Squat thoughts.... Pre-exhautsting

[Captncavematt]

I used to love to squat and got up to where I could move some respectable weight. Due to lower back, knee issues and Dr.'s advice I gave up squats and went with leg press, extensions, and smith squats. I have recently added squats back to my routine, but pre-exhaust with extensions, leg curls, and heavy leg press. By doing this I cannot move as much weight and am reducing the impact on my lower back and knee. But what is the trade-off? Obviously, my squat max will be significantly lower, but I am more of a bodybuilder than power lifter so I can live with that. Other than that in the end, how will the results I achieve differ that if I had warmed up and done heavy squats first?

Thanks.

 

[Mikeybltd]

I usually warm up on leg press man i can't start with squats im too stiff and like you have lower back issues, you'll still get good results doing it that way just do higher reps and if you feel good then go heavy with lower reps just listen to your body.

 

[Southernfish]

The thing with squats is the aren't strictly a leg exercise, the are a full body mass builder. By pre exhausting you quads with whatever you chose you will have to use a lesser weight and you will actually use you quads more. it becomes more or a quad exercise at this point. Starting with squats and banging out those heavy sets is going to allow not only your legs to grow but your whole body as well. But if there is an injury in play I would just play it safe.

Something I found that works great is warming up on the stepper, it warms the hips and knees up, once im done that I do hyper extensions with only my body weight to warm my lower back up. I used to hardly be able to do squats as my lower back couldn't handle it but since starting doing this I have no issues whatsoever.

 

[Captncavematt]

But if there is an injury in play I wouldn't just play it safe.

Could you elaborate on this?

You make some good points there Schredder. I am aware of and interested in the whole body benefits of squatting, but also wanting to keep my waist small and increase the size of my quads. Seems like what I am doing may be a good route to doing that.

 

[Southernfish]

Could you elaborate on this?

You make some good points there Schredder. I am aware of and interested in the whole body benefits of squatting, but also wanting to keep my waist small and increase the size of my quads. Seems like what I am doing may be a good route to doing that.

Oh shit brother I meant to say I WOULD just play it safe!! I have to fix that now!

I haven't found squats to be much of a waist size increaser as compared to full deadlifts. As far as Im concerned free squats do not need to be performed every single legs workout, I do them every other workout. my routine at the moment look like this, there are two different days.

First day
Squats
Leg extensions
Seated leg curls
Lying leg curls or standing single
calves

Second day
Hack squats
Walking lunges
Stiff legged deadlift
lying legs curls or standing single
calves

The starting exercise I do 5 sets of and everything after is 3 sets. It doesn't look like a ton but itll kick your ass if you do it properly. Ive found less is more when it comes to legs.

And for a shock day ill do Squats, walking lunges, stiff legged deadlift followed by seated leg curls and calves I only do this every 4 workout of so as its crippling. it will be trouble walking for a good 3 or 4 days lol, LOVE IT!!!

 

[Captncavematt]

That is what I thought you meant Shreddar, but I thought I should check.

Interesting leg work out. I am reconsidering my approach to switch things up more often. If dead lifts thicken the waist, what about stiff deads? Interestingly stiff deads make my lower back feel better.

 

[Southernfish]

That is what I thought you meant Shreddar, but I thought I should check.

Interesting leg work out. I am reconsidering my approach to switch things up more often. If dead lifts thicken the waist, what about stiff deads? Interestingly stiff deads make my lower back feel better.

I don't feel they do, but they have to be performed properly. If they are performed properly you wont feel them in your lower back at all. They can either be used for your lower back or for your hams and glutes. a lot of people I see doing them go down WAY to far and their knee are too bent. when using them for hams and glutes, keep you knees almost locked out but not quite as god forbid you hyperextend one or both of them, and the furthest you want to go down is just below your knee cap and when you pull up pull with you glutes and hams and squeeze at the top, don't let your lower back take any of the weight.