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I'm a female and highly recommend doing squats. And walking lunges with dumbbells. And deadlifts. And barbell hip thrusts. All of the above are great exercises if you want a nice backside and legs. Best of luck!
Also, if you do squats and notice any significant gains anywhere else, please call me bc I'd like to live to see that.
It depends on the person. For the OP, as for everyone else, squats are the best exercise she can do to build basic strength. With the exception of her quads, glutes and hamstrings, she probably will not bulk up substantially, at least to begin with.
But squats will definitely bulk some people up if they lift heavy weights. At 19, I gained about 50 pounds in three months of very heavy lifting. All I did was one relatively light Nautilus circuit three times a week and squatting with immense weights. I noticed serious increases in bulk in my chest, shoulders and back as well as my lower body. I think the overwhelming strain the squats put on my entire body is what caused me to bulk up everywhere.
I totally understand where the OP is coming from, because I have seen MANY of those same articles myself - they recommend women train their lower bodies to help build muscle all over. I think it's true however, women are getting the idea that somehow they will "bulk up" from it. It only means that the legs and lower body are our most powerful muscles, so building them up will help you get stronger and build more muscle all over more easily - BUT you will NOT bulk up! I have been doing regular squats for months now, my legs are only slightly larger, and my shoulders and arms are about the same, however I trained my arms for quite a while to build muscle, now I am only maintaining what I have in that area.
Now lastly, find the TYPE of squat that is comfortable for you - I am a 65 y.o. woman with scoliosis and back issues -barbell squats are out for me. I started with "air squats" and now am doing front-loaded kettlebell squats or goblet squats. Believe me, they are quite effective. If you have never done squats, start easy, just air squats (no weight). Trying to do too much too soon could injure you badly.
Good luck, squats are a GREAT exercise for women!
I'm going to print this out and show it to my wife. She has the idea stuck in her head that even looking at the weights will make her bigger than Mr. America. She refuses to believe that resistance exercises are super super beneficial to pretty much all fitness goals, especially losing weight.
Tell him squatting will help strengthen your knees for bedroom activities and I bet he won't have a problem with them then!
I'm a female with knee and back problems. I walk with a cane. I recently started exercising and as part of my routine, I started doing squats. At first, I couldn't even do air squats without toppling over backwards, so I had to practice my form by standing on the treadmill and holding onto the bars and leaning back into the squat.
2 things to remember:
1) Proper form helps prevent injury. Watch videos showing you the proper form as others have done. Do NOT let your knees go over your feet. Pretend there's a vertical bar jutting up from your ankles to block your knee.
2) Look UP when you lift up from your squat and push your weight in the back of your heels. Looking UP was the one tip I never read that my SO told me.
Since I started doing squats, I haven't miraculously developed muscles all over. I have, however, started being able to get up without needing my cane. Now THAT, my friends, is the miracle.
Since I started doing squats, I haven't miraculously developed muscles all over. I have, however, started being able to get up without needing my cane.
I've been giving a lot of thought to trying squats but I'm not sure if I should. I have read in many places that they will add muscle everywhere because of the increase in growth hormone you get from doing them. so will I end up with larger biceps just from doing them? Can I do just do less of the bicep curls to compensate?
I'm also worried about form and hurting my knees over the long term. I have read that the right shoes will help with that. This site recommends a couple different options Get The Right Squat Shoes Now, Or Your Knees Will Hate You Later based on the stance I will take. Bit I'm not sure which stance will be more comfortable for me yet.
Any input would be greatly appreciated. Obviously I'm a squat newb who may have been reading too much online.
Couple of things:
1. I thought you were a dude from all of your past posts. Had no idea you were a lady.
2. This thread instantly negates all the other posts you made which are ALL in the Exercise/Fitness forum giving advice. The fact you asked the question(s) on this thread makes me (and others) know that you really know absolutely nothing about fitness. This isnt a knock on you or anything negative, its just a fact.
Squats (and deadlifts) are absolutely some of the most important lifts you can do for overall health and fitness.
I know my way around step aerobics classes and exercise bands and the circuit training machines. Typical female gym stuff. But this is new territory for me. I have a lot to learn.
Last edited by Biscuits22; 01-30-2015 at 10:51 AM..
Surely OP is trolling. There are only a million articles a google search away to disprove this illogical concern.
This is actually the #1 concern that women have when it comes to lifting weights of any kind. Trainers are sick of hearing it.
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