Squats There has always been an amount of controversy on the subject of performing squats in a regular exercise program. According to some, the practice of full squats is an almost certain road to destruction of the knee tendons – and according to others, squats are the best single exercise in existence. So, just what is the truth of the matter? First of all, I just want to qualify that competitive lifting can be a dangerous sport – and this is true of both Olympic-style lifting and power lifting, but for different reasons; in practicing the fast lifts, in Olympic lifting, the suddenness of movement is probably the most dangerous factor – such sudden movements, under heavy loads, impose tremendous G forces on both the muscles and tendons. There is no slightest question about the effectiveness of squats; they are certainly one of the most result producing exercises you can practice. And it is not necessary to do heavy, single attempt squats in order to derive benefit from them; on the contrary, the most result producing version of squats is the practice of sets of from fifteen to twenty repetitions – with the occasional practice of slightly heavier squats on the 10/8/6 system. Squats practiced two times weekly, and if a weight is used that will barely permit the performance of between fifteen and twenty repetitions, then this work will stimulate enormous overall strength, while increasing endurance, improving condition, in both the legs and lower back as well as building a lesser degree of strength throughout the body. There is no slightest danger from the performance of squats; not to the knees, at least – and very little danger of any kind if common sense precautions are observed. On the contrary, squats will do more to prevent knee injuries than any other exercise – or any other combination of exercises. The greatest single disadvantage that squats have is the fact that they are hard if they are practiced in a manner intended to give much in the way of results; and many exercisers are simply not willing to work as hard as squats force them to. Rumours about the supposed danger to the knees from squats is as much about offering up an excuse for not performing them. Joints are not damaged by normal movements. On the contrary, such movements are required to maintain the normal functioning of joints; held in one position for a period of several days, a joint becomes literally incapable of movement – held in one position a few months, a joint may well become permanently incapable of movement. So – by all means – include squats in your exercise program, and carry them to the lowest safe position, whatever that may be in any particular case; do them smoothly, under full control at all times, – that is all that is required, and exactly the same rules apply to every other exercise you can think of. Just remember the point I made earlier, that relates to the suddenness of movement that introduces the risk of causing an injury. Squats are simply a very good form of exercise that cannot be duplicated insofar as benefits are concerned by any other single exercise. Kev
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 06:30:34 +0000
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