Squats, Arms and gaining mass

[al77]

I started wotking out and enjoyed some decent newbie gains:
when I started I barely could do 70ln bench press on a machine(!) now I press 150. My goal was to get bigger. But this is not really happening: I went from 155 to 165lb in about 4 month, but it is not going anywhere further.

In this forum I heard that squats are very good options for gaining mass. Although It seem it can add mass only to legs\back.
I just fail to see how it can contribute to arm development.
Anyone can elaborate a bit on this?

Also... maybe it seem odd, but I am a bit aftarid regular squats can make you shorter, which I don't want at all.

 

[Un-Aru]

As you would have seen throughout this forum there are 3 key lifts: Benchpress, deadlift and squats. These are called compound movements (because many muscle groups are involved) and compound movements have a tendency to make the body release testosterone at greater levels. Testosterone doesn't favour the muscle that is being worked, it's just released into the entire body in a fairly even distribution. And testosterone is the one chemical that will make you grow like no other... which is why it's banned in professional sports. There are some other factors involved but that's the basic premise... anyone disagree?

By the way, go heavy enough on a deadlift and you'll feel your biceps working.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Un-Aru
As you would have seen throughout this forum there are 3 key lifts: Benchpress, deadlift and squats. These are called compound movements (because many muscle groups are involved) and compound movements have a tendency to make the body release testosterone at greater levels. Testosterone doesn't favour the muscle that is being worked, it's just released into the entire body in a fairly even distribution. And testosterone is the one chemical that will make you grow like no other... which is why it's banned in professional sports. There are some other factors involved but that's the basic premise... anyone disagree?

By the way, go heavy enough on a deadlift and you'll feel your biceps working.

Then just one fairly compaund like squats will be enough? and there is no need for deadlift.

Essentially you are saying compound exercises (legs+back for squats) make the body produce more testosterone than isolated combined (legs press + back)? This is the main need for squats?

 

[Warboss Alex]

The squat works nearly every muscle in your body. It provides an overall stimulus for the body to grow in all areas - much like the deadlift.

Take three months and just train upper body. Take leg measurements before and after - you won't have gained anything on your legs of course.

Take three months and JUST squat (progressive weights) - I'll be damned if your legs AND your arms aren't bigger.

Don't limit yourself to JUST the squat though - do all the compound exercises for maximum effectiveness.

Squats, deadlifts and a bench variation should be the core of ANY serious workout program, with military presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, close grip bench etc to round it off.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Warboss Alex
The squat works nearly every muscle in your body. It provides an overall stimulus for the body to grow in all areas - much like the deadlift..

Take three months and JUST squat (progressive weights) - I'll be damned if your legs AND your arms aren't bigger.

Every site that has info on exercies says squats work only leg muscles. It make say, you don't move arms much.
Definitely iy is a great leg exercise, but why you said "AND your arms"? How come? This doesn't even target any of arm muscles...
Maybe there is a trick I dont know yet and you have to push a bar up and not rely on your back while doing squats?...

 

[Warboss Alex]

Take three months and just train upper body. Take leg measurements before and after - you won't have gained anything on your legs of course.

Take three months and JUST squat (progressive weights) - I'll be damned if your legs AND your arms aren't bigger.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Warboss Alex

But why arms will get bigger from a compound leg exercise like squats? Am I missing something?
This was my original question actually.

I do not wonder "to do or not to do", or "will it help or not".
I am curious why would squats develop arms?


Un-Aru,
By the way, if it were only due to increased testosteron from a compound exercise like squats, then we would be able to develop legs from heavy bench presses. It is not happening as far as I know.

So we do exercise arms in squats? But why none of the site mention this?

 

[Lifeforce]

Training big muscle groups increase the testosterone in the body and with higher levels ALL muscles will increase in size. It's that simple.

 

[steroidsrule]

if you wanna gain mass do deadlift and squat. period. no more 2nd guessing questions... theres no other side to this... DEADLIFT AND SQUAT

 

[Un-Aru]

By the way, if it were only due to increased testosteron from a compound exercise like squats, then we would be able to develop legs from heavy bench presses. It is not happening as far as I know.

Lifeforce has part of it. Al think of it this way, training a single muscle produces an output of testosterone. So if you did a bicep curl it would produce testosterone. However because it's such a small muscle the amount produced is f**k all. .

Now take the squat. You work your quadriceps, (the largest muscle group in your body) your glutes, hamstrings and calves (which lend a hand to stabilise) plus your back and shoulders and your core as well. And those are the muscle groups that work DIRECTLY. That's a lot of muscle working, so produces a much bigger testosterone output. Same goes for deadlifts. (If you're really game learn how to do some of the olympic lifts)

Now bench does a similar job but you may have noticed two things: First, although it still involves a hell of a lot more muscle mass than a bicep curl (arms, chest and back to a degree) it doesn't involve anywhere near as much muscles mass as the squat or deadlift.
Second, it DIRECTLY stimulates the muscles that squats and deadlifts don't.

And that's the key; for BEST results you need a COMBINATION of increased testosterone output and direct muscle stimulus. You can flood the body with testosterone, but if you're not stimulating ALL the muscle groups directly, you're only doing half the job.

It's kinda like taking steroids (which produce WAY more testosterone in the body than squats or deadlifts ever could) and then kicking back on the couch. You'll grow sure enough, but nowhere near as much as you would if you went out and hit the weights room...

 

[steroidsrule]

did you just say you'd gain mass if you took steroids and sat on a couch? i respectfully disagree..if you didnt say that... my bad

 

[Warboss Alex]

*sees no point whatsoever in arguing this anymore.. I'm out of this thread.*

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Warboss Alex
*sees no point whatsoever in arguing this anymore.. I'm out of this thread.*

How long have you been going to the gym? Years, right?
I just started and you expect me to grasp everything in a second?
Oh well...

I was just WONDERING how can squats make arms bigger. I have not been able to find anything that says squats will develop your arms, but I don't know for sure, I am not knowledgeable. Thats why I was curious about it.

Your answer included "do squats, they will develop your arms too". But why? You never answered how it is possible without direct arm work...
Note, I was not saying it is or it is not. I was asking Why.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Un-Aru
Lifeforce has part of it. Al think of it this way, training a single muscle produces an output of testosterone. So if you did a bicep curl it would produce testosterone. However because it's such a small muscle the amount produced is f**k all. .

Now take the squat. You work your quadriceps, (the largest muscle group in your body) your glutes, hamstrings and calves (which lend a hand to stabilise) plus your back and shoulders and your core as well. And those are the muscle groups that work DIRECTLY. That's a lot of muscle working, so produces a much bigger testosterone output. Same goes for deadlifts. (If you're really game learn how to do some of the olympic lifts)

Hey Un-Aru,
Thanks for clarification. I want to stress it: I agree with what you said about testosterone. It makes sense.
Though I am just curious: if squats produce so much testosterone that it actually helps developing arms to some extent, then we can extend this concept.

Look, if you do really heavy leg presses they'll make the body produce quite a lot of testosterone for the very same reason: a lot of leg muscles are involved. Sure less than in squats, but still a lot, and they are the biggest mucles, so we can expect testosterone level to increase by some amount.
That means leg press will help developing arms as well?

FOr the same token: due to testosterone increase heavy compound bench press is supposed to help developing other mucles groups. But can we really believe that while doing heavy bench presses we can develop legs?
Maybe I missed somehting, corrcet me if I am wrong.

 

[Warboss Alex]

al77:

Yes, I've been in the gym a few years. And one thing I learned was that with so many theories flying around, everyone saying "I'm doing this the right way, he isn't" and the like, is to go by your experience, NOT the theory.

I could sit down and tell you a thousand different ways with scientific evidence that squats make your arms bigger (though I'm sure someone else with enough studies could give me a thousand reasons why they're bad for your knees/back/arse) .. unless you've experienced it yourself you won't believe me. If you're taking my word for things then thanks, I ain't used to it. In any case I apologise, bad moment.

Basically, a good 80-90% of your muscles are used in a squat. If not directly in the actual lift (primarily a leg movement) then indirectly in balancing/stabilising the 500lbs on your back .. your shoulders and arms hold the bar in place, your legs do the lifting, your abs and back stabilise and keep your back straight, and so on. Add to that the huge amounts of growth hormone produced and you have overall growth.

No, benching doesn't develop your legs - otherwise all those Mr Upper Body's in the gym wouldn't have twigs for legs after doing 10 sets of bench press every workout, three times a week. But that's because your legs aren't involved at all, but your chest, triceps and shoulders are - but in a squat (or deadlift) many, many more muscles are involved, one way or another.

 

[Kaptain]

That is correct al77.

The testosterone released when performing the a excerise will benefit every muscle in your body. This benefit is on top of the direct benfit to the specific muscle that you are exercising.

The size of the testosterone relase depends on number and size of the muscles being exercised. A bench press targets the pecs and deltoids which are small muscles compared to your quads and glutes that are worked by a leg press. Hence more testosterone will be released by leg presses than bench presses.

Squats hit quads, glutes, etc etc etc and therefore produce the biggest testosterone release. Hopefully enough to have a measurable effect :cheer:

Tieing this back you your orginial question....

If you stop making gains via straight bench pressing you can attempt to indirectly make gains via the testosterone release that occur when you do squats

:woo:

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Kaptain
That is correct al77.

The testosterone released when performing the a excerise will benefit every muscle in your body. This benefit is on top of the direct benfit to the specific muscle that you are exercising.

The size of the testosterone relase depends on number and size of the muscles being exercised. A bench press targets the pecs and deltoids which are small muscles compared to your quads and glutes that are worked by a leg press. Hence more testosterone will be released by leg presses than bench presses.

Squats hit quads, glutes, etc etc etc and therefore produce the biggest testosterone release. Hopefully enough to have a measurable effect :cheer:

Guys, I am coming from the point that squates are very useful.
I am just trying to figure out why.

If testosterone released will benefit every muscle in your body and more testosterone will be released by leg presses than bench presses, then doe sit mean leg presses will develop arms just buy releasing lots of testosterone?
I guess not. Am I right?

Bench press still releases some testosterone. Not enough for leg muscles - ok. But maybe it will be enough for small muscle to grow like biceps\abs?
I guess not. Please correct me.

 

[al77]

please delet this post

 

[AgonyUncle]

There is no way that squats will lead to upper body growth just because your body is realising more testosterone.

As part of a program, then yes. Squats and Deads are tough on the body, and you will have a larger test release through your body. Combine this with your upper body workouts, and yes, you will see improved growth there as a result of the increase in free test running through your body.

Bottom line, muscle grows trough a simple process. Strain leads to minute tears in your muscle. The body draws on protein in the diet to repair the "damaged" muscle. This leads to an increase in size that will cope with the future load.

IF YOU ARE NOT TEARING YOUR MUSCLES DOWN YOU CANNOT BUILD THEM UP.

Squats should be a part of any solid routine. But they are not the Messiah

 

[Create Reality]

Actually core strength is very important to almost all of your lifts in AND outside the gym. and guess what? Squats workout the core muscles better then ANY other exercise. So BEAT THAT.