If you’ve spent any time in the gym, you’ve probably heard of the Big 3 when it comes to exercises: squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. These three are quite popular and squats are known as the ‘king’. The one I reject, king of what?
The squat is NOT king
The fitness industry (especially the bodybuilding crowd) would like you to believe that you will only get really strong and muscular if you squat. Because if you don’t squat, you’re a fag, right?
WRONG!!
These claims come from meatheads who want to shove their ideology down your throat (and you thought religion was the only place an unwanted ideology would be foisted on you, huh?). Now, I don’t think squats are a terrible exercise. They have their time and place in some people’s routines depending on what their fitness goals are. However, calling squats the “king of exercise” is an exaggerated claim that is simply not true. Any exercise is just a tool to be used again, depending on what your fitness goals are. Match the tool to the job.
When to squat
If you want to add a lot of mass to your legs, glutes, and hips, then of course squats are your tool. Do you want to gain weight? Squats will do the job. Yes, squats activate many muscles in the body, but most of the gains will be in the lower body. The lower body tends to grow at a much faster rate than the upper body. So if your goal is to add a ton of mass to your lower body, squats will get you there.
Squatting isn’t really that hard
So if your fitness goals aren’t about adding a ton of mass to your lower body, I suggest you don’t squat. Squatting isn’t really that hard… Don’t get me wrong, obviously the exercise done right is hard, but squats aren’t very intense or anything like that. Actually, squats are pretty easy to do and it’s not a big deal.
What is your goal?
Some people don’t want a massive lower body. Some people would rather be more athletic, wear nice pants, or focus on aesthetics.
athletics
If athletics is your goal, then jumping ability and sprint speed are impressive feats for measuring power and performance. For athletic purposes, the big 3 I would recommend would be power cleans, barbell pull-ups, and overhead presses.
1. Pull-ups
Chin ups are an amazing exercise that measures pulling ability and relative strength. Mastering pull-ups and chin-ups does wonders not only for your athleticism, but for physics in general. Chin ups really work your biceps and back, as well as engaging your entire upper body. Weighted pull-ups will allow you to progress in power and strength.
2. Powerful cleanses
Powerful cleans generate great power in the lower body. Many Olympic lifters are also known to have phenomenal running and jumping abilities. As mentioned above, sprinting and jumping are much better indicators of lower body performance than just being able to squat heavy.
3. Overhead presses
Overhead pressing demands serious pressing power and also requires legitimate core engagement. Being able to press significant weight while maintaining serious core stability is a great indicator of upper body strength and performance.
The good news is that by focusing on athletics, you will notice a significant transfer to aesthetics. Combining the above exercises with a solid nutrition approach and intermittent fasting will result in a very powerful and ridiculous attractive physique!
wrapping it up
Remember, squats are not the ‘King of Exercises’, they are simply an exercise. Just another tool in the exercise toolbox. Match the tool with the target. If you’re looking for a more extensive approach to building a lean, chiseled physique that will turn heads, I highly recommend checking out Visual Impact Muscle Building.
This course does a very good job of crafting an exceptional body that is both functional and attractive. You can see my review of the program here.
