# 10 reasons squats are a terrible exercise



## PillarofBalance (Feb 19, 2013)

by CHRISTOPHER SMITH on FEBRUARY 18, 2013
It is well documented that squats are a horrible exercise choice for anyone who actually cares about their body. They are reckless, dangerous and an inefficient use of your time. You’re better off doing basically anything else. Here’s why:

• Squats hurt your knees. We all know this to be true – especially if you squat anywhere near to parallel. All of those Olympic weightlifters, pro athletes, powerlifters and bodybuilders who squat all the way down are genetic outliers with divinely engineered knee joints. Plus, steroids.

• Squats require you to place a loaded barbell on top of your spine! It’s practically in direct contact with the vertebra. This is just stupid. It would be different if there were some kind of muscle group there, maybe trapezoidal in shape, that could form a cushion between the bar and your delicate spinal structure but since that hasn’t yet been discovered this statement is 100% accurate.

• You just don’t need to do squats to build muscular, strong legs. Focusing on things like leg presses, leg extension and lunges is a far more effective way to build great legs. All those lifters who used squats were on steroids and that’s the only reason they got results. You need to train the small, assistance muscles in order to pull the skin closer to the muscle anyway.

• The back squat is more of a low back exercise than a leg exercise anyway. Just look at the name: BACK squat. Plus the physics says so. If my math is correct, and according to my PhD. in Mathology from the correspondence college of Nigeria it is, the following formula illustrates my point perfectly:

L2*Sq=(R3/3I)531

I won’t bore you by actually explaining what any of that means in terms that any normal person could actually understand. Just suffice it to say that back squats are terrible for you spine. Anyone who says differently is probably on steroids.









• No sport outside of powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting or Crossfit requires you to place a load on your back and lift it straight up. Therefore, squats are not a functional exercise. So why waste your time? It’s not like the ability to exert force using a rigid, neutral trunk and activating the musculature of the hips, knees and torso is ever going to come about in every day life.

• I know this dude whose friend went to school with a Navy SEAL who says squats suck. This point is axiomatic.

• Heavy squats, on top of destroying your knees and back (see the above points), will make you slow. Everyone knows that lifts that move slow make you slow. Therefore, heavy squats will hurt athletic performance.

• Squatting is too hard on the central nervous system. Squatting more than once a month will totally burn out your CNS and lead to overtraining. Nobody in the history of lifting has ever been successful by squatting more than once a week MAX. Nobody. I dare you to find one. The Bulgarians were all on steroids.

• The Olde Time Strongmen didn’t do squats. If they didn’t do them, you don’t need to do them. These dudes were jacked and strong and we’re all pussies nowadays because we don’t do anything they used to do. Including putting extra E’s on of the ende of stuffe that doesn’t neede it. And why didn’t they squat? Because there were no steroids back then.

I know some of you trolls out there are going to say that there are only 9 reasons there. First of all, remember my Mathology Doctorate and stfu. Second, you’re probably all on steroids. Therefore, nothing you have to say regarding training is evenly remotely applicable to us natty lifters.


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## dk8594 (Feb 19, 2013)

I don't even know where to begin with this article.  This is a joke, right?


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## PillarofBalance (Feb 19, 2013)

dk8594 said:


> I don't even know where to begin with this article.  This is a joke, right?



Not a joke no. Its satire.


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## LeanHerm (Feb 19, 2013)

<---- he just turned into Satan after reading this.


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## AAA (Feb 19, 2013)

Squats without doubt is the best excersise in the world, anyone who says different is jealous they can't squat and blame the increase in muscle and strength to steroids totally discrediting the squat!


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## heavydeads83 (Feb 19, 2013)

read that article to chuck vogelpohl.  people that don't squat are fucking straight up candy asses.  and if you honestly think that POB believes this,  you're gay.   


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zePxQfVDLnk


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## NbleSavage (Feb 19, 2013)

LOL, this is classic. Well played, PoB.


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## FreeBirdSam (Feb 19, 2013)

This guy must be huge


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## 63Vette (Feb 19, 2013)

LOL..... mathology hahahahaha - good shit POB.

Respect,
Vette


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## Dtownry (Feb 19, 2013)

Fuck SEALs.  Now I am angry and I am going to my monolift for a hug.  I will see you guys later...


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## Yaya (Feb 19, 2013)

I havent squatted in 4 years due to achilles injury..ive noticed my legs smaller and not as strong


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## dj920 (Feb 19, 2013)

PillarofBalance said:


> by CHRISTOPHER SMITH on FEBRUARY 18, 2013
> • Squatting is too hard on the central nervous system. Squatting more than once a month will totally burn out your CNS and lead to overtraining. Nobody in the history of lifting has ever been successful by squatting more than once a week MAX. Nobody. I dare you to find one. The Bulgarians were all on steroids.



true story bro.  one time I was doing triples and my CNS burned out so hard it set my cap on fire.  (and steroids)


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## #TheMatrix (Feb 20, 2013)

....I squat twice a week.   dead lift twice a week.  and also good mornings twice a week.  
I feel like its not over training
it just feels awesome leaving the gym walking all fucked up and the next day.  using the washroom is torture.
I love it.  its a way of life.  its a life style.

our life style.


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## Dtownry (Feb 20, 2013)

Right on Sparticus.

For some of the year, like right now, I squat 3x/WK.  Light, Med, and Heavy day.   Shit like this is written by someone who can't squat plain and simple.

Getting a hefty squat is work, hard fucking work.  It takes everything a man has to do sets above 315lbs for multiple reps and multiple sets and THEN move on to the next exercise.  Try doing some cleans or deads on a 5x5 squat day or a 10x3 day.  That's what separates the men from the boys.


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## Georgia (Feb 20, 2013)

Where is scientific research to back all of this up?

Whoever wrote this...I only have one thing to say..."DO YOU EVEN FUCKING LIFT..........................FAGGOT"


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## PillarofBalance (Feb 20, 2013)

Georgia said:


> Where is scientific research to back all of this up?
> 
> Whoever wrote this...I only have one thing to say..."DO YOU EVEN FUCKING LIFT..........................FAGGOT"



Did you even read it? he gives his credentials right here...



> If my math is correct, and according to my PhD. in Mathology from the correspondence college of Nigeria it is, the following formula illustrates my point perfectly:
> 
> L2*Sq=(R3/3I)531
> 
> I won’t bore you by actually explaining what any of that means in terms that any normal person could actually understand. Just suffice it to say that back squats are terrible for you spine. Anyone who says differently is probably on steroids.


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## Patriot1405 (Feb 20, 2013)

Lmao, very funny!


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## gymrat827 (Feb 20, 2013)

anyone saying not to squat needs help in my book


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## Chainman (Feb 24, 2013)

That's funny, but f that, no squats is bs!!


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## grizzldsealpoacher (Feb 24, 2013)

I know a navy seal and he says squats ROCK! Classic case of a man with a vagina trying to make his pitiful reality someone else's . weak bs propaganda will give other manvag's an excuse not to squat. My program allows for 5x5 squats 5 days a week  making huge gains in the legs LOVE IT.


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## R1rider (Feb 24, 2013)

Yea squats may be bad for your body, but i will keep doing them forever....  If you have no knee issues do squats

There are days when i get a better workout for lunges, leg extensions, presses etc


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## JAXNY (Feb 24, 2013)

I bet this fucker squats everyday 
When he takes a piss.


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## Cashout (Feb 24, 2013)

POB, well played sir! Well played!


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## BigGameHunter (Feb 26, 2013)

One of my employees and his girlfriend got into it in the lobby a couple of summers ago and she told everyone he squatted to pee.  Then he said his mom taught him that that was the best way not to make a mess.  He didnt see anything wrong with it.


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## sbear87 (Feb 26, 2013)

LOL...when I started reading this I thought you were being serious. Well played POB, well played.


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## mattyice (Feb 26, 2013)

I will get flamed for this post, but I can somewhat agree.  Squats can be bad for the knees and back.  Probably more injuries occur from squats and deads than any other exercise, likely due to improper form and too much weight.  I don't see any need to squat more than 315-365 ever, and I likely have the best leg seperation on this site.  That said... I will alwys incorporate squats on my legs day... along with leg press, hack squat machine, wall sits and lunges.


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## PillarofBalance (Feb 26, 2013)

mattyice said:


> I will get flamed for this post, but I can somewhat agree.  Squats can be bad for the knees and back.  Probably more injuries occur from squats and deads than any other exercise, likely due to improper form and too much weight.  I don't see any need to squat more than 315-365 ever, and I likely have the best leg seperation on this site.  That said... I will alwys incorporate squats on my legs day... along with leg press, hack squat machine, wall sits and lunges.



We don't flame around here but urine idiot lol

I'm a PL. I have to squat. 

You admit yourself it's likely because of bad form. That happens on any exercise you use bad form on. Even machines. 

Injury is a part of the game. Just do what you can to mitigate it.


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## mattyice (Feb 26, 2013)

sure... like I said squats are essential to my leg routine, but I understand the damage that occuring to the knees and back later in life... if not sooner. lol  I have squatted pretty heavy in the past, was necessary.  Bad form is more prevalent with squats and deads, and the possible injuries are much more serious. IMO


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## mattyice (Feb 26, 2013)

to me, it liken heavy to heavy-ish squats to flat bb press... unless you are a competing PL, it is a useless exercise.  Chest development should be based on Incline DB as the base lift.  Heavy squats will eventually casue injury.


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## PillarofBalance (Feb 26, 2013)

mattyice said:


> sure... like I said squats are essential to my leg routine, but I understand the damage that occuring to the knees and back later in life... if not sooner. lol  I have squatted pretty heavy in the past, was necessary.  Bad form is more prevalent with squats and deads, and the possible injuries are much more serious. IMO



Exactly. I look at it like a respect thing. I squat with 135 same as I do 500. 135lbs on two knee joints is a lot of PSI in a small surface area.  Respect that you can get hurt.

There are ways to help reduce the injury though. Most common error I see is squatting in sneakers. Scares the hell out of me.  Second would be taking no time for myofascial release or evaluating your mobility in the hips and knees.


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## RISE (Feb 26, 2013)

leg presses hurt my knees more than squats do, which is weird.


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## Dtownry (Feb 26, 2013)

RISE said:


> leg presses hurt my knees more than squats do, which is weird.



What kind of squats do you do?  Power or Oly?  This matters a lot.  Look into the different types of squat variations, try them, and see works best for you given your training goals, previous or present injuries, and physiology.

I squat my ass off and have never, ever had a twinge of knee pain.  This is because most of my squatting is a powerlifting style.  Not a much stress on the knees.


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## Dtownry (Feb 26, 2013)

Here read this:

http://70sbig.com/blog/2012/01/low-bar-vs-high-bar-squatting/


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## RISE (Feb 28, 2013)

I do more OLY.  I think it has to do with being able to get lower on squats than I can leg press.


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