Yet again I gave squats a go to see what effect they'd have on my body. For a couple of months I did free squats; one rep to three quarters and one rep full counting as one repetition. I'd do 312 of these in a countdown workout. On the plus side, it is a good way to build the thighs; especially the lower thigh. However, for me, whether on the toes, flat-footed, half or with weight, the tendency is for my stomach to push out. It is just the way my natural body leverages work.
Now for some, this is not the case. Once again, it all depends on your limb lengths and how forward your spine sits in relationship to your hips. Hip width also plays a part. So anyway, for what I want, sprints are more practical in terms of over all fitness and self-defense. So now that we've got the warmer months and sunshine; it is back to incline sprints.
By the way, sprinting is a good thing to practice for self-defense. You may have to run away from a predator, or perhaps even chase one down. Imagine a child or grandchild being kidnapped. You see the practicality of sprinting in that application?
Ok I get it now Thanks. I give them a try in the morning, it's leg day for me.
Leverage is relative. For me, half squats are full squats. So I don't go any further than parallel. On the first part you go up to about a quarter squat and then lower yourself back down to half way. On the second you go all the way up. You don't really want to do these fast or rapid fire.
So You go full range down than up and than to half way and up? You know Greg, The bulgarian split squat with my foot on a flat bench has worked really well when I combine it with one legged bodyweight deadlifts. I don't go past parallel with the bulgarian split squats. I have stinks when I do these for awhile. I do want to try these squats You're talking about.
It is worth a shot. I started noticing a difference in the lower quadriceps after about three weeks doing these twice a week. As you get into it, it really starts to become painful and burn the muscles of the thighs. If you do them slower, concentrating on lowering to the bottom position, you'll also feel it in the hamstrings.
I've been doing that with bicep curls. I'll try them for squats.
Mike - you might want to try the 1 and 1/2 rep squats I was using. It creates a lot of tension on the thighs and doesn't require weight, although you could very well use a light barbell with them. This was a technique from some of those 1940's and 1950's era bodybuilders who didn't have a lot of equipqment and had to adapt.
My leg workouts are differant than both of You guys. That's what makes us differant. My leg workouts change depending on the time of year because of my jobs. I still using squating as a part of my training but there is two no no's for me. I love goblet squats with a KB but using weight irratates the inside of both knees. Also, I use to do high rep squats but they are senseless for me. If You have some kind of knee challenges or arthiritis high rep squats will give You a problem.
Greg,
Agree, sprinting is an excellent thing, but for me this practice is very difficult, especially during hot and wet Texas weather. I prefer different squats without weights (each up to 20) as the final exercises after my daily self resistance workouts. At least, my knees and heart can tolerate this moderate loading.