#1382

[@stoempert]

I started going to the gym and squating at age forty. I was shocked how awkward it felt, 40 kg was a trembling mess and couldn't get depth with good form. After 3, 4 months of practice and slow overload it started to get comfortable. Now bout two years in i can manage 140 kg ass to grass. It basically transformed me to a much more functional human, especially in opening up the hips and using the whole chain of the body. For general, 'functional' strenght you can't beat it imo, it's THE KING.

[@pmd8212]

I find myself not being able to get low enough

[@msmith1845]

Well done on the work you put in

[@AliGhahreman]

It's an honest question, I mean I am not trying to be an ass. What do you mean by functional strength? What kind of strength is not functional?

[@stoempert]

@@AliGhahreman You are right, all strength can be functional. My line of thinking is that squat also trains bracing and core versus lets say a legpress. Or a standing shoulder press versus a seated machine press.

[@AliGhahreman]

@@stoempert Thanks. Actually, I agree with you on that.

[@nomaderic]

I did one set of 7 with just the bar. It was ugly, my form was trash, and I was sore for a week. Off that one set 5 weeks later today I hit 160 for 5 sets of 5....this single exercise is changing my entire body, my entire body is getting stronger. I'm leaner, my posture is better, I'm more explosive, I have much better mobility, and numerous other things I 100 percent give all this glory to the squat, idk why I waited all these years to finally start doing it

[@coryjohnson2486]

I’ve always been scared of squats. They are super uncomfortable and make me sick to my stomach. I just started today. 4 sets of 12 with 35s on each side, below 90 degrees, and weight through my heels. I was DEAD, and that’s all I could do today… but I know it’ll pay off some day.

[@nomaderic]

@Cory Johnson I was the same way. I couldn't even do a squat properly with just the bar. My legs would quiver and shake. My knees would cave in. I just kept going in there and it got better and better. Stick with it and I promise you in a month or so you'll be much better. Once your body gets used to the movement pattern you'll start adding weight like crazy. I went from just the bar to now my squat is around 345. Not elite or anything but pretty solid from where I started

[@coryjohnson2486]

@@nomaderic thanks for replying. I totally forgot to mention I used the smith machine too (weak, I know). That’s why I could actually put some weight on. Next week, I’m just doing free-weight barbell squats and I’m just gonna start with the bar. If I can do a set of 10-12 with GREAT form, I’ll add a little weight. I just need to stay CONSISTENT with it every single week. Reading your comments are motivating me BIG TIME, because I’ve always been so discouraged because of how WEAK I am with squats…. But I’m realizing that it is hard for EVERYBODY in the beginning. I’m going to focus on form above all else and not worry about stacking a bunch of weight until I’m ready. 345 is AWESOME dude. I hope to get there one day. Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Not to tell my life story, but i just got out of a 5 year relationship very recently and rather than sit around and cry about it, I’m going to better myself. Life is hard sometimes man 🙁. Thanks for the motivation. 💪🏻

[@pfritzism]

Proof the squatting is a fundamental human movement. Babies..... so much of their weight is in their head, when learning to stand and walk they have great squat form. If they don't have good form they will fall over.

[@tvst7856]

squats the hardest workouts in the world...but I love them. last week after some jumping and explosive work I told myself I was gonna do 4 sets of 8 at 225...I don't know who the hell I thought I was. turn to 3 sets of 6 lmao

[@joshfarrow2916]

There might be 1% of humans who are willing and able to put 225 on a bar and squat it at all let alone 3 sets of 6. Good stuff, man.

[@Zb_Calisthenic]

That's still beastly

[@booooo-urns]

@@joshfarrow2916 yea. But 225 lb squat is achievable by most healthy men and prob a good number of women. Most people probably can’t bench 135 either but it shouldn’t take that long for a regular untrained person to hit that number

[@joshfarrow2916]

@@booooo-urns It being achievable doesn't make it any less rare.

[@chrisquick6945]

I loved this podcast guys. One thing you guys should of mention is the pros and cons of squatting in certain types of shoes, like avoid squatting in regular tennis shoes and using oly shoes or flat shoes like converse instead

[@zia-ulislam7761]

The king of all weightlifting exercises.

[@sleazebee]

“It doesnt bother my knees to sit in my hover-chair” 😆

[@meenasubbiah3795]

What an awesome episode. You have drilled full range of motion in my head.

[@RockyP-xw8rd]

I developed big, defined legs over 20 years Of training with minimal / no squatting. In my late 30’s I decided to work on my mobility and technique and began squatting once to twice per week. It changed my entire body and my legs exploded to the point that people were asking if I was on gear. What I would say is that I approached it as a bodybuilder with higher reps and didn’t even try to go anywhere near a 1 rep max or anything less than 6 rep sets. The first few weeks were a mess but after a while it became second nature and the progression built very quickly.

[@suhwateezea.214]

Awesome!

[@eyupkaplan4620]

These guys are great! I have learned so much helpful information from this podcast. I used to think, like everyone else, that squat is very hard. Leg press, Leg extensions do the same thing, so why should I bother? It turned out I was wrong. I will add squat to my workout exercise and will watch the improvement :)

[@Zb_Calisthenic]

Nothing like squats. Shit is exhausting. a leg day could just consist of squats.

[@dmanzawsome]

I hear you guys gush about deadlifts and squats and I totally agree but if you like those than there is an excersize that combines the benefit of both... CLEANS!!!! basically a more full range of motion deadlift plus a front squat. It's definitely a hard movement to teach and it may take time to put any weight on but it does magic for the body!

[@gitaromar]

They need a stock Mark Rippetoe sound bite for any situation where someone says you shouldn't do a basic compound lift. Something akin to the Thunberg "How dare you!"

[@prestonshirley9864]

I am the guy who can squat well but the leg press kills my back. I can brace so much better for a squat!

[@SmoothKatDaddy12]

I was diagnosed at 16 with patella tendinitis and told by physical therapist to never squat, so I didn't for 20 years. I started lifting seriously 3 years ago and made myself squat. Now I basically don't have pain in my patella and can squat deep with a decent load. Go figure. I'm now 38.

[@Icecoolsa80a2]

Love atg pause rep squats

[@cobrasdestro4929]

You guys are awesome thanks!! 😃

[@diasporaman5419]

This was Awesome ❤❤❤❤

[@MindPumpShow]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[@juanignaciocelisturriaf9933]

My gym doesn't have a squat rack, only a smith machine. Is it good enough to do squats in a smith?

[@pretty_flaco]

you have a few options, from hardest to easiest depending on your strength and mobility: 1) clean, press, squat with bar overhead 2) clean, press, lower bar to back 3) clean, place bar on front delts, do front squat 4) zercher squat.. dl the bar, place against hip, squat down, place arms under bar 5)pistol squats 6) place bar in corner, do landmine squat 7) bulgarian split squat 8) goblet squat 9) sissy squat 10) bodyweight squat

[@GUITARTIME2024]

Yes

[@ScubaMoonLight120]

These guys get it. Ass to the grass till I die.

[@clarity2115]

Speaking of injuries on the leg press, saw a teammate in wrestling give himself a hernia on one back in highschool lol

[@MindPumpShow]

😳

[@machinayrequiem8596]

Have you seen those reclines that are automatic and leans forward so you don't have to squat to get up out of the chair? It's designed for people with injuries or literally incapable of getting out of the chair, but everyone is using them because they are lazy.

[@JasonJohnContos]

Hi guys. What are your opinions on squats please? Thanks.

[@zachariasekstrom3172]

You portray some things you say like there is “a certain way” to train and do everything to some extent. Why?

[@NB-sq7ui]

But is it better then the deadlift ?

[@iamanonymous4191]

Yes and no. No, because the deadlift works the upper back and forearms in addition to the other muscles. That's about it. And the squat is better than deadlifts because of this: it is a double-joint movement meaning it flexes the hips and extends the knee. The deadlift is almost exclusively a hip flexion lift, with minimal knee extension. So the squat works all posterior chain muscles as well as the anterior muscles such as the quads, abductors, abs, and tibialis anterior. The second reason why it's fundamentally better is the recovery aspect. Deadlifting is extremely fatiguing and realistically shouldn't be performed more than once a week. Squatting takes shorter to recover from and can be done much more frequently, which in turn will be beneficial in the long run. It's a whole package exercise and like the deadlift, it's the most primal human movement.

[@TrynagetJacked]

Yes the squat is numero uno without a doubt

[@prestonshirley9864]

The squat rules!

[@peterdieduardo6792]

I hate squats. That said, I still do them regularly.

[@JD-pj2nl]

Squats are for REAL MEN. Machines gives you a false sense of achievement. You not really STRONG.... until you Squat.

[@raiderkeno]

There’s no replacement for a rep squat. Do it and find out.

[@joshjosh6192]

Mr Tom Platz 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@illegitimategame]

👑

[@thecuz2798]

Why is Sals voice normal but Justin and Adams are really high?

[@barefoot2478]

1000 bodyweightsquats a week . I know it is not enough.

[@Zerstorer1387]

What are your thoughts on ligma???

[@lollol-ud3pu]

Ligma balls

[@Zerstorer1387]

What are your thoughts on deez???

[@lihuan9634]

lets gooooooo

[@curtisharolson6643]

I don’t think squats are a necessity, I feel Hack squats and leg press can lead to as good of aesthetics as squats, Also lunges, so why compress the spine, or risk injury for a bit of strength gains

[@barefoot2478]

Bodyweightsquats. 150 a Day.

[@nomaderic]

Of course it's not a necessity but the pros outweighs the cons drastically

[@tonyivy6076]

Leg Press and Hack Squats will help with asthetics, but they aren't quite the same as a squat. Squats are a compound movement that work the whole lower body as well as the core. It will build much better functional strength, improve mobility, and more.

[@princekiki33]

Hack squats are bad for knees

[@sergioflores9246]

You didn't watch the video lol

[@giorgioanastasios4734]

NO NOT EVERYONE SHOULD SQUAT. YOU KNOW 0. ABOUT LEVERAGES AND BIOMECHANICS OBVIOUSLY.