High Rep Squats

[vinnypotato]

I heard there has been studies done on squats and that they are actually more beneficial doing doing lower weights and high reps. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

[DJAuto]

I heard there has been studies done on squats and that they are actually more beneficial doing doing lower weights and high reps. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

Do you have any examples? Beneficial in what sense?

[Uncle Ben]

Does this count

[imasavage]

Legs are powerful and can handle a lot of abuse. It may take some unorthodox principles to get some good growth.

[fitbliss]

I heard there has been studies done on squats and that they are actually more beneficial doing doing lower weights and high reps. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

Yes. The idea is about 30 or 40 years old. The idea is that, not only you gain muscle in your legs, but it causes your body to change metabolic gears and gain muscle mass everywhere. I only heard about it a long time ago, when I was a teenager. Back then, all I heard was anecdotal. It is probably worth searching peer-reviewed journals and seeing if someone has designed a solid experiment to test these alleged results.

I am thinking, high reps tone down myostatin, a protein that tell the body to slow down muscle building. High reps on such a large muscle group might be enough to slow down myostatin to a point that allows the whole body, not to mention the legs, to see a remarkable increase in size. There are some bodybuilders that use this method with great results.

[vinnypotato]

Yes. The idea is about 30 or 40 years old. The idea is that, not only you gain muscle in your legs, but it causes your body to change metabolic gears and gain muscle mass everywhere. I only heard about it a long time ago, when I was a teenager. Back then, all I heard was anecdotal. It is probably worth searching peer-reviewed journals and seeing if someone has designed a solid experiment to test these alleged results.

I am thinking, high reps tone down myostatin, a protein that tell the body to slow down muscle building. High reps on such a large muscle group might be enough to slow down myostatin to a point that allows the whole body, not to mention the legs, to see a remarkable increase in size. There are some bodybuilders that use this method with great results.

Great! Thanks, I think I am going to try this for a while and see how it works out.

[Jrahe42]

try 20 rep squats with a challenging weight. prepare not to walk the next day.

[Frozn]

This past week has been my first week of high rep training. I did squats on tuesday and it is now saturday.. My quads are still fairly sore... I also almost passed out after hitting high rep squats and than high rep leg press. My legs had such a huge pump, i think all the blood left my head haha.

Overall this high rep week has been extremely taxing, more so than strength training IMO but of course this could be due to my body not being used to high reps.

[Defiant1]

What studies?


While I agree that high reps are beneficial, so are low reps.

Tom Platz used both.

[SquatTilYouDrop]

OP,

"More" beneficial?

Without reading the study(s) in question, I would hazard a guess that both high and low rep squats are at least "equally" beneficial in some capacity or other. Also, add to the equation moderate weight combined with moderate reps. Many variables to consider here before making a blanket statement.

I've also found extremely high rep air squats (no weight) to help reduce bf % without any scientific studies.

There are different uses for squats.

[DaveBriggs]

OP,

"More" beneficial?

Without reading the study(s) in question, I would hazard a guess that both high and low rep squats are at least "equally" beneficial in some capacity or other. Also, add to the equation moderate weight combined with moderate reps. Many variables to consider here before making a blanket statement.

I've also found extremely high rep air squats (no weight) to help reduce bf % without any scientific studies.

i was reading tom platz guide to leg training and he states at time he would put a 150 pounds on the bar and just squat for a straight five minutes

muscles grow when they are subjected to a greater stimulus than usual. high rep squats are a great way to mix it up

harder though!

i can do a set of heavy squats and feel ready to go again i about 90 seconds. 20 reps and i am out of breath for 3 mins plus

[SquatTilYouDrop]

i was reading tom platz guide to leg training and he states at time he would put a 150 pounds on the bar and just squat for a straight five minutes

muscles grow when they are subjected to a greater stimulus than usual. high rep squats are a great way to mix it up

harder though!

i can do a set of heavy squats and feel ready to go again i about 90 seconds. 20 reps and i am out of breath for 3 mins plus

Moral of story. Rotate high rep low weight squats AND low rep high weight squats in and out of your leg program for best results.

[JZ1986]

Yes. The idea is about 30 or 40 years old.

It has actually been around alot longer than that. Joe Hise, and others, were advocating 20 rep (or more) squats way back in the 1930's.

[DaveBriggs]

extra bit of advice

when squatting, if you have a home gym get a signed picture of tom platz for your wall. when you have reached failure..look up at the platz an then grind out another couple of reps

cus the platz says so

[fitbliss]

It has actually been around alot longer than that. Joe Hise, and others, were advocating 20 rep (or more) squats way back in the 1930's.

That early, huh? Yeah, like I said, what I know is from what I remember back when I was a teenager, during my first college year in Exercise Physiology. I am old now, so I don't remember things I learned 25 years ago so well...LOL

[boathead]

platz was such a beast that he did not do high reps and low weights. he did high reps with HIGH weights. 500 for 23. sweet moses.

i spent some time on a 20 rep squat routine, and had a significant problem with it: i could not eat enough to sustain the program. it kicked my metabolism into overdrive 24/7, and i could not seem to get sufficient food in me. as such, just an idea i've thought about, i believe anyone trying to lose bf would do very well on this program.

[IntraVol]

This past week has been my first week of high rep training. I did squats on tuesday and it is now saturday.. My quads are still fairly sore... I also almost passed out after hitting high rep squats and than high rep leg press. My legs had such a huge pump, i think all the blood left my head haha.

Overall this high rep week has been extremely taxing, more so than strength training IMO but of course this could be due to my body not being used to high reps.

Breathing principles my friend! LoL.

Enjoy.