Ask any bodybuilder: “If you could only do one exercise the rest of your life, what would it be?” The answer is almost always squats. People have been doing that exercise for over 100 years, and have built an amazing amount of muscle and strength from it. Squats trigger all the major muscle groups in the body, as well as taxing the heart and lungs to the max. Neither the bench press, push press, nor the curl will come close to what the squat can do. The squat requires balance, endurance, strength, and explosive power. This is something every fighter needs for their mma workouts. This is also something most fighters try to avoid due to preconceived notions about the exercise.
Many people have had knee operations and cannot bend their knees beyond a certain amount. Some have trouble with weight on their backs due to ruptured discs. I’m here to tell you that there is a squat for almost everyone. First of all, I recommend that you get checked out by a qualified physician before you embark on any exercise program. Second, I recommend that you start out light to get comfortable with the movement.
For those just starting out after a long layoff, or are new to the game, I recommend Hindu Squats. If you put Hindu Squats into YouTube, you will see from different angles how to perform this exercise. If you can’t go all the way down, just bend your knees a small amount to lower your body. Just go as far as you can comfortably. Do not push yourself if you are experiencing joint pain. You need to be in tune with your body to understand the difference between joint pain and muscle pain. You train through muscle pain, you stop at join pain. Got it?
Let’s talk about squats with a bar on your back. After being on the “heavy is best” side of the tracks for most of my life, I have come to realize that you can build strength and muscle size (if that’s what your goal is) with moderate weights. For most men trainees, 135 pounds is enough. Some of you power lifters are thinking, “That’s what I warm up with.” That may be so, but try doing 50 reps with 135 pounds. If you are a thin person and want to build up your legs and increase your muscle mass, then 50 reps of 135 pounds is enough to get you to your goal. 135 pounds is enough weight that if you are stuck at the bottom, you can explode up and finish the rep. Also, it won’t be crushing your vertebrae.
Try working your way up with only 135 pounds for the next couple of months and see what happens. Women may want to work out with 95 pounds and stay with that weight. In your mma workouts, you will not cheat your body if you spend time doing different types of squats. Let me know how it works for you.