BREATHING SQUATS…The ‘breathing squat’ and pullover combo to gain weight proven and in favor since the days of Mark Berry, Roger Eells (who usually gets the credit for it’s invention), Joseph Hise, who added the rest pause, and pushed for decades by Peary Rader of Iron Man, does NOT require the trainee to strain or place the spinal column in a poor position, as in heavy squats.
It doesn’t matter which form of breathing squat that you may undergo, the suggested poundage is always total bodyweight, which is normally enough for anyone. This exercise is obviously quite tough on Sumo wrestlers and big Indian wrestlers, so they have to rely on the latest chemical cocktail to match breathing squat results.
It really doesn’t seem to make sense that by doing a more simplistic workout you get bigger gains, so there is nothing wrong at all with light squats. One of the first to use this form of exercise was as previously mentioned Roger Eells, who when not training spent his time in bed, but only for the purpose of resting.
If you wish to move on from ‘free squats’, especially the ones without weights, then you should try and do single leg bends on a bench, although this is hardly ever seen nowadays in schedules, yet old timers could work up to some really awesome poundages in this difficult style, as you also need to maintain some balance.
One of Britain’s all time best wrestlers Bert Assirati, who in the 30’s was able to make 10 reps with 55Olbs/249.4kg in basic squats, and was able do the single leg style with an extra 2OOlbs/9O.7kg on his shoulders, and Grimek could do the same.
Squatting without extra weight, George Eiferman, who was training in the same period as the late Steve Reeves, was able to perform I5O consecutive reps on one leg. Reeves disliked basic squats and always preferred to do front squats, or ‘hack’ squats, as he thought that this would help to avoid developing to large a posterior, and even Vince Gironda agreed with him on that one.
The “Iron Guru” or Gironda really hated basic squats and they were a definite no no in his gym and apart from that if you got caught doing barbell squats, well you would virtually be thrown straight out of the door. Gironda agreed with Jeeves that squats caused big asses. He therefore recommends a different squat with the strange name of “sissy Squats” which is great for thigh development. This squat is best described as a highly controlled lean back free squat, but you are allowed to add light weights to a belt.
Roy Callender, who used to workout by instinct, used to squat 100 reps or more on sissy squats followed by high reps lunges, finished off by work on the leg extension machine - no doubt he also did his share of basic squats for such legs. Boyer Coe used sissy squats, having plenty of power already built by basic squats, able to squat with 5OOlbs/226.7kg when just I8yrs old.
The moment the racks became common, the poundages just rocketed, and experienced bodybuilders soon began to use at first bodyweight, followed by double bodyweight, with eventually powerlifters managing the magic IOOOlbs/453.5kg mark. It is suggested that Anderson squatted with II6Olbs/526k of silver dollars twice a night while performing in Las Vegas. (Coming Soon Part 3)