My ass is getting bigger from squats not so much legs????

[ridley89]

So my GF and family have all noticed that my ass has gone from barely there to most noticeable instead of legs and I wanna know if its cause i'm doing squats a little wrong or is it just my genetics that I have good ass genes hahaha.

My legs are growing just not as fast as my glutes.

[Onisac]

So my GF and family have all noticed that my ass has gone from barely there to most noticeable instead of legs and I wanna know if its cause i'm doing squats a little wrong or is it just my genetics that I have good ass genes hahaha.

My legs are growing just not as fast as my glutes.

It's normal for your "ass" to grow when doing squats brah.

[Tyrbolift]

It's normal for your "ass" to grow when doing squats brah.

^^^^^ Also, do you do any form of leg extension?

[ridley89]

Nah only do squats and deadlifts for leg work doing full body routine.

Is it normal for your ass to outgrow your legs though or will legs eventually catch up??

[Tyrbolift]

Nah only do squats and deadlifts for leg work doing full body routine.

Is it normal for your ass to outgrow your legs though or will legs eventually catch up??

1. Your genetics are a big influence on what part of you grows from what exercises, so yes, it is normal FOR SOME.

2. If you are genetically predisposed to grow where you are becoming out of proportion, you will have to start including more isolation exercises. That's one of the main purposes of isolation, so you can custom tailor you workouts to develop proportionally how you want.

[Chesticles2]

haha this thread is hillarious...what a pickle!

deep squats bring your glutes into play pretty much full force. my hams and glutes always
hurt way more than my quads after squats.
you dont have to do them deep with "perfect" form.
give your quads more stress by putting more weight on but limit your ROM
same when your doing leg presses, limit ROM
but if you dont mind dodging squats and leg press for a bit just rape the leg extension machine for a few weeks and get them to match.

[JOSEF RAKICH]

Girls love "squat butt"

[pFuzzz]

What does your routine look like?

You could switch to front squats for a few weeks for more quad emphasis.

[ridley89]

haha this thread is hillarious...what a pickle!

deep squats bring your glutes into play pretty much full force. my hams and glutes always
hurt way more than my quads after squats.

This is exactly what happens to me my quads are sore the next day but glutes are the worst second by hams then quads.

I'm not to worried about the "squat booty" at the moment cause i'm no where near big enough to be way out of proportion its just the first thing I notice, just wanted to know if its normal so I guess it is and ill stick with my normal routine until i'm ready for something else and see if it gets to out of proportion.

[JB12182]

Girls love "squat butt"

This is true.

[D4rkhorse]

Girls love "squat butt"

x2 man

Since I started putting "mass on my ass" girls can't keep their hands off it

[chazzy1864]

As stated, Genes will decide what grows faster or slower.

However, your squat style can play a major role. Wide stance squats places more emphasis on the hams and glutes. Also deep squats do as well. So if you are doing a deep wide stance, then you'll be placing a lot of emphasis on hams & glutes over quads.

[theapexxxx]

I went from no butt, to tiny butt

[J.L.C.]

PL-style squats?

Are you sitting back and breaking at the hips first?

[Ford_Power]

This is a somewhat funny thread....

I have noticed more compliments from the ladies on the line of "I like your @$$..." but that's another conversation for another day.

Genetics play a role, as well as the way you do your squats (all of which has been said). What has worked for me has been to not change my squat style since I've found my comfort zone there, but instead work harder at things like heavy leg pressing, my SLDL or RDL lifts for my hammies, plus limited isolation work (single leg leg extension or single leg ham curls) to try and keep the rest of my legs in proportion. Seems to be doing the trick. But everyone's different...

[_OZ_]

This is the reason Vince Gironda didn't allow his pupils to do regular back squats. If you squat with a wide stance or lean over a lot then you will be working your ass and hams a lot and quads less. To hit my quads I squat with a narrow stance and as upright as possible using a 2x4 under my heels and a high bar placement. Or squat upright in a smith machine.

[theapexxxx]

Girls love squat-butts, problem is, all the protein powder gives me gas sometimes.
So they get attracted but then instantly repelled.

[pFuzzz]

better that than having the ass of a frog trying to walk upright.

[FullMetal]

My ass got huge after the first couple years of training. It doesn't bother me at all.

[derekk1]

So my GF and family have all noticed that my ass has gone from barely there to most noticeable instead of legs and I wanna know if its cause i'm doing squats a little wrong or is it just my genetics that I have good ass genes hahaha.

My legs are growing just not as fast as my glutes.

ha my ass got a lot bigger from squats too, dont worry about it. it was also the first thing people noticed about me, but like other people said, lots of girls will compliment it. but then again, i know girls who say that they like guys with flat asses

i guess you could try just working one butt cheek for a couple months and see which one gets grabbed more (counting only girl grabs)

[EPMD]

A narrower stance will move a bit of the emphasis back to your legs, if that's what you want, or you can alternate between front squats and back squats from workout to workout.

[White_Widow]

yeah girls love it

[Destaric]

My legs and my ass have definetly grown since i been doing squats..ladies love it lol. Now penis pushups is a different story...

[_OZ_]

Hola Bola doing ATG squats with heels together. Nails the quads, easy on the ass, but imagine it would be rough on some people with dodgy knees.



Smith Squats, quads-emphasis

[visionz1234]

"The guy with the biggest butt lifts the biggest weights." - Paul Anderson

[Nodeal]

A well built ass is a good thing, as I found in this article:


How Gluteal Atrophy Affects Posture & Performance
Posted by John Izzo on June 1st, 2009 Printer-Friendly Bookmark & Share
How Gluteal Atrophy Affects Posture & Performance

As the world has advanced to extreme technological means, sedentary lifestyles have also increased. More people are sitting at desks today than ever before; and as assumed, these same individuals leave work and sit in front of a computer in their homes. As technological advancements have made communication and business more efficient, unfortunately, it has made the human body less efficient. More people are engaged in a sedentary lifestyle that is composed of prolonged static positions (seated or standing); and spend less time moving or exercising.

Is it possible that a sedentary lifestyle, absent of purposeful loaded activity or exercise, can cause atrophy of muscles? Take the example of a broken bone. Once fractured and encased in a splint or cast for several weeks (depending on the type of fracture and bone involved), the muscles surrounding that bone are no longer active. They are not active because the ?lever system? that they are associated with is impaired. Therefore, without proper muscle firing or use, the muscles lose tonus, weaken, and decrease in neural response.

Studies have been shown that unloaded inactivity induces atrophy and functional de-conditioning of skeletal muscle?especially in the lower extremities. (1) In this case, ?unloaded? should be defined as absence of an external load, and ?inactivity? is defined as little to no muscular movement, stimulation, or locomotion. In this particular study, ten healthy males were subjected to 5 weeks of experimental bed rest. Each participant was matched with an associate to assist in minimal tasks. Their lower body muscles were tested using isometric hip and knee extension exercises. After the 5 weeks, atrophy was more pronounced in the extensor muscles of the gluteal region, thigh, and calf. Furthermore, radiological density tests indicated a bone mineral loss already after 5 weeks.

The study?s use of bed rest as the intended unloaded inactivity is somewhat similar to the conditions a sedentary individual undergoes when the occupation calls for a majority of time seated (secretary, computer tech, call service, office worker, etc, etc). Because bed rest is an extremely inactive state, we can only assume that the seated position sustained over a number of years is just as detrimental to skeletal muscle given the amount of time (duration in years); frequency (how often), and duration (how long each time).

Sitting and Lower Back Pain

The gluteals remain inactive in a seated position. Sitting for long periods can lead to the gluteal muscles atrophying through constant pressure and disuse. Movements that require the gluteal muscles become more difficult (such as climbing stairs or rising from a seated position); therefore, extra stress is put on the lumbar spine leading to low back pain.

Function & Characteristics of the Gluteals

The gluteals are comprised of 3 muscles: glute minimus, glute maximus, and glute medius. These muscles are involved in extending and outwardly rotating the hip, and extending the trunk. The powerful gluteus max inserts into the iliotibial band and gluteal tuberosity of the femur. Because of its attachment, it provides the human body incredible leverage and sets our species apart from other primates (upright versus four legged). Lower body exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, and good mornings, strengthen the gluteal muscles. These exercises focus on glute strengthening because there is a muscle action demand that corresponds with the muscle?s responsibility.

In a seated position, there is no demand for the muscles to act (unloaded inactivity); therefore, over the course of time, the gluteals will decrease in neural output. If there is a decrease in the ?call time? of a muscle, surrounding muscles will enact to complete a movement causing muscular imbalances and stress on joints. In the case of functional performance, the lumbar spine receives the brute of this compensatory pattern.

Typically, when there is a lack of gluteal function, there is a visible lack of gluteal development in an individual. The gluteal muscles are only partially responsible for giving the buttocks their characteristic shape. The subcutaneous fat that also contributes to the ?roundness? of the buttocks is called the panniculus adipose. If the gluteus musculature is atrophied and subsequently ?absent? from providing shape, then the overlying panniculus adipose is responsible for the ?sagging butt? appearance. This appearance is no illusion and gives credible evidence that the glutes do not function properly ? by means of weakness and neural deviation.

Causes for Gluteal Atrophy

Sway back posture is characterized as the pelvis? swayed forward and the hips in extension. The sway back posture places excessive strain on the low lumbar spine, most commonly at the lumbo-sacral joint, which becomes problematic with extension. This is often seen in those that are seated for long periods of time, that exhibit pain upon standing still. Postural gluteal contraction, particularly the glute maximus, appears deficient in sway back posture. This is because the line of gravity drops behind the hip joint producing passive hip extension via body weight. This passive hip extension renders active extension from the gluteus maximus unnecessary and it ?switches off?, the hamstring muscles, however, maintain activation to control postural sway.

Gluteal atrophy is often seen in those with sway back posture, and the neural deviation previously mentioned can be a result of the ?flattening? of the lumbar spine causing compression or herniation of the vertebra discs. Cosmetically, it is unsightly for those desiring a more ?bountiful? rear. For the prolonged sitter, abetting this process is the so called ?ergonomic thought process?. This thought process calls for keeping all frequently used office tools (i.e.: stapler, tape, pens) in close proximity to avoid sudden movements. Such practices prevent the sedentary from moving regularly, and thus, reinforcing the gluteals to shut down.

Flat back posture is somewhat similar to sway back posture. It is characterized as a malformation in which the individual has a decreased curve in the low back region.

In other words, optimal posture allows the body to move more efficiently, fatigue less easily, and place less stress on the joints. Optimal posture will assist in trecoerhe prevention of overtraining, muscle imbalances, and decreased performance. In the world of average Joe?s, optimal posture will decrease the likelihood of cumulative injury due to static positions.

Typically, when an injury presents itself in a sedentary individual, it is the symptom of a problem?and not directly related to the site of pain. Posture helps determine which muscles are strong and weak by lengthening or shortening certain muscles. There is an optimum length at which the muscle is capable of developing maximal tension.

Optimal posture has many benefits in the world of athletics

For the gluteal muscles to perform optimally?whether it is simply standing upright, or running after the ball?the length-tension relationships surrounding the area should be ideal. This includes proper lengths of the TFL (tensor fascia latae), hip flexors, adductors, hamstrings, trapezius, erectors, and multifidius. All of which are affected negatively by the seated posture. If the gluteal muscles function correctly and optimally, hip extension and rotation will occur freely without compensation and it will spare the lumbar spine. Once the lumbar spine is spared of ?picking up the slack? of the glutes, pain will be avoided and the human body can become more efficient at the given tasks.

In order to reverse the degeneration of the gluteal muscles, loaded activity should be introduced regularly. Immobilization studies (study used bed rest) in humans suggest that most of lost muscle and strength can be regained with appropriate resistance training several weeks after a period of disuse. (3)

From a functional performance standpoint, a basic program to isolate the gluteals with specific exercises and then integrate them into functional movements is key.

Poor lifting habits are born through mechanical disadvantages and invalid instruction. Both can be a result of one or the other. For instance, most indoor cyclists demonstrate enormous quadriceps development and hip flexor action. This popular fitness activity demands resisted knee flexion in a high stressful hip flexion position. The seated position also exacerbates the inactivity of the gluteals during a class, and reinforces the degeneration of this muscle.

Most participants will attest that a typical indoor cycling class also involves simulated hill jumps, whereas the buttocks are raised off the seat, which may involve the gluteals to some degree. Even so, the neural programming shuts off the gluteals simply because it cannot ?undo? itself to fulfill an activity that supposedly involves its potential action in such a short time period.

Invalid instruction contributes to neural programming due to the exerciser unknowingly laying the foundation for dysfunction by continuously performing the erroneous movement. During a typical task of lifting, the gluteus maximus has an important role in extending the hips and stabilizing the pelvis. Research shows that an emphasis on contraction of the glutes aids in stabilizing the pelvis and ensures a safe and effective movement to occur. Exercises that assist this occurrence are: deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, squats, split squats, stationary lunges, and step-ups. However, most typical exercisers resort to leg extensions, seated leg curls, leg presses, and adductors/abductors; furthering the ?shut down? process.

It has been shown that injuries or pain also contribute to gluteal dysfunction or atrophy. In one study, patients who had suffered ankle sprains were shown to have a reduced activation level of the glute maximus. This may be caused by the damage to the proprioceptive feedback mechanism via lateral ankle sprain. These findings confirm that changes in muscle firing patterns, particularly by the gluteus maximus, can lead to muscle inhibition and/or atrophy (neural program altered). This compromise could result in a compensation of the lower back. A situation where an injury has likely occurred and has altered the normal function of the human body (gait, running, sitting, getting in or out of a car, etc), should emphasize the importance of corrective exercise and rehabilitation.

Summary

The importance of gluteal function is imperative to proper posture and human performance. Without optimal function from the glutes, sedentary individuals may exhibit low back pain and other associated injuries. In severe cases, the gluteal muscles fail to absorb the shock impact in the load transfer during walking, which studies have shown to lead to contra-lateral hip osteoarthritis.

In conclusion, optimal posture is ultimately determined by optimal function of the gluteal muscles. The pelvic girdle houses the center of gravity for all postural points to stem from. Attached to this center is the body?s most powerful muscle group. The function of these muscles corresponds with mother nature?s intent. Humans are meant to be upright as a species and it is the function of the gluteal muscles that allow that. As the sedentary become more and more inclined to sit, the more obvious it becomes to see the damage caused.

[theapexxxx]

I am far too lazy to read such a big article about having a huge ass.

[chazzy1864]

I am far too lazy to read such a big article about having a huge ass.

LoL exactly what I thought when I saw that. I scrolled over it, and was like "damn...that's a long article......maybe some other time......doubtful....but maybe."

[ridley89]

I read it and seems like a pretty good article basically says without regular exercise of the glutes your posture will be crap and unwanted stress will be put on other joints. So a strong ass is a huge advantage in everyday life.

[tishtash]

Awesome article!


I was just looking for new and interesting butt exercises! I want more butt.