What's with the obsession with squats?

I don't get it, it's everywhere you look. I understand squats are important, but what makes them apparently so much more important than any other lift? Why is there such a dedicated following for squats in particular? From squatting everyday to programs built around squatting to people obsessing over putting more weight on their squat to the hyperfixation on form. No other major lift has this sort of intense discussion around it. Why?
I'm not talking about women squatting to grow their asses, I understand that. I'm speaking from a bodybuilding/strength perspective.

Ape Out, Gorilla Mindset Shirt $21.68

Rise, Grind, Banana Find Shirt $21.68

Ape Out, Gorilla Mindset Shirt $21.68

  1. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    The squat is the most "compound" compound movement. It is the closest thing to a standardised quantifier of overall strength we can biomechanically achieve. It is the most psychologyically and physiologically taxing exercise. The most fundamental function of thr human body. You understand once you get good at squats. I used to hate squats when i was bad at them, but in time i realised that that was the point. Squats change your mindset completely. You don't have to be a powershitter to squat well. Just try it.

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      You're supposed to wait for the thread to devolve into racism and name calling before posting a helpful and actually insightful reply.

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      that would be deadlift, sorry

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        > psychologically taxing
        When was the last time you were maxing out your deadlift and the adrenaline of knowing that if you fail you might break your back if you give up? Only pussies use safeties.

        Deadlifts also don’t demand mobility and proprioception.

  2. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    It's my favorite lift to test my willpower. You can always just rack the bar.
    You don't have to do that set.
    When you do, when you push through, that's when you get stronger(mentally).
    Helps build my confidence.

  3. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    To most wannabe powerlifters, it's the king of all exercises. I used to obsessed myself doing these first but realized I've become bottom heavy so I limit these to once a week and focused on upper body. Personally, the OHP should be the main focus for upper body aesthetics.

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      Yeah, i'd say that for those who want a well balanced physique, the most salient advice would be to always focus on your weaknesses. I see so many chubby guys who are beasts at squatting completely shy away from pull ups, and so many skinny guys comepletely leave out squats from their routines. Everything in moderation.

  4. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    I'm a bottom so I enjoy being crushed by enormous weights.

  5. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    On IST it comes from around ten years ago when people revered Rippetoe and like to believe they were superior to the curl bros for becoming pseudo powerlifters

  6. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    If you have to ask, you’re NGMI

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      I just started lifting a couple weeks ago. Apologies for not understanding everything immediately from the get go.

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        it's okay this time, but don't let me catch you not knowing things again

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        follow RP and 3DMJ. Thank me later

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        Sorry for being mean spirited.
        You’ll find out soon enough that certain lifts just feel right while you’re doing them. You’ll get immediate muscle activation and the movement will feel natural. Squats are one of those movements.
        Problem with squats is that everyone overthinks them. Foot placement, hand placement, bar placement, how far to go, etc.. but it’s all driven by genetics and your bone structure. Some of the movement can be mitigated with mobility work but really just do what feels comfortable with light weight until you are confident enough to increase weight.

  7. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    >gets you insane quads
    >gets you insane hams
    >gets you insane glutes
    >gets you some core, calf, upper and lower back work too
    >boosts hgh
    >boosts test
    >enhances athletical performance in a variety of ways, literally done by athlets in every field
    >gets you strong
    >is fun to progress in
    >has many different forms

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      > hams
      LMAO nope
      > calfs
      nope, look at powerlifters
      > boosts hgh
      moronic myth from 40 years ago
      > boosts test
      nothing boosts test that is not a steroid in any noticeable way, aside from healthy eating and sleeping, and training in general - but it's not even a boost at that point

      others are true

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        SHUT THE FRICK UP SHUT THE FRICK UP
        SHUT THE FRICK UP SHUT THE FRICK UP
        SHUT THE FRICK UP SHUT THE FRICK UP
        SHUT THE FRICK UP SHUT THE FRICK UP
        SHUT THE FRICK UP SHUT THE FRICK UP

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      Learn anatomy. Squats don't train hams or calves.

  8. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    >What's with the obsession with squats?
    >I don't get it, it's everywhere you look. I understand squats are important, but what makes them apparently so much more important than any other lift? Why is there such a dedicated following for squats in particular? From squatting everyday to programs built around squatting to people obsessing over putting more weight on their squat to the hyperfixation on form. No other major lift has this sort of intense discussion around it. Why?
    >I'm not talking about women squatting to grow their asses, I understand that. I'm speaking from a bodybuilding/strength perspective.

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      Would Seinfeld (the TV comedy) be better if Jerry was fricking huge?

  9. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    Don't listen to people. Squats are not important. People get attached to squats because your quads are one the fastest growing muscles. Nut big quads look gay af and are not an accomplishment. Then you get lots of new lifters with big quads and small calves and they look incredibly top heavy and unattractive.

    Pull ups are probably the most aesthetic building lift out there and it's what people should be focusing on the most

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      not him but i can hardly do 2 full pull ups. im like 215 lbs. Should I keep doing pull downs til i get strong enough for pull ups or should I do negative pull ups and scapular pull ups to build up strength?

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        Not the poster you replied to, but I am 230lbs and do doubles/triples until I can only do 1 rep on pull-ups+chins.
        Then I finish off with pulldowns. Which can be 2-3 sets until the rep drop off is too big imo.
        Just started doing this but I enjoy it since you can treat the pull/chins as strength work, and then pulldowns for some volume.

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        230 as well and can do 11 deadhang pull-ups just do negatives superset with Bench you can do pull-ups to failure and still hit a 95%1rm bench too just do a frickload of negatives aim for 40 a workout and also do a frickload of 95#1rm bench and superset with negatives at least 2x negatives of your deadhang every workout Atleast 50 of them and superset them with Bench im 230 and can do 11 deadhang pull-ups because I did negatives superset with Bench every set you can do 95#1rm after failing pull-ups try this out I weigh 230

        • 11 months ago
          Anonymous

          bro, chill.

        • 11 months ago
          Anonymous

          Breathe motherfricker breathe

  10. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    when you squat, everything below the bar gets stressed; especially your back as you learn to brace properly
    after doing a bro split for 2 years I had escaped dyel mode because of shoulders and arms and lats
    but I never felt strong until I did the five main lifts including squats for 6 months while eating a surplus

  11. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    I tried replacing squats by treating hack squats as a main lift and my legs & ass just got smaller and I lost almost 200lbs on my squat when I went back to it. Pretty much everyone on IST is trying to make you small like them.

  12. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    >male, 5’7”, 34 y/o, 149lbs
    >do 3 sets of 10 barbell back squats,120lbs
    >destroy legs in ensuing PP[Leg] day
    >go on almost 9 mile exhausting hike next morning with 10 or so hikers
    >get sick after hike, wake up with a sore throat and mega DOMS
    Did i leg day myself sick?

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      you gave yourself rhabdo

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      How are you 34 and so shit at planning?

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        The girl i went with has never taken me on such a brutal hike before, it was unexpected. I thought it’d just be 3 miles

        • 11 months ago
          Anonymous

          oh dang.
          Untrained I can do 7 miles at 8k elevation going up... but I am wrecked after that.
          3 miles is a huge difference from freaking 9 lmao.

          Guess you were the cardiolet this time.

          • 11 months ago
            Anonymous

            She took me on a 1 mile vertical climb challenge a few months ago, i climbed this 40 story building like 11 and a half times or something if i recall, equated to one mile of vertical distance. I kicked her ass at that cuz i prepped by doing stair master for 2 months in advance and i was fresh that day.
            The big clincher yesterday was that i overdid it on the legs on Friday. I had my trainer watch my squats on a previous leg workout and he corrected my form, and then he said i was overexerting myself and stopped me. So on Friday when i was working out on my own i went to the same exertion level the trainer warned me about… and did 3 sets instead of just a single set. Felt fine on Friday and Saturday but today the doms got me. Plus im coming down with this damn sore throat.
            The last time i got sick was from working out 50 days in a row with no rest days,i was following a linear strength program called “gzclp”. Now im doing ppl and i take rest days
            >cardiolet
            She had a shit eating grin too lol cuz we’ve gone on runs together as well and no matter what we do im always the one who outlasts her but on Saturday i was falling behind her and she couldn’t get enough of it lol

            • 11 months ago
              Anonymous

              ah seems to be the perfect storm. This competition seems good and healthy. You are going to make it.

              I haven't gotten sick from working out. Worst I got was the psycholgical dread that came from squatting too heavy too frequently.
              Was pretty amazing that my favorite thing to do could turn into something I hated doing.

  13. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    i dont do squats or legday, i am also 5'10

  14. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    I discovered that if you dont have strong legs lifts become harder, you dont feel stable while walking, your abs become weak.
    U need strong legs because at the end they're the pilars of your body and they make you feel safe. Imagine some moron comes and disrespects you, just tackle that moron with your superior legs
    body slam a Black person
    roundhouse kick a Black person

    Leg muscles are ugly, but they have an inmense utility, so dont forget them

  15. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    CNS maxxxing
    go learn from the bubblegum lobster

  16. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    Circa 2005ish internet lifting forums got taken over by powerlifters who insisted that all natties, and especially beginners, needed to train like powerlifters. There was a good 10 year stretch where if you were a beginner and asked for lifting advice on the internet, regardless of your goals and starting physique, you were aggressively told to do Starting Strength/Stronglifts and bulk because:
    >why would you cut if you have no muscle?
    >squats and deadlifts are magic exercises that will cause roid-like surges of test and gh in your body
    >isolation exercises are useless because you can't sculpt a muscle that isn't there
    >you need a strength base before you can train to build muscle
    >only homosexual ladyboys care about being below 20% bodyfat
    and other infamous tenets of broscience. The squat obsession is just the last remnant of that period in internet-lifting lore

  17. 11 months ago
    I ignore women

    Squatting heavy gives me a boner and makes me feel alive

  18. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    Because manlets are really good at them, and manlets are the majority (surprise surprise).

    It's not even a "good" lift btw -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av3LO2GwpAk

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *