And now, I too love squats

[manif3st]

(sorry again Amkey for thread jacking your thread about the squat press http://www.musclebuilding.info/showthread.php?t=18892)

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Make sure you do them properly, and you really should try to do them consistently over a period of a month just to see how they are. I am fully confident that at the end of a month you will forget about the leg press machine.

Also, notice how sore you are for the next 2-3 days after you do squats, if done properly. Your butt will be sore, your quads will be sore, its awesome. You know that you have done something good when you do squats. Not to mention, you get an incredible cardio workout from doing squats .

Listen to this: in just 12 weeks..12 WEEKS...i went from:

x12 95lbs
x10 105lbs
x8 115lbs
x6 125 lbs

to this:

x12 135lbs
x10 185lbs
x8 205lbs
x6 245lbs

Now, after 17 weeks i am here:

x12 135
x10 195
x8 235
x6 285

Incredible gains, and im not even trying to build muscle as a primary goal either, my primary goal right now is fat loss. But i try to do as much weight as possible, and my legs are developing incredibly fast.

Check your ego at the door though. Dont try to be a hero when you do squats. Start with perfect form and do not sacrifice that form for anything.

welp, i did squats today for the first time and im already a fan. before i was up to almost 400 pounds on leg press without hardley breaking a sweat, and after doing about 110 pound squats i could do nothing BUT sweat! (and breathe hard, get dizzy/light headed/nauseas) i felt completely exhausted after my 3 sets. forget about doing em consistently for a month to test em out, i love em already!

for anyone who does leg presses instead of squats you should seriously consider at least TRYING squats cause they really do seperate the men from the boys (and women from the girls ) two : for squats!

[atherjen]

glad you have realized how GREAT squat'n is!

[Firehawk]

Hope you were joking about the dizzyness, nasuea hehe. Those arent good. I used to think the EXACT same thing about the leg press, until someone also clued me in.

After awhile, your breathing and cardiovascular will catch up and it wont be so rough on your systems to do the squats. I used to dread the squat days, but now I crave them, because I want to see how far I can really go with my legs. Im thinkin 315 in another month , month and a half. Ultimately, hopin to reach 500.

[manif3st]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Hope you were joking about the dizzyness, nasuea hehe. Those arent good. I used to think the EXACT same thing about the leg press, until someone also clued me in.

After awhile, your breathing and cardiovascular will catch up and it wont be so rough on your systems to do the squats. I used to dread the squat days, but now I crave them, because I want to see how far I can really go with my legs. Im thinkin 315 in another month , month and a half. Ultimately, hopin to reach 500.

no really, i did start to feel a little dizzy and nasueas, i think i just pushed myself too hard and underestimated the power of the squat also i never do any cardio and i didnt realize that cardio is involved with squats.

so now that ive done squats i have to ask, how do you keep all that weight on your shoulders? i used a smith machine and it made it easier but just the pressure it puts on my traps and the top part of my spine really hurts (especially today) the barbell had a little strap on pad thing, but it really wasnt enough. and i was only doing like 125, how do you throw up 500?

[Firehawk]

Your shoulders will get used to the barbell on your back. When i first started, 95 lbs on my back hurt. I used to take my shirt off and wrap it around the bar for cushion. When i told my buddy i was doing that (he squats 400) he laughed at me. He told me my shoulders would get used to it.

Well, sure enough they did. Now when i put 285 on my back it doesnt hurt, it feels real heavy but it doesnt hurt like it did when i first started squats. You will adapt, dont worry. Use freeweight, best way to do the squats. Its good you did it with a machine first though, that helps you to learn how to do them right.

Wait till you try it with freeweights, its even harder . I dont know how ill get 500 up, seems like alot at this point, but ill adjust.

Jaster can do like 625 or something, i wonder what he does.

[Jaster]

I do use a bar pad. And remember my shoulders and Traps are pretty beefed up. I don't really feel the bar as much as the pressure of the weight.

[manif3st]

Originally Posted by Jaster

I do use a bar pad. And remember my shoulders and Traps are pretty beefed up. I don't really feel the bar as much as the pressure of the weight.

guess i better get on them Jaster shrugs :

[Firehawk]

Jaster, did you use a bar pad when you were at half the weight you are squatting now? I could see using one for really high weight but not for 300 lbs. I dont use one, and probably never will.

I feel the weight alot more than the bar on my back as well. But like i said before, when I first started, the bar did hurt.

[Jaster]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Jaster, did you use a bar pad when you were at half the weight you are squatting now? I could see using one for really high weight but not for 300 lbs. I dont use one, and probably never will.

I feel the weight alot more than the bar on my back as well. But like i said before, when I first started, the bar did hurt.

Yeah I started useing the pad around 350 or 400. I only use it in the gym. I don't use it at any meets. If I have a meet coming up I will not use the pad for a few weeks leading into the meet.