Quick question about lower body weightlifting excercises...

[Douglas]

Someone mentioned that when doing squats, that doing quick reps would help when it came to running or explosive power. But when you squat, should you go down fast and come up fast, or should you go down slow, and come up fast?

[Dizaster]

I think for explosive power like they say, I would do burpee's or like Frog leap type things with no weights.. Like go into squat position, jump up as high as you can, then land down into squat position again and do that over and over. Maybe you could hold some dumbles or something if you get great at that..

But for true squats, doing them slow is absolutely the best way of doing them... It's the one weightlifting exercise that can really mess your back up etc if you use bad form.. And rushing/doing them fast could sacrifice form and you could get injured.. Especially if you are using heavy weights, you really need to do it carefully... I'm also sure you get the most muscle benifit doing the squats slow and controlled and robotic instead of kind of pushing or throwing yourself into getting the weight up..

I also HATE squats because they are boring, hurt, uncomfortable, a mind fuck, and just a plain pain in the ass... But it is the best exercise you can do bar none to get your entire body in good shape in regards to muscles..

Being able to squat big weights gives your muscles a spill over effect, where your whole body reacts and grows from squating... i.e. not just good for your thighs...

If you've been doing a lot of upper body work, and really incorporate squats into that program, you'll see gains all over you body both in strength and size just from adding squats in...

Hope that is motivation to keep you at them as they can't be spoken highly enough of...

[Douglas]

Yes I hate squats too, you really have to be up to it when you do them. I've noticed my body weight has been going up since I've started really working on the lower body.

[donnydarkoIRL]

Plyometrics.