Myths about Squats

You surely heard a lot of bodybuilders doing squats and most of them will tell you that it is an exercise that is more than important in this sport. The problem is that there are some myths running around that are simply not true and it is important that we are aware of them. Let us briefly discuss these squats myths:

1. Squats Destroy Your Knees

We all know that muscle tissue will get stronger when it is exposed to stress and this goes for ligaments, tendons and all connective tissues you will see in the human body. They will actually get thicker as an immediate response to bodybuilding. Heavy squatting (if done properly) can actually increase the strength of your knees. You will only get knee problems if you use an exercise form that is not right. In most cases this refers to you relaxing the knee joint and placing it in a compromising position, especially when you are down. If you do not relax in the bottom position and your posture is right then all is perfect and you will not damage your knees.

2. Squats Damage your Spine

As before, bodybuilding exercises will strengthen connective tissues and ligaments. You can utilize a weight belt for squats when dealing with heavy sets. The one area where it can be uncomfortable is the back of the neck and this is because of the bar, which is resting there. A lot of bodybuilders end up getting used to this while others will use a towel to protect the area.

3. Squatting is Dangerous for your Heart

This is a misconception because most difficult weightlifting exercises will restrict blood flow because of muscular contraction that goes on for long periods of time. The immediate result is elevated blood pressure but it is temporary so it is not dangerous. The heart is similar to other muscles as it will adapt to all the stress you put on your cardiovascular system. The only problem that might appear is if you suffer from a coronary disease as it is highly important that your doctor will allow you to do weight training exercises before squatting and bodybuilding in general.

4. Squats Lower Speed Performance

All exercise specialists will tell you that the muscle will contract faster and more force can be applied off the ground if it is stronger. This basically means that squatting will actually increase your speed. Just ask any sprinter out there.

Myths are meant to be broken and I really hope that you understand that the negative consequences of squats will only come if you use a technique that is not correct. The exercise is very good for any bodybuilder workout out there and we can say it is actually safe and very effective