SquatStrong

Pretty pumped that we have just surpassed 2000 "likes" on Facebook! Here's an epic squat photo as a celebration... quick quiz though, who can name the man in the pic?

Check out the youtube channel "BodybuildingRev" for some pretty interesting strength athlete showdowns!

How does squat depth affect the emphasis on your leg and hip muscles? Not that much it appears, based on the study linked below. To summarize, the electrical activity (EMG - indicator of neuromuscular activation in this case) of the gluteus maximus changed quite dramatically with the depth of the squat. The other muscles tested (Vastus Lateralis and Medius - 2 of the 4 Quad muscles, and Biceps Femoris - 1 of the 3 Hamstring muscles) showed no change with increasing depth ...of squat with the same load. That last part is important though as we all know you can squat more weight in the top part of the ROM... so while activation with the same load might be similar, in practice we would likely squat with a heavier load if we were squatting to above parallel. Check it out: http://www.hertssportsvillage.co.uk//The%20Effect%20of%20B

Wow these "30 day squat challenges" are really popular on the internet... Of course our bias is towards actually using weight in the squat and developing strength... but if challenges like these are actually getting people to squat regularly, then I guess it isn't bad? The best we can hope for is that this challenge is a "gateway" to loading a bar on your back!

Tom Platz is a bodybuilding legend... known for the most extreme lower body development that the world has ever seen. Not only did he have BIG, MASSIVE, HUGE legs, but they also were very very strong. In the video below, Tom back squats 500lb for 23 reps. He was also known to (regularly) squat for 10min straight with 225lb on his back. Looking again at the sprint cyclist photos and pics of Tom Platz, it is evident that both strength AND volume are necessary for complete leg development. Individuals who are moving their bodyweight a significant amount don't have the luxury of having excessively large legs however if your goal is to move a bike or aesthetics for bodybuilding, get STRONG and do LOTS of SQUATS! https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=24&v=MGbj8QREw7c