Squats question.... you all know the answer.

[Jeremy21]

Well..

Growth Hormone alone may not be responsable for hypertrophy, many women have higher levels of GH than men but women don't typically exhibit the the levels of muscular hypertrophy that men do because they have an average of 1/10th the testosterone. As far as squats releasing more growth hormone into the body.. that is up in the air.

kind regards,
jeremy

 

[GenetiKing]

Besides the hormonal effects on test and GH...

I think they've helped me elevate my pain threshold which allows me to blast other bodyparts like it's nothing. Anytime I think a set of heavy T-bars is painful, I just think, "Oh well, at least it's not leg day." And then I'm ready cuz nothing is as demanding or painful as high intensity squatting.

And about that big guy you mentioned...genetics. Don't ask the pro's for advice...ask the hardgainers.

 

[Belial]

There are two responses to training; localized and systemic. Localized is largely the result of muscle damage and the resultant flurry of anabolic hormones that rush to bolster up the muscles and other connective tissue.

Systemically, when the entire body is placed under stress, hormones are released that affect ALL parts of the body, to make it stronger, more resilient, and better able to withstand future stress. It's a proven and long-studied fact that working one arm will actually cause growth in the other, though to a lesser extent. The same holds true for squats and other lifts that involve many body parts; the systemic response is massive, so everything grows.

Almost ANY heavy lift will do this to you. One could grow massively on squats, weighted chins, and bench pressing alone.

 

[Hannibal]

I think "does it really matter WHY it works??!" is a pretty dumb mentality.

Well that's the first time I've been called dumb in a while...I like it. Please don't take that to mean that knowledge in itself is not POWER. I believe that in order to have a strong body you must have a strong mind. What I meant by that statement was merely...do less thinkin and more work.

Is it really necessary to have all the data to conclude that squats work...NO If you did thousands of studies and they all concluded beyond a shadow of a doubt that squats build muscles...it still would not matter. Though we are basically the same...what works for one will not definitely work for another. I have yet to see a person that squats would not add quality mass too...but you MIGHT be that person. So instead of doing the research in the classroom or even here...do the work in the gym. If you are into bodybuilding let the mirror, tape measure, and scale tell you if it works.

What I meant by the "does it matter WHY it works" is this. You have already been given the reasons why it works in this thread. Yet you seem to want more and more opinions. For what purpose...just TRY them and see if they work for YOU. See if you can deal with the pain. Everyone is different.

And by judging the movement by what your BIG BUDDY does aren't you skewing the data. I mean just because he is getting results without Squatting doesn't matter. Are YOU making progress without squatting...if so could you be making more with squatting. And if you aren't making progress what do you have to lose by trying them. Make sure you are tought proper form (good luck) and squats will put the muscle on ya...did I need research to make that statement...naaah I already did the research in the gym.

None of this is meant to offend you man. Just maybe light a fire under your ass to go SQUAT!!!

Maybe I should go back to the powerlifting board where this question is not an issue.

Strength and Honor

 

[Belial]

Get yer ass back to the powerlifting board!

*uses leg press*


(err.... j/k, bud)

 

[Hannibal]

Get yer ass back to the powerlifting board!

*uses leg press*


(err.... j/k, bud)

Yeah man you're probably right...asking me "why should I squat" is like asking me "why should I breathe"...no research needed to answer that one...LOL!!

 

[Belial]

"You act big and bad
You can lie about your strength
The bar doesn't care"

that is f*cking brilliant.

 

[DanielBishop]

Okay, thanks for the responses.... especially yours, Belial. That was most helpful.

I wasn't asking whether squats build muscle. Obviously they do. I was asking if anyone knew the biology of why squatting adds mass to other bodyparts, if indeed it does. Belial answered that.

Fact is, I don't squat. Because I can't. I used to.... and I liked it. But like I said in a previous post, I have spina bifida.... which is why I don't do deadlifts, squats or bent-rows. Most people with spina bifida are in a wheelchair by the time they reach my age (19), and if it's a really bad case, they usually don't survive. So I'm lucky to be walking, although an average of 2 days a week, I can't get out of bed the morning.

So, I knew that squats were a great exercise and I knew that they build a lot of muscle. That wasn't my question.... my question was about it transferring to other bodyparts. I couldn't see anyone's calves growing by doing hammer curls, so that's why I asked. But now I know that squats are about the most compound exercise you can do.

But no, I won't be doing them. I like walking around. It's good. I just thought I'd ask because everything I've been hearing "You'll never be big if you don't squat" didn't ring true for the guy at my gym. And I'm sorry, but no one is that big by genetics alone. I talked to him today, and he said he used to be able to wrap his hand around his upper arm.

Anyway, thanks for the answers, especially Belial.

 

[Hannibal]

Bishop...nothing I said was meant to insult you in any way. Obviously had I known of your condition I would have taken a different approach. Like I said asking "...should I squat?" is so foreign to me. From what I was reading you looked like you were searching for an excuse not to squat...which is why I tried to piss you off a little...just as motivation.

With the cards that you have been delt...the fact that you are in a gym is a true testiment to who you are. My apologies if anything I was said was taken the wrong way. BRAVO...and keep fightin the good fight.

Strength and Honor

 

[Belial]

Your welcome, I hope I helped.

I'm curious; what's the rest of your routine?

(And I didn't mean to insult either. Special circumstances OF COURSE preclude all ribbing.)