Honestly man, you’re one of my favorite lifting “influencers.” There is serious anatomical and physiological knowledge behind your content that I greatly appreciate. Shows that your advice is reliable and science-based. Keeps you a cut above the rest.
@@franklavilla3385Jesus Christ, all he is saying is that squat don’t target the Rectus femoris and hamstrings much. Meaning you have to dedicate separate exercises for them in order to stimulate them how they should be.
@@ericmalitz Jesus Christ, all he is saying is that squat don’t target the Rectus femoris and hamstrings much. Meaning you have to dedicate separate exercises for them in order to stimulate them how they should be.
@@THEFuentes97 disagree. I feel reverse nordic is a regression. Try this, using trx or other suspension trainer, put your feet way out in front of you leaning diagonally backwards. Now perform a deep Sissy Squat holding the stretched position for 2 seconds before returning to start position. Learned this one from Meadows.
Saying you’re not gonna grow your quads from squats is wild. There are 4 heads of the quads and 3 of them are lengthened in the bottom position. It’s maybe possible to say that the other head (the rectus femoris) won’t be lengthened in the bottom position and therefore won’t grow as much, but studies don’t show that muscle growth can only happen when training in the lengthened position. They merely show that muscle growth may occur at higher rates when training in the lengthened position. If you wanna supplement rectus femoris growth then leg extensions are definitely a great option, but to say that squats don’t lead to significant quad growth is insane.
I believe he was referring specifically to the rectus femoris and hamstrings, which I agree with eugene on because I didn't do specific quad and hamstring work for a while, only barbell squats, and those muscles were small on me. Doing only barbell squats gave me a weird rectangular blocky shape to my quad instead of a nice tapered look from top to bottom and my hamstrings were never big. I think this short in general is just to state barbell squats won't maximize your quad aesthetic if that's what you're after.
I totally hear what you’re saying. I for sure agree that the squat is not the best for rectus femoris and hamstring growth. I do think that it’s a little dangerous to say that it’s an issue with the squat though. That’s kinda like saying that bench press is problematic cuz it doesn’t hit lats. The squat is not meant to be a hamstring grower. It’s meant for the quads and arguably the glutes. To take squats or other leg press movements out of a leg day routine would in my opinion be a pretty big mistake, as they are amazing quad growers (even if you may need leg extensions to supplement rectus femoris growth). I don’t think Eugene is arguing to remove squats from your routine, I just think the short format of the video may mislead users to thinking that squats aren’t good.
@@zeeshegross9710 yeah I agree the short format takes the information too much out of context. i havent seen the vid but i imagine the intended audience is people trying to hyper-optimize their training based on how nitpicky he was on the squat. everyone definitely should barbell squat for quad growth, i dare say regardless of training experience. about the hammies, ive heard people say squats target the hammies so i presume that's what he was addressing in the short.
I don’t think these are ‘issues’ with the squat. Different movements hit different muscles, if you programme well you’ll be sweet. They still hit the other 3 quad muscles and there’s not a single movement that does meaningful work for all the quads and hamstrings. Programme them properly with for example leg extensions to hit recfem and RDLs (or whatever you like) for hammies and you’re flying. Good info though!
Several issues with Back Squats are 1) most people don't get down far enough. You need that Full Range of Motion. 2) many have bad form, which can result in back issues 3) Lack of intensity. Most folks do their 2-3 sets of 10 reps with their weight and don't push it with increased weight or intensity. To reaolve these, what ive done is to go Ole School, that is use the Jefferson Squat as my primary exercise. Warmup to leg extensions & hamstrings curls then start your Jeffersons. The Jefferson Squat get the weight off your spine and works the entire leg, from the quads, hams, glutes, hips, and even the core. These are a unilateral exercise so two sets is one full set. I've seen many folks say they've been sore for 3 days after a few sets of Jeffersons. Mix it up and try some Jeffersons once a week.
Squat + deadlift + a few isolation movements for whatever your body is lagging, that’s how it’s always been, and it will never change. Squat and deadlift variations are fine too. But the core movement pattern is the bread and butter of legs
Great use of the elastic band to show the biomechanics of different muscles. Understanding those biomechanics is critical for true understanding, and as a result, innovation. We need more influencers who focus on the science and ignore the social media BS - PLEASE don't get sucked into the latter...
Im 50 and my buttocks are Chunky and standing up for doing squats all around my house with an elastic band around. To all 50 year females - is amazing 🤩 to have a fit body at this age and with a plum-pier asset 💯
For those who would like to educate themselves more, there are a couple of key principles that he is discussing. biarticular muscles, length and tension curve. If you apply these same principles to the calf muscles, you can understand the difference between knee locked vs knee bent calf raises.
The difference between a standing and seated calf raise, is that in the second the gastrocnemius can't exert force because of active muscle insufficiency, a shortening of the muscle at both joints. Not the same as what is shown in the video Try to educate yourself more
@@soxfan182 Thank you for stating the obvious, since the name "insufficiency" is not clear enough. Could you tell me what relation your example has with what is explained in the video? Enligthen me, please
@@TheRedJohnn thank you for stating false information. Once again, there is nowhere along the force length spectrum where a muscle can’t produce force. Sorry your reading comprehension is so low. Try to educate yourself more.
When I did 20 reps squat routine few years back, my leg was the biggest ever in my life, not only my leg blew up in size overall but my whole body went bear mode, really amazing. Squats do grow your leg, train it right.
I can be wrong, but i disagree with the stretch. The thing is, the bands he uses to show it are more or less straight, while the body is bent. Its length is not the length of the quads stretch. To think about this, imagine a retangulus triangle. The band would be the hipotenusa, while the thigh + abs insertion would be the catetus. If you havd 4 and 3 cm as catetus (length of thigh + abs insertion), the band will only have 5 cm instead of 7 cm. Therefore, for me, it's wrong to use bands as a comparison when they are not tied to the body.
Eugene, I just love your content. So many “fitness influencers” out there with just garbage advice. I have put many of your techniques into my routine and they just simply work. Please continue making great content
Well is DOES, That’s a fact. It just doesn’t go though a full rage of motion and is not the main driver and You defo need other excercises. Also depending on your squat technique your can use your hammies more or less
I don't think this is an "issue" with squats, just the reality of basically any exercise. It can only target certain muscle groups. You don't bench press and expect total upper body development, why would you treat squats that way?
Any movement with full knee extension but no flexion or extension at the hip. A leg extension performed from a significantly leaned back position is ideal, but sissy squats and reverse Nordic curls are also good options.
Personally, I feel like the main driver when doing squats are the glutes. My guads get some stimulus also, but its mostly glutes for me. Same with deadlift...
Thats good, your glutes and core are immeasurably interconnected, this advice is for those who are specifically trying to become body builders who perfect hypertrophy (muscle size), not strength, mobility and natural movement
Your glutes cannot extend your knee. The quads are doing all the work around the knee, so they will be stimulated alot despite you feeling it or not. Low bar, high bar, front squat - doesn't matter. What matters for the quads in the squat is your ROM, the depth
Wdym? Just because the muscle isn’t on a extremely deep stretch, doesn’t mean the exercise is not optimal. The free weight squat is the best exercise for legs, since it is a compound movement where you can overload your muscles (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes), it requires stabilization, it builds so much muscle and strength, and it gives you a lot of gains. Look at Tom Platz: even though he also made isolation movements (leg extensions, and leg curls), he focused most of his efforts on squats and other compound movements. Stop spreading misinformation online.
I don't know what this dude is talking about because a low bar, wide stance squat absolutely can and does build size and strength in hamstrings. Maybe not as much as other movements but it's certainly enough to not be understated.
I would not consider this an issue.Every point makes me go “yea, and?”. Simply because a muscle is not stretch across its two joint crossings doesn’t mean it’s not exerting high force or transmitting high force front its stretched joint crossing.
Just because the rectus femoris is being shortened during a squat does not mean the other 3 muscles in the quad are not lengthening and getting stimulus, the squat is still one of the best leg exercises, you just need to incorporate an exercise that will stimulate the rectus femoris ie a leg extension
Nice takeaway on hamstring involvement for squat movements. Just wanted to highlight word choice here though that saying rec fem “goes floppy” isnt a very accurate statement. That it implies it does nothing. However it is actively engaged in a meaningful way as it does experience greater lengthening than shortening due to the biomechanical relationship between its origin (at the ASIS or “hip points”) and its attachment to the patella (and to tibial tuberosity by extension of tendons). This is linked to how it’s placed under eccentric load to provide fine motor control during the descent phase of a squat. Additionally, how you align yourself for a squat will contribute to rec fem involvement. Arguing that it doesn’t lengthen a meaningful amount or experience enough load makes an assumption that eccentric and isometric muscle load isn’t helpful, which isn’t quite true and is substantiated in literature. Overall tho, nice one (Note: this is still an abridged explanation, but just wanted to point it out)
@@littlevaquero5516 Go for it - ambition like that is the only way I got to know more. Currently working to become a physical therapist/physiotherapist (PT) and am lucky to have good profs (that I personally work well with); but you can always rely on basics of anatomy and biomechanics taught in textbooks - fundamentals are always important
that's on paper, no way anyone squatting big weights has underdeveloped rectus femoris. Hamstrings can be a different story if said person uses a knee-forward dominant squat form, then hinges and curls are necessary to balance out. Squatting with equal bending in the knees and hips ensures they grow their legs significantly with just good ol' barbell squat.
So basically, all this said is that doing squats does not work every single muscle in the leg. Because if you don’t think squats are good for your quads or your butt and I challenge you to go do hard squat workout and see how easy it is for you to walk the next day.
Yes however yhe low bar and high bar squat are axially loaded so therefore the amount of mechanical tension placed on these muscles is way superior to mamy other exercise. Squats and the variations are king for leg gains.
something I've noticed is that these things apply less if you have a "squat morning" style. Sure, the net change in length in the hamstrings or rec fem is minimal from start to finish, but the squat morning pattern has variance in the speed of the length changes. The top of the squat is just a good morning, utilizing the hamstrings very highly, and then the bottom of the squat resembles a pendulum squat and has no hamstring at all but potentially some kind of rec fem involvement in a shortened position.
@VeNoMziV depends what you mean by "hit". Of course they work a little bit, but it is as an antagonist to the quads. Your glutes are the muscles doing the vast majority of the hip extension. So yeah if you stick an EMG probe in the hams you'll get some signal. But you won't grow your hamstring by squatting.
Out of the hamstrings only the laterally located biceps femois is the only one that does not cross over the hip joint. The semitendinosus, semimembranosus, sartorius and gracilis all get plenty stimulus.
@@martonmehesi-melis5072 The amount of force the hamstrings are able to produce in this case is negligable. This is because the muscle length almost doesn't change during the movement. Hip movement during squatting is primarily controlled by the glute max and the adductor magnus muscles
Just do good mornings and RDLs, and fever hyper to target the glute, hamstring, and back. I only do high bar squatting so it’s primarily a quad dominant movement 🫡
Studies have actually failed to prove any meanimgful differences in quad gains between high bar and low bar squatting. Makes sense biomechanically since the quads are the only muscles who can extend the knee and that work needs to be done regardless of the bar placement
Wouldn’t this be changed by the WAY you squat? As the knees go further toward/over the toes, the quads will be hit more but if you focus on a shin-vertical squat, wouldn’t the hamstrings be targeted more than this demonstration?
If you're tall and you squat with a barbell, you are going to be mostly hamstring dominant. I'm 6.3 and my hamstrings are always worse than my quads after squatting. Even if I do quad leg extensions first. It's all about mechanics and height, technique etc
Maybe the Quads going flacid when "below Parallel" in the squat . Maybe in powerlifting terms, the definition is true that " getting into and out of the hole" is the hardest in the Squat
bro don't fall into a survivoship bias! meaning that what didn't work with one,would not work for other one. then don't forget that strenght(or power)=tension×intensity . which means,one can create tension and maintain it through intensity in those muscles,by using options such as oscillatory movement. the best way to naturally know if a muscle will be positively affected by a movement,is to stop exercise for some week,and then do the workout ,such as squats intensively.the next day,all the muscles that are going to be develppped by that movement,will be physiologically indicated to us by pains in those muscles.
@@adamborg9275 squatting heavy is so taxing on your entire body, it forces growth of the entire body, stimulating increased bone density etc. Your body responds to demands put on it and squatting heavy demands a hell of a lot.
@@carlbeaumont1621 there's evidence of increased release of testosterone, growth hormones and so on after squatting heavy yes. But no evidence whatsover that this actually translates to any substantial growth in the upper body. If you don't truly tax a muscle while training, it doesn't have the stimulus enough to grow despite of the endocrine response
say hello to Tom Platz, when I did natural bodybuilding i grew my legs over 30 inches all down to squats, Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift no heavy-ass weights
Rectus femoris dosent insert at the lateral part as you show it ,it cause flexion at hip extension at knee so leg extensions are best for training rectus femoris
As a personal trainer I am glad to see good information here in an industry full of BS but surely there has to be a better way to demonstrate the concept
If you're doing back squats correctly and bending over enough to keep the barbell over mid-foot your hamstrings are in an intense isometric contraction to control the back angle. So they're definitely being worked.
@@adamborg9275 I mean, ok, are you saying a guy that took his back squat from 135 to 405 didn't get any gains in his hamstrings? Guys have been doing that for generations, maybe there's not a "study" but how many testimonials does it take before it becomes evidence?
@@JT76 probably not much from squatting alone. If you're training hip hinging movements (deadlift variations, good mornings or back extensions, etc) and/or leg curls along with squatting, that's probably more responsible for that hamstring growth. And that's what most people do in their programs. Are you referring to exclusively low bar squatting for lower body/posterior chain?
“Squat down for me” is something I will never say 😢😭😭😭
Your time will come, king!
Oh I said that a lot 💥
Just say it in the mirror
@@bhopirl4552 that’s not what I mean
I usually say "kneel down".
i need a few more examples bro
Yeah you know models with varying femur length just for better understanding
I think with different body variations a couple more demos will benefit us viewers
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lol
homie, you are down bad
Very informative video. Unfortunately I didn’t hear shit.
Irieeee 😂😂😂
If you know you know and I feel like most guys know 😅😂
Know shes got a flat booty? Ok@@vtgvideos955
😆
*static noise*... Hamstring.. *static noise*... Rectus femoris...
Honestly man, you’re one of my favorite lifting “influencers.” There is serious anatomical and physiological knowledge behind your content that I greatly appreciate. Shows that your advice is reliable and science-based. Keeps you a cut above the rest.
I really appreciate that mate 🤝
Like having someone squat half way and claiming that some parts of your body “not experiencing meaningful forces” is an “issue” with squats?
@@franklavilla3385Jesus Christ, all he is saying is that squat don’t target the Rectus femoris and hamstrings much. Meaning you have to dedicate separate exercises for them in order to stimulate them how they should be.
@@ericmalitz Jesus Christ, all he is saying is that squat don’t target the Rectus femoris and hamstrings much. Meaning you have to dedicate separate exercises for them in order to stimulate them how they should be.
@@extinctcomp3908not everyone can think critically like this
In other words, for muscle building on leg day, hit the hamstrings with another exercise & hit the leg extension machine for the rectus femoris
Exactly right. Check the related video that's linked for the full workout where I break it all down if you're interested! 🫡
Sissy squats is going to be even more effective for rectus femoris
@@319jmpor a reverse Nordic if you’re psychotic 😂
@@THEFuentes97 disagree. I feel reverse nordic is a regression. Try this, using trx or other suspension trainer, put your feet way out in front of you leaning diagonally backwards. Now perform a deep Sissy Squat holding the stretched position for 2 seconds before returning to start position. Learned this one from Meadows.
@@THEFuentes97 Im confused why you mentioned Hack Squat in your response? I never mentioned a Hack Squat
I watched 5 times to make sure
I understood
I watched 5 times bc I got distracted
Lol
Yea there is actually someone talking , explaining something, dont know what though
I couldn’t make it to 5
While I lost the count of how many times I watched the explanation..
My man nothing goes floppy when Bianca squats down I'm sorry bro
😅😅💯
Facts lmao
Depends on where she lands 😂
😂😂😂
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Tell me more about Bianca...
She has a weightlifting belt that says Bianca on it
@@BreachSheffgood eye lol
Suddenly, i became hungry
"GYATT!"
Yeah like what does her 🐱 smell like
It's honestly annoying me seeing all the down bad comments, this is a great video though, thanks I learned something new!
Saying you’re not gonna grow your quads from squats is wild. There are 4 heads of the quads and 3 of them are lengthened in the bottom position. It’s maybe possible to say that the other head (the rectus femoris) won’t be lengthened in the bottom position and therefore won’t grow as much, but studies don’t show that muscle growth can only happen when training in the lengthened position. They merely show that muscle growth may occur at higher rates when training in the lengthened position. If you wanna supplement rectus femoris growth then leg extensions are definitely a great option, but to say that squats don’t lead to significant quad growth is insane.
I believe he was referring specifically to the rectus femoris and hamstrings, which I agree with eugene on because I didn't do specific quad and hamstring work for a while, only barbell squats, and those muscles were small on me. Doing only barbell squats gave me a weird rectangular blocky shape to my quad instead of a nice tapered look from top to bottom and my hamstrings were never big. I think this short in general is just to state barbell squats won't maximize your quad aesthetic if that's what you're after.
I totally hear what you’re saying. I for sure agree that the squat is not the best for rectus femoris and hamstring growth. I do think that it’s a little dangerous to say that it’s an issue with the squat though. That’s kinda like saying that bench press is problematic cuz it doesn’t hit lats. The squat is not meant to be a hamstring grower. It’s meant for the quads and arguably the glutes. To take squats or other leg press movements out of a leg day routine would in my opinion be a pretty big mistake, as they are amazing quad growers (even if you may need leg extensions to supplement rectus femoris growth). I don’t think Eugene is arguing to remove squats from your routine, I just think the short format of the video may mislead users to thinking that squats aren’t good.
@@zeeshegross9710 yeah I agree the short format takes the information too much out of context. i havent seen the vid but i imagine the intended audience is people trying to hyper-optimize their training based on how nitpicky he was on the squat. everyone definitely should barbell squat for quad growth, i dare say regardless of training experience. about the hammies, ive heard people say squats target the hammies so i presume that's what he was addressing in the short.
At no point, not a single point, did he say squats won't grow your quads.
Please reference the time stamps where he said squats don’t grow quads and to remove them from leg day. Thanks so much!
Bianca’s kinda caked up 🗣️🙏💯
pancaked
@@melissamoonchild9216no way you think she’s flat lmao
@@imajoey6594fr she thicc
@melissamoonchild9216 would have those flapjacks for breakfast (lunch and dinner too) every day 🤣
It’s a nice butt, fit. But let’s not act like it’s huge or anything.
I don’t think these are ‘issues’ with the squat. Different movements hit different muscles, if you programme well you’ll be sweet. They still hit the other 3 quad muscles and there’s not a single movement that does meaningful work for all the quads and hamstrings. Programme them properly with for example leg extensions to hit recfem and RDLs (or whatever you like) for hammies and you’re flying. Good info though!
I agree, it’s like saying the problem with tricep push downs is less bicep engagement
Several issues with Back Squats are
1) most people don't get down far enough. You need that Full Range of Motion.
2) many have bad form, which can result in back issues
3) Lack of intensity. Most folks do their 2-3 sets of 10 reps with their weight and don't push it with increased weight or intensity.
To reaolve these, what ive done is to go Ole School, that is use the Jefferson Squat as my primary exercise. Warmup to leg extensions & hamstrings curls then start your Jeffersons.
The Jefferson Squat get the weight off your spine and works the entire leg, from the quads, hams, glutes, hips, and even the core. These are a unilateral exercise so two sets is one full set. I've seen many folks say they've been sore for 3 days after a few sets of Jeffersons.
Mix it up and try some Jeffersons once a week.
A lot of people don't know what your talking about but Jefferson lifts are amazing just having 95lbs. Can wear me out but you have to do both sides!
Resting in the bottom position is super important too
Men Of Culture,we meet again!
such a loser dude
"GYATT!"
@@lukemothug3744 loser
Get off the hub and Touch grass
Squat + deadlift + a few isolation movements for whatever your body is lagging, that’s how it’s always been, and it will never change.
Squat and deadlift variations are fine too. But the core movement pattern is the bread and butter of legs
I see you're taking the squat university approach 😅
He can't keep getting away with it
Is there an issue with squat uni? Or and Functional P?
I feel like I'm missing something
Legends focus on target 😂
Great use of the elastic band to show the biomechanics of different muscles. Understanding those biomechanics is critical for true understanding, and as a result, innovation. We need more influencers who focus on the science and ignore the social media BS - PLEASE don't get sucked into the latter...
Learn something new. Good stuff!
🤝
Tom Platz better not see this
Nah, he is actually a big fan of leg extensions. His leg day does not consist of just squats lol.
Tom Platz use steroids so?.
@@danielgmerek933 so?
@@danielgmerek933still trained like an animal
You and Jeff have been my go to for detailed explanations of work outs.
One word to define u.....genius....
“Should do this” is what I’m NOT hearing
Im 50 and my buttocks are Chunky and standing up for doing squats all around my house with an elastic band around. To all 50 year females - is amazing 🤩 to have a fit body at this age and with a plum-pier asset 💯
I did your 30 minute leg workout today. Thank you!
Nice!!
For those who would like to educate themselves more, there are a couple of key principles that he is discussing. biarticular muscles, length and tension curve. If you apply these same principles to the calf muscles, you can understand the difference between knee locked vs knee bent calf raises.
The difference between a standing and seated calf raise, is that in the second the gastrocnemius can't exert force because of active muscle insufficiency, a shortening of the muscle at both joints. Not the same as what is shown in the video
Try to educate yourself more
@@TheRedJohnn nowhere along the force length spectrum is a muscles ability to produce zero force. Try to educate yourself more.
@@soxfan182 Thank you for stating the obvious, since the name "insufficiency" is not clear enough.
Could you tell me what relation your example has with what is explained in the video?
Enligthen me, please
@@TheRedJohnn thank you for stating false information. Once again, there is nowhere along the force length spectrum where a muscle can’t produce force. Sorry your reading comprehension is so low. Try to educate yourself more.
@@soxfan182 Could you tell me the relation of your example to what is explained in this video?
Third time asking
A very clear example of overthinking on simple things
U dont even lift
Craven
CIown
Nerd
When I did 20 reps squat routine few years back, my leg was the biggest ever in my life, not only my leg blew up in size overall but my whole body went bear mode, really amazing. Squats do grow your leg, train it right.
Jesus
I’ve never related more to a comment in my life
Praise God
Damn right. I havent heard a single word from him
lol wow; she's so mediocre too. pathetic
Everyone in the comments including me needs him right now
I can be wrong, but i disagree with the stretch. The thing is, the bands he uses to show it are more or less straight, while the body is bent. Its length is not the length of the quads stretch. To think about this, imagine a retangulus triangle. The band would be the hipotenusa, while the thigh + abs insertion would be the catetus. If you havd 4 and 3 cm as catetus (length of thigh + abs insertion), the band will only have 5 cm instead of 7 cm. Therefore, for me, it's wrong to use bands as a comparison when they are not tied to the body.
Are you gay bro?
was he saying something ?
Squats are the single most effective way to build muscle and burn fat. Period.
There are multiple versions Hack Sumo dumbbell/kettlebell Straight bar Goblet Front squats…………..
*Cameraman got nervous to pan over to the right* 😅
Eugene, I just love your content. So many “fitness influencers” out there with just garbage advice. I have put many of your techniques into my routine and they just simply work. Please continue making great content
And some people still say that squats hit the hammies. No, they fkn don't
They do (depending on your proportions). Just not enough to grow.
@@user-he4ef9br7z smarter to do hip hinges and knee flexions for hammies instead of relying on squats 🤦♂️
Well is DOES, That’s a fact. It just doesn’t go though a full rage of motion and is not the main driver and You defo need other excercises. Also depending on your squat technique your can use your hammies more or less
Elevated squats help.
They definitely hit the hamstrings lol, do squats and feel your pump its right there
The hamstrings are still under adequate tension ro grow and strengthen, especially if you adjuwt your technique a bit to hit more posterior chain
"Squad down for me" "It goes kinda floppy" Tell me he didn't plan this
Lmao good catch
I don't think this is an "issue" with squats, just the reality of basically any exercise. It can only target certain muscle groups. You don't bench press and expect total upper body development, why would you treat squats that way?
Okay, so how do we work the rectus femoris?
Leg extensions
@@higoroliveira1546Nope, sissy squats
Reverse Nordics and Sissy Squats are also great exercices that target the RF other than leg extensions
Any movement with full knee extension but no flexion or extension at the hip. A leg extension performed from a significantly leaned back position is ideal, but sissy squats and reverse Nordic curls are also good options.
This is a good vid..informative.
Personally, I feel like the main driver when doing squats are the glutes. My guads get some stimulus also, but its mostly glutes for me. Same with deadlift...
Thats good, your glutes and core are immeasurably interconnected, this advice is for those who are specifically trying to become body builders who perfect hypertrophy (muscle size), not strength, mobility and natural movement
It depends on the type of squat. The quads are always A main driver as knee extension is involved.
just because you feel a muscle leas doesnt mean it aint working :D
Your glutes cannot extend your knee. The quads are doing all the work around the knee, so they will be stimulated alot despite you feeling it or not. Low bar, high bar, front squat - doesn't matter. What matters for the quads in the squat is your ROM, the depth
Hips Yes
Wdym? Just because the muscle isn’t on a extremely deep stretch, doesn’t mean the exercise is not optimal.
The free weight squat is the best exercise for legs, since it is a compound movement where you can overload your muscles (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes), it requires stabilization, it builds so much muscle and strength, and it gives you a lot of gains.
Look at Tom Platz: even though he also made isolation movements (leg extensions, and leg curls), he focused most of his efforts on squats and other compound movements.
Stop spreading misinformation online.
Yup. Never seen a powerlifter with small hamstrings or “rectum femoris”. Whatever squats don’t target; the deadlift will. So no need to over think it.
Very “well rounded” athlete. In whatever she decides to do I stand behind her.
😂😂😂 this shit
she's literally so mid please get a life
I don't know what this dude is talking about because a low bar, wide stance squat absolutely can and does build size and strength in hamstrings. Maybe not as much as other movements but it's certainly enough to not be understated.
I'll have to watch a few more times... to make sure I understand
I would not consider this an issue.Every point makes me go “yea, and?”. Simply because a muscle is not stretch across its two joint crossings doesn’t mean it’s not exerting high force or transmitting high force front its stretched joint crossing.
“🐝⚓️”
Didn’t get this till I said it out loud 🤣
Bee anker? Wtf?@@cliftonmorgan8103
Just because the rectus femoris is being shortened during a squat does not mean the other 3 muscles in the quad are not lengthening and getting stimulus, the squat is still one of the best leg exercises, you just need to incorporate an exercise that will stimulate the rectus femoris ie a leg extension
Bro is asian jeff nippard
Mmmhm; very interesting. I’ll keep studying this video thoroughly
Nice takeaway on hamstring involvement for squat movements. Just wanted to highlight word choice here though that saying rec fem “goes floppy” isnt a very accurate statement. That it implies it does nothing. However it is actively engaged in a meaningful way as it does experience greater lengthening than shortening due to the biomechanical relationship between its origin (at the ASIS or “hip points”) and its attachment to the patella (and to tibial tuberosity by extension of tendons). This is linked to how it’s placed under eccentric load to provide fine motor control during the descent phase of a squat. Additionally, how you align yourself for a squat will contribute to rec fem involvement. Arguing that it doesn’t lengthen a meaningful amount or experience enough load makes an assumption that eccentric and isometric muscle load isn’t helpful, which isn’t quite true and is substantiated in literature. Overall tho, nice one
(Note: this is still an abridged explanation, but just wanted to point it out)
how did you learn all this, i want to be smarter than you...
@@littlevaquero5516 Go for it - ambition like that is the only way I got to know more. Currently working to become a physical therapist/physiotherapist (PT) and am lucky to have good profs (that I personally work well with); but you can always rely on basics of anatomy and biomechanics taught in textbooks - fundamentals are always important
I heard nothing I was to busy looking at that bakery
Nah do better
Very good, so what would the anecdote be?
that's on paper, no way anyone squatting big weights has underdeveloped rectus femoris. Hamstrings can be a different story if said person uses a knee-forward dominant squat form, then hinges and curls are necessary to balance out. Squatting with equal bending in the knees and hips ensures they grow their legs significantly with just good ol' barbell squat.
@@huyngo7827 facts
Naw mine doesn’t go down floppy at all after learning from this
It shortens and lengthens at the same time .....
Stay focused Brothers!
So basically, all this said is that doing squats does not work every single muscle in the leg. Because if you don’t think squats are good for your quads or your butt and I challenge you to go do hard squat workout and see how easy it is for you to walk the next day.
Every one wants to reinvent the wheel.
Just have a wider stance ... no o need to thank me
...and end-up working your adductors more?
Yes however yhe low bar and high bar squat are axially loaded so therefore the amount of mechanical tension placed on these muscles is way superior to mamy other exercise. Squats and the variations are king for leg gains.
I didn’t even know bro was in the video 😅
A more accurate as opposed to exaggerated would be to use tape on the leg. Muscles don’t flop around!
Hamstrings only work as a stabilizer muscle. Same with biceps on bench presses
something I've noticed is that these things apply less if you have a "squat morning" style. Sure, the net change in length in the hamstrings or rec fem is minimal from start to finish, but the squat morning pattern has variance in the speed of the length changes. The top of the squat is just a good morning, utilizing the hamstrings very highly, and then the bottom of the squat resembles a pendulum squat and has no hamstring at all but potentially some kind of rec fem involvement in a shortened position.
Gyatt
I was waiting for someone to comment this
My experience, squats are bad for The spine and effect posture in a negative way
"Assessment fulfilled "
Those muscles don’t get work in squatting - no way!! The quads, butt and inner hams get worked extremely when squatting!🔥🔥🔥
The day after I squat the part of my hamstrings near the hip is sore, not just the quads and abductors
Squats do hit hamstrings the blokes just saying its not "optimal lifting" or something like that
@@VeNoMziVdid you actually watch the video?
The hamstring does not lengthen, it is not being worked
@VeNoMziV depends what you mean by "hit". Of course they work a little bit, but it is as an antagonist to the quads. Your glutes are the muscles doing the vast majority of the hip extension. So yeah if you stick an EMG probe in the hams you'll get some signal. But you won't grow your hamstring by squatting.
@@JoeLeone117 so you dont get any pump to your hamstrings when you squat?
@@lb2kxx so? if a muscle contracts it shortens lol
Out of the hamstrings only the laterally located biceps femois is the only one that does not cross over the hip joint. The semitendinosus, semimembranosus, sartorius and gracilis all get plenty stimulus.
The fact that they DO cross the hip joint is why they don't experience meaningful changes in length or stimulus.
@@coacheugeneteo You literally use them to stabilise and extend the hip when standing up from a squat...
@@martonmehesi-melis5072 you kinda missing the point of what he is saying in the short
@@martonmehesi-melis5072 The amount of force the hamstrings are able to produce in this case is negligable. This is because the muscle length almost doesn't change during the movement. Hip movement during squatting is primarily controlled by the glute max and the adductor magnus muscles
Men of culture, we meet again
Just do good mornings and RDLs, and fever hyper to target the glute, hamstring, and back. I only do high bar squatting so it’s primarily a quad dominant movement 🫡
*reverse hyper extensions
Studies have actually failed to prove any meanimgful differences in quad gains between high bar and low bar squatting. Makes sense biomechanically since the quads are the only muscles who can extend the knee and that work needs to be done regardless of the bar placement
This channel went from mayestic male hair to glorious female butt.
Besides the great scientific exercise explanations of course
so basically, squats isnt enough, hit an exercise for quads and hamstrings separately cuz its better
Nice asian wagon
Wouldn’t this be changed by the WAY you squat? As the knees go further toward/over the toes, the quads will be hit more but if you focus on a shin-vertical squat, wouldn’t the hamstrings be targeted more than this demonstration?
If you're tall and you squat with a barbell, you are going to be mostly hamstring dominant. I'm 6.3 and my hamstrings are always worse than my quads after squatting. Even if I do quad leg extensions first. It's all about mechanics and height, technique etc
Maybe the Quads going flacid when "below Parallel" in the squat .
Maybe in powerlifting terms, the definition is true that " getting into and out of the hole" is the hardest in the Squat
bro don't fall into a survivoship bias! meaning that what didn't work with one,would not work for other one.
then don't forget that strenght(or power)=tension×intensity .
which means,one can create tension and maintain it through intensity in those muscles,by using options such as oscillatory movement.
the best way to naturally know if a muscle will be positively affected by a movement,is to stop exercise for some week,and then do the workout ,such as squats intensively.the next day,all the muscles that are going to be develppped by that movement,will be physiologically indicated to us by pains in those muscles.
You squat, and as long as you're eating and sleeping well, your legs grow. Heavy squats make your upper body stronger in the process.
Yes but not the hamstrings and calves. And why would squats strengthen the upper body?
@@adamborg9275 squatting heavy is so taxing on your entire body, it forces growth of the entire body, stimulating increased bone density etc. Your body responds to demands put on it and squatting heavy demands a hell of a lot.
@@carlbeaumont1621 there's evidence of increased release of testosterone, growth hormones and so on after squatting heavy yes. But no evidence whatsover that this actually translates to any substantial growth in the upper body. If you don't truly tax a muscle while training, it doesn't have the stimulus enough to grow despite of the endocrine response
This is a fantastic case for why assistance work matters, even if you're not focused on physique as your primary goal.
say hello to Tom Platz, when I did natural bodybuilding i grew my legs over 30 inches all down to squats,
Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift no heavy-ass weights
Good explanation Thank you bianca
I think we need a better angle to further understand this fascinating scientific discovery
I love squats 🤩
Rectus femoris dosent insert at the lateral part as you show it ,it cause flexion at hip extension at knee so leg extensions are best for training rectus femoris
Would Not Squatting As Deep Resolve This Issue While Still Being Beneficial ?
If Not ; Do The Current Benefits of Squatting Outweigh the downside ?
squat down for me is insane
As a personal trainer I am glad to see good information here in an industry full of BS but surely there has to be a better way to demonstrate the concept
tom platz will disagree
If you're doing back squats correctly and bending over enough to keep the barbell over mid-foot your hamstrings are in an intense isometric contraction to control the back angle. So they're definitely being worked.
That's still not enough to result in muscle growth. Studies looking at low bar squats have failed to prove any hamstring gains
@@adamborg9275 I mean, ok, are you saying a guy that took his back squat from 135 to 405 didn't get any gains in his hamstrings? Guys have been doing that for generations, maybe there's not a "study" but how many testimonials does it take before it becomes evidence?
@@JT76 probably not much from squatting alone. If you're training hip hinging movements (deadlift variations, good mornings or back extensions, etc) and/or leg curls along with squatting, that's probably more responsible for that hamstring growth. And that's what most people do in their programs. Are you referring to exclusively low bar squatting for lower body/posterior chain?
All I wanna say is I’m body-positive! … when it comes to this particular video.
Coaches all over the Internet still insisting the hamstrings get meaningful stimulus in squat movement patterns.
I’m going to need this lesson daily from slightly different angles 😅
: D yes
I forgot the name on the research paper, but it basically stated that there is no activation of the rectus femoris during squats.
Did this man seriously sum up his conclusion by saying that squats don’t build size or power?
Kinda he talked about the lacking in lateral quad (rectus femoris) and hamstring
Squats build massive legs
"Squad down for me..." 😊😊😊
Can a person do Squats even after heart bypass surgery?????
Please reply
This isn't an "issue" with squats lol. It's just that squats aren't meant for hamstrings