.

1st... what muscles are used when doing squats?

Glutes, hamstrings, quads........ core, lower and upper back to some extent if you are talking about weighted barbell/dumbell squats.

Will they help tone the inside flabby part of my thighs? (I know you cant spot reduce fat, but muscles can still be toned correct?)

not really, muscles either get bigger or smaller you cannot 'tone' them . If you want an area to look different you can only lose the weight/fat which is covering it then make particular muscles bigger.

2nd... how many should I do to actually work the muscles?

and 3rd... If my goal is to do lets say 100 of them, is it better to do all 100 within a 10-15 minute time frame, basically as quickly as possible, or would it be ok if I spread them out through out my day? Say 25 here and 25 there etc.

Are we talking about weighed squats or bodyweight squats? if you can do 100 reps of something in one set then this is too light to be really classed as resistance training. It might be part of a good cardio workout but it won't build any muscle, find a way to add resistance either with weight or by doing single leg movements if muscle building is your goal

You can train muscles to be more contracted at rest. This is toning.

As in the opposite of relaxed? how so?

Muscle tone (aka residual muscle tension or tonus) is the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles. Unconscious nerve impulses maintain the muscles in a partially contracted state.

Bruce lee is a good example of this. You can develop it by lifting heavy or isometrics.

It is very slight and is a byproduct of central nervous system training whereby the CNS maintains a slightly higher tension on muscles. It is going to be fairly negligible though especially when compared to gaining size and losing fat hiding muscle. As said the CNS training just comes from lifting heavy althoguh I have seen it said that bodyweight exercises train CNS a bit more due to unconcious "fear" when moving your entire body through space.

Anyway, I 4th or 5th or whatever the first guy and add to that: just do 3x5 barbell squats startign with empty bar until you are comfortable and then add 5 lbs each time you do them.

Thank you so much! Guess I shall slow down... A LOT and try adding some weights to my squats. I never thought of spreading my legs farther apart. I guess I was under the impression that they should always be shoulder width apart. I shall try that as well. Thank you everyone for your input! It is very much appreciated!

Yep, look up sumo squats if you want, but legs further spread with your toes pointed out to the sides and you wil feel the burn in your inner thighs.

Something I do, which is really strengthening my thigh muscles, is squats on an upside-down Bosu ball. I have no idea if this uses different muscles, or how it works (and if anyone has any information on this, I'd be very interested to learn about it) - but the act of trying to balance on the Bosu ball as well as squatting is adding a lot of tone to my legs.

Quite unlike proper barbell squatting with way more weight which never did anything for anyone's legs.

Something I do, which is really strengthening my thigh muscles, is squats on an upside-down Bosu ball. I have no idea if this uses different muscles, or how it works (and if anyone has any information on this, I'd be very interested to learn about it) - but the act of trying to balance on the Bosu ball as well as squatting is adding a lot of tone to my legs.

Quite unlike proper barbell squatting with way more weight which never did anything for anyone's legs.

If you are making a point to explain something to me about Bosu ball squatting, could you explain it more directly?

Check this http://www.leangains.com/2011/09/*uckarounditis.html Change the * to an F

Where are u all getting your information about muscle contractions ?

Another vote for Sumo squats

Check this http://www.leangains.com/2011/09/*uckarounditis.html Change the * to an F

So you're saying doing balance exercises is f*cking around? Any medical evidence, from research journals, that it doesn't work?

Personally, as someone on the autism spectrum who is hypermobile and has difficulty with balance, coordination, and weak muscle tone, I've found squatting on an upside down Bosu ball to be the most effective exercise for me, so far. It has improved the muscles in my thighs, as well as helping me with balance and core stability. Hence I assumed it was working more muscles than regular bodyweight squats, which haven't had those effects.

But if you have some evidence-based exercise that works better for my particular issues, then I would be genuinely interested to hear it. There don't tend to be many experts in how to work on the particular issues that people on the autism spectrum have, so a lot of us just have to work it out by trial and error.

I would like to add to clarify, I never said and do not advocate squatting with your toes pointing out at an unnatural angle. The toes and knees should be pointing in the same direction, when viewed from above, the knee should track forwards and backwards in a straight line along where the toes are pointing. Ideally with the knee not extending past the toes.