Which Squats would YOU choose and Why?

[Warik]

That sounds so complicated. Do I have to cross my legs and close my eyes too? I'll stick to chins. =)

Machines machines...

-Warik

 

[AGENT SHAGWELL]

I'm gonna have to agree with Thick Dog on this (as much as it pains me). And not agree with Corn. Squating every week, is the way to go. (Although, I must say I train with powerlifters, and athletes, not BBs)

Naturally variety is good, and alters your routine to optimize as many actin-myosin pairings in the target muscle as possible. But Squats, hands down, is the best in repects to the quanity of muscles it targets for legs. it should be the basis of you leg routine, while others are supplemental.

 

[The Shadow]

That sounds so complicated. Do I have to cross my legs and close my eyes too? I'll stick to chins. =)

Machines machines...

-Warik

What is complicated is trying to figure out why you would be doing behind-the-neck pulldowns to work LATS in the first place....That exercise does not hit the lats.

 

[Milhouse]

Here's a couple goodies some fella showed me a couple years ago.

Barbell Hack Squats: You wont be able to use as much weight as the machine but its killer.

Full Deadlifts of a box: Like convention deadlifts only you stand on a 12-15 inch box, platform. One of those fruity step boxes works well. The bottom of the movement is like a full squat and this move really kicks the shit out of the glutes, hamst, quads. Plus everytime I do a few weeks of these my reg deads and squats go way up.

Front Squats(Prefer Barbell) If ya wanna use the smith fine. If you want to learn how to balance and build muscle and strength use the barbell. Doesnt really matter anyways if you are looking to keep things fun, interesting and challenging.

The most toughest move I have found for legs/lower body would have to be Dumbell Squats for like sets of 15-20 reps. Pretty good way to end a leg workout for the variety alone.
Oh and plus any of those crazy ass moves Ian King has in the first 3 weeks of the limping series.

 

[Warik]

What is complicated is trying to figure out why you would be doing behind-the-neck pulldowns to work LATS in the first place....That exercise does not hit the lats.

You must have misunderstood my original comment.

Your defense of smith squats: "Ian King says that if you feel it then it works and it's good."

Lat pulldowns behind the neck (entitled such due to the fact that they are done at the lat pulldown machine, yet are incorrectly done behind the neck) are known to wreak havoc on one's shoulders (unless you actually believe that there's nothing wrong with doing lat pulldowns behind the neck or behind-the-neck presses and other such exercises). You do, however, "feel it" when you do these clearly incorrect exercises, thus making "if you feel it then it's good!" a moot point.

You'll never find me using a smith machine for anything aside from hanging my towel. People can use the smith machine all they want... they'll wish they were doing real squats a decade or two from now when they walk more wobbly than a retired pro football player because of their fragile knees.

-Warik