Bodyweight Two questions about body weight squats.

[relindwto6]

Hey guys,
Recently I've been reading up about fitness and stuff. The thing is that it's much harder to find stuff about body weight fitness than it is about regular fitness so I have two quick questions for you guys.
First question. I read a few weeks back that squats are one of the worst exercises for you, because they totally destroy your knees. Is this also the case for body weight squats (pistol squats) or only for people that squat like 150 kg etc..
Second question is about a thing I've been doing recently. I'm trying to build up to pistol squats so I've been doing squats while leaning heavily on one leg. A friend of mine told me this isn't the way to go and that I shouldn't do it, do you think I should listen to him. The reason I'm asking this is because he knows a lot about fitness, but not a lot about body weight fitness.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my noobie questions.

 

[Karen Smith]

There are many squat options and many progressions that will lead to a pistol. I would love to help by assessing this current squat and your mobility and then recommending some progressions. I also have several articles on pistol on the site. Here is a link to one of them:
One Good Rep: How to Perform the Perfect Pistol | StrongFirst

 

[North Coast Miller]

Squats in general are one of the best exercises you can do.

 

[pet']

Hello,

I have performed pistols for years now, loaded or not. I have never had issue.

Most of the time, technique is crucial. Of course, overuse may come up to a point but one has to listen his body.

As far as progression goes, The Naked Warrior provides very good information.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[watchnerd]

First question. I read a few weeks back that squats are one of the worst exercises for you, because they totally destroy your knees. Is this also the case for body weight squats (pistol squats)

There are hundreds of millions of people in the world, if not >1 billion, who squat every day when they defecate, using squat toilets or something even more rudimentary.

This includes very old people.

Bodyweight squats are a fundamental human movement. Babies can squat with ease.

Modern bodies that can't squat (most of us, unless we work on it) are not fully functional.

 

[Anna C]

I read a few weeks back that squats are one of the worst exercises for you, because they totally destroy your knees.

This statement is absolutely false and I would go so far as to say harmful because it discourages people from doing something that is quite safe and very productive.

But that's OK... Now you've come to the right place for good advice!

I would suggest you work towards defining your goals and objectives. Do you want your legs to be stronger, more mobile and capable, have the specific skill of a pistol squat, get more muscular, master and exercise that can then be used for conditioning or higher workloads, etc.... ? And once you have your objectives, have you already narrowed your exercise selection to pistols, or are there other options on the table?

 

[pet']

Hello,

Some nice contents about squat routine



My girlfriend always uses the '3rd world' squat position from instinct as soon as she does something on the ground. She has not knee issues or whatever and never trains it.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Steve Freides]

@relindwto6, welcome to the StrongFirst forum. Please consult the warmup exercise section of Kettlebell Simple and Sinister for guidance on squatting.

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