jjohn
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My high-school basketball coach, like so many well-meaning coaches and trainers before him, preached the gospel against the barbell squat. "Squatting will ruin your knees," he declared.
And I believed him.
I believed him because he was the guy who wore the whistle and would make us run wind sprints at the mere hint of disobedience.
That was back in 1989. Ironically, that same year researchers at Auburn University found that men who performed full squats--bending their knees and lowering their bodies as far as possible--for 8 weeks didn't decrease their knee stability. The researchers also observed that men who squat long-term have tighter, stronger knee ligaments than guys who don't squat at all. And physiologists at the Mayo Clinic have determined that squats place less stress on your knees than leg extensions, a popular machine alternative.
We think this much maligned lift deserves vindication. "You get greater overall muscle and strength gains from the squat than from any other exercise," says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise researcher at the University of Connecticut. Here are three ways to reap the greatest benefits from this classic lift.
Build More Muscle
Researchers at Duke University found that the closer you come to a half squat--lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor--the harder you work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. But the benefits don't end with your legs. "Squats create an overall anabolic environment in the body that maximizes gains from other exercises [in your workout]," says Volek. Because squats involve a large muscle group and require a tremendous amount of energy, they trigger the release of extra testosterone and growth hormone in the bloodstream. And that'll help you build your upper body, too.
Try pause squats. This lift engages the largest number of leg muscle fibers. Hold a barbell across your back and lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor (or lower). Pause for 4 seconds, then push your body back up to the starting position. Do two or three sets of 10 repetitions, once every 5 to 7 days.
Power Up
Explosive power--the combination of speed and strength--separates the long shot from the big shot in sports. Develop more of it and you'll jump higher, run faster, and perform better. In a 2002 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers found that men who did jump squats--jumping as high as possible from a squat position--with a weight that was 30 percent of the weight they could squat one time improved their vertical leaps by 17 percent in just 8 weeks. (They also improved their 20-meter sprint times.)
Try jump squats. Use a pair of dumbbells that add up to about 30 percent of the weight you can squat one time. Hold the dumbbells at arm's length next to your thighs, your palms facing each other. Dip your knees slightly--as if you were about to leap--then explosively jump as high as you can. When you land, reset quickly and then jump again. Do five sets of six repetitions, resting 3 minutes after each set, two times a week.
Stay Young
Leg strength is critical for maintaining mobility as we age, says Robert Newton, Ph.D., an exercise researcher at Ball State University. Here's proof: In a 2002 study, Australian researchers saw a correlation between maximal lower-body strength and the length of time it took healthy older men to complete a simple obstacle course. The weakest men took an average of 30 percent longer to complete the most challenging part of the course, compared with the old-timers who could lift the most.
Try heavy squats. They're the best way to build pure, functional strength, because they not only exercise your muscles, but also force the network of nerves that control them to work more efficiently. Perform a squat with a weight that's about 85 percent of the amount you can lift one time. Do five sets of five repetitions, resting 3 to 4 minutes after each set, once every 5 to 7 days. To increase the difficulty, have a buddy set pins in a power rack at a level that's about 2 inches below the height from which you'll begin the move. From a full squat, push your body up until the barbell touches the pins, then continue to push as forcefully as you can against the pins for 3 seconds. (The pins prevent you from locking your knees, which keeps tension on your legs during the easiest part of the lift.) Then perform your next repetition
And I believed him.
I believed him because he was the guy who wore the whistle and would make us run wind sprints at the mere hint of disobedience.
That was back in 1989. Ironically, that same year researchers at Auburn University found that men who performed full squats--bending their knees and lowering their bodies as far as possible--for 8 weeks didn't decrease their knee stability. The researchers also observed that men who squat long-term have tighter, stronger knee ligaments than guys who don't squat at all. And physiologists at the Mayo Clinic have determined that squats place less stress on your knees than leg extensions, a popular machine alternative.
We think this much maligned lift deserves vindication. "You get greater overall muscle and strength gains from the squat than from any other exercise," says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise researcher at the University of Connecticut. Here are three ways to reap the greatest benefits from this classic lift.
Build More Muscle
Researchers at Duke University found that the closer you come to a half squat--lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor--the harder you work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. But the benefits don't end with your legs. "Squats create an overall anabolic environment in the body that maximizes gains from other exercises [in your workout]," says Volek. Because squats involve a large muscle group and require a tremendous amount of energy, they trigger the release of extra testosterone and growth hormone in the bloodstream. And that'll help you build your upper body, too.
Try pause squats. This lift engages the largest number of leg muscle fibers. Hold a barbell across your back and lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor (or lower). Pause for 4 seconds, then push your body back up to the starting position. Do two or three sets of 10 repetitions, once every 5 to 7 days.
Power Up
Explosive power--the combination of speed and strength--separates the long shot from the big shot in sports. Develop more of it and you'll jump higher, run faster, and perform better. In a 2002 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers found that men who did jump squats--jumping as high as possible from a squat position--with a weight that was 30 percent of the weight they could squat one time improved their vertical leaps by 17 percent in just 8 weeks. (They also improved their 20-meter sprint times.)
Try jump squats. Use a pair of dumbbells that add up to about 30 percent of the weight you can squat one time. Hold the dumbbells at arm's length next to your thighs, your palms facing each other. Dip your knees slightly--as if you were about to leap--then explosively jump as high as you can. When you land, reset quickly and then jump again. Do five sets of six repetitions, resting 3 minutes after each set, two times a week.
Stay Young
Leg strength is critical for maintaining mobility as we age, says Robert Newton, Ph.D., an exercise researcher at Ball State University. Here's proof: In a 2002 study, Australian researchers saw a correlation between maximal lower-body strength and the length of time it took healthy older men to complete a simple obstacle course. The weakest men took an average of 30 percent longer to complete the most challenging part of the course, compared with the old-timers who could lift the most.
Try heavy squats. They're the best way to build pure, functional strength, because they not only exercise your muscles, but also force the network of nerves that control them to work more efficiently. Perform a squat with a weight that's about 85 percent of the amount you can lift one time. Do five sets of five repetitions, resting 3 to 4 minutes after each set, once every 5 to 7 days. To increase the difficulty, have a buddy set pins in a power rack at a level that's about 2 inches below the height from which you'll begin the move. From a full squat, push your body up until the barbell touches the pins, then continue to push as forcefully as you can against the pins for 3 seconds. (The pins prevent you from locking your knees, which keeps tension on your legs during the easiest part of the lift.) Then perform your next repetition
