Anyone who tells you they like squats is either genetically gifted, a machosist or a liar. Whilst the act of squatting is as natural as a form of resting or for defacating, to sink into a low squat and then rise with a rounded spine, lifting a heavy weight which crushes into your neck vertebrae is about as natural as most movie starlets mamory glands. Note I am not saying squats don’t work or you should not do them I am just saying for most they are an exercise best gotten over with fast, like having teeth extracted.

One of the greatest squatters of all time, the late Paul Anderson, named by most as ‘Worlds Strongest Man” once said, “The best lift for strength is squats. I imagine I have done thousands and thousands of squats and I will tell you something – I hated every one! Anyone who says he likes squats, I don’t understand. The belief that squats will hurt you will always be around because we want to find a reason not to do them. However squats are the mainstay to any weightlifting (and bodybuilding) routine.”

Those genetically suited i.e. mesomorph/endomorph mixes may well like or even enjoy knee bends with a barbell across the back of the neck, aching chest and gasping for breath. To avoid pain you can use rolled up towels around the bar and maybe don’t dip so low, say parallel. Do it this way and it’s fairly comfortable, but ironically the majority who take up training for muscle or power building are those less physically suited ie. ectomorphs or the skinny guys.

Those ‘naturally’ muscular, bulky or above average in strength rarely seek out to train with weights or if they do seldom stick at it long, and why should they..? The poorly endowed have without a doubt the strongest and longest held desire to gain respectable muscle and strength and once gains are made – appreciate them a whole lot more.

George Eiferman could do 150 consecutive squat reps – on one leg!

RUE THE DAY
So first exercise on every build up/bulk schedule has to be squats or some form of knee bends. Some coaches are indeed against heavy squats. Claiming such exercise are the cause of hip/knee joint injuries. Many an old timer rues the day they squatted too heavy or too late in life, causing them pain, including Grimek, who squatted heavy even in his 7O’s. later requiring hip replacements.

Squatting heavy using yards of leg wrap is a crazy way to seek development or strengthen joints. Wraps are meant to protect, and great to use when going for lifts, but extensive usage weakens joints and connective tissues. That is why muscles atrophy when in plaster casts. If you are a powerlifter and competing, then you have to use wraps to be on equal terms with others, and they do eliminate the fear of injuries, no doubt you certainly can lift more with wraps.

But for development purposes do not use them. Some people with relatively short leg bones (thus stronger leverage) may well be able to squat onto their haunches Asian style. It is a natural way to sit – to squat, but nature did not intend homo sapiens (that’s us guys) to then try to arise with an extra double bodyweight or more, and unless supported, the spinal column and knee joints, especially if you make the mistake of relaxing in the low position, are put under immeasurable stress.

Those who can go so low in squats, or even squat snatches, and arise uninjured are in the minority. Why? Because it just ‘aint natural for most. But please note we are talking about HEAVY squats.

BREATHING SQUATS
The ‘breathing squat’ and pullover combo to gain weight proven and in favour since the days of Mark Berry, Roger Eells (who usually gets the credit for it’s invention), Joseph Hise, who added the rest pause, and pushed for decades by Peary Rader of Iron Man, does NOT require the trainee to strain or place the spinal column in a poor position, as in heavy squats. Nearly always in any of the pre-mentioned breathing squat, weight gain routines, “approx bodyweight poundages” are always suggested, and for most that is all that is needed. Japanese Sumo, and equally bulky Indian wrestlers, gained better results than some of the colourful adverts now abounding in modern mags after using Joe Bloggs’ latest chemical drink.

These oriental wrestlers regularly performed thousands of reps in sets of IOO or more, with brief rests inbetween, combined with a huge high carb diet, also including that other old standby, the press up in their training. This simplistic workout resulted in huge bodyweight gains, but few desire such ponderous physiques, it is just proof of the value of light squats. Roger Eells by the way, who conducted the premier experiments with his breathing squats for weight gains, often forgot to mention he also spent most of his non training time in bed…. resting.

SINGLE LEG SQUATS
A progresson of ‘free squats’, especially for those without weights, is to do single leg bends, preferably on a bench, seldom seen today in schedules, yet old timers could work up to some scary poundages in this difficult style, because you also have to maintain some balance. One time Britain’s best wrestler Bert Assirati, who could make IO reps with 55Olbs/249.4kg in basic squats back in the I93O’s, could do the single leg style with an added 2OOlbs/9O.7kg on his shoulders, and Grimek could do likewise.

Squatting without added weight, George Eiferman, a contempory of the late Steve Reeves, did I5O consecutive reps on one leg. Reeves didn’t care much for basic squats, favouring front squats, or ‘hack’ squats, with the aim we are told of avoiding developing to large a butt. This was also the thoughts of Vince Gironda.

SQUAT AND YOUR OUT!
Gironda, self styled ‘Iron Guru’, totally discouraged basic squats, and squat racks were simply not allowed in his gym and anyone seen practising barbell squats, weight held behind neck, was literally thrown out on his ear. Gironda, like Reeves considered squats built up big buttocks and for thigh development recommended instead the unhappily named ‘Sissy Squat’ a sort of highly controlled lean back free squat, or light weights could be added (to a belt) if you wished.
Sissy squats for the interest of semantics are supposedly named not because it is an ‘easy’ exercise for fairies, but originates from the Ist King of Corinth namely SISYPHUS.

It appears the poor guy was punished in Hades for fraudulent dealings and avarice, being sentenced to rolling a huge block of marble uphill, which on rolling down again, had to be repeatedly pushed back to the top, for eternity, meaning some high reps involved and tough on the old legs. Roy Callender, who used to workout by instinct, used to squat IOO reps or more on sissy squats followed by high reps lunges, finished off by work on the leg extension machine – no doubt he also did his share of basic squats for such legs. Boyer Coe used sissy squats, having plenty of power already built by basic squats, able to squat with 5OOlbs/226.7kg when just I8yrs old.

Five hundred pounds/226.7k was the weight,or more Henry Steinborn aka MILO old time wrestler used. Steinborn probably started the practice of heavy squats, but had to get the weight up first alone, this he did by upending a loaded barbell, and then rocking it across his shoulders into place, before squatting low for reps. Once racks became common, so poundages rocketed, experienced bodybuilders soon used at first bodyweight, then double bodyweight, with eventually powerfters reaching the magic IOOOlbs/453.5kg mark. It is said Anderson squated with II6Olbs/526k of silver dollars twice a night when he was performing in Las Vegas. Equally famous as a pioneer of heavy squats is Frederick C Hatfield Phd. or Dr Squat.

DOC SQUAT
Old Doc Squat aimed always for power, used every aid available, knee wraps, lifting suits, thick belt, more sophisticated style, using feet spread beyond shoulder width, the bar carried as far down the back as your P.L. rules will allow, (below the delts) a considerable amount of forward leaning to let the glutes and spinal erectors (low back) share the load with the thighs and in powerlifting the lift is considered complete as soon as top of the thighs hit parallel. The P.L. technique allows up to 2O% more poundage to be lifted than in a bodybuilders more upright and deeper squat technique.

Fred Hatfield advises use of a padded towel to save neck pain from the bar across the vetebral column and not to relax when in the low position, a habit which could damage the knees. Again it is best if you have the genetics of shorter legs to squat heavy. Arnold Schwarzenegger really did not have a genetic advantage with his long legs, but after making the common mistake of training his upper body harder than his legs, made real progress once he did train legs hard, recalling at times he trained for 3 hours or more on squats alone, getting in about 5O sets and always making best progress with the standard squat. Arnold like all who have learnt the hard way, warns never to bounce when in the low squat position and to use controlled movements throughout.

TOM PLATZ
Possibly the strongest and certainly best recognised bodybuilder for his leg development is Tom Platz. Tom who began bodybuilding when just I4 yrs old, and remembers his first squats were I set of IO reps with 9Olbs/4Ok, became a powerlifter at I9. His early training was tough with basic squats his main exercise. He would choose a weight of around 25Olbs/II3.3k and just squat for IO minutes at a time, working up to I5O reps, resting and then repeating. At the I982 Mr Olympia he did 2O reps with 5I5lbs/233.5k and 8 reps with 635lbs/288k at just 22Olbs/99.7k bodyweight.and did not use knee wraps. Platz always stuck to good, strict controlled form. Since then nothing much has changed. All champs use squats. Ronnie Coleman has legs to die for.

When Flex Wheeler, Chris Cormier and Kevin Levrone do a front ab and thighs, every fibre shows just how hard they have worked for their development. Squats and squat varieties are a must in any champs program. All we ask is for you to take care, use common sense, don’t overtrain, don’t use bad form, or too heavy weights. Heavy is what weight makes YOU force your muscles to work extra hard. Do not compare your poundages with others. Use what suits YOU. Lighter, high reps squats are worth a trial if its development you seek rather than powerlifting totals. Take care, and remember, if you still hate squats, do them first and congratulate yourself on your will power.

Take care and God bless

- Mick Hart.
Founder of Mick Hart Training Systems and the No Bull Collection Magazine.

- Layman’s Guides to Steroids I and II

- Layman’s Guides to Steroids III (new)