Anybody still do sissy squats?

[Flex2019]

This may belong in the Training forum...thought it would get a bit more exposure here. But anyway, when I first got into bodybuilding I read a lot of older books like Arnold's Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding and some books by James Hatfield...seems a lot of the old school guys incorporated sissy squats into their leg routines. These days nobody even knows what I'm talking about when I mention them. Anybody do them? I like to throw them into the mix once in a while to change things up a little. I find they put great emphasis on the teardrop of my thigh.

 

[Pharm_Fed]

You mean these?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhPezcjJGpY

I never do those, but if they hit the teardrop pretty hard I might start incorporating them.

 

[Flex2019]

Yes

That's the one...I usually do them holding a plate to my chest with my free hand.

 

[madmick]

I still throw them in once and a while

 

[Chrysler]

I never bought into the idea of muscle definition exercises. Its credibility stands somewhere along the lines of spot reduction. If someone has scientific study to the contrary please enlighten me.

The ideas on stretching your ribcage with pullovers always seemed interesting to me, though. Only because the chests of old school bbers like Arnold, Lou, Serge, Sergio, etc., all had a rounder, fuller, and more pleasant look to them than most of today's bodybuilders.

 

[myosin]

I like them

Chrysler, I'm not sure I would call them a "definition" exercise (if they called them that in the video, my bad, my speakers were off).

Every 4-6 weeks I shift things around a bit and I will throw them in every other time. I think they're great. Almost a hybrid "leg-extension/squat".

Does it hit the "tear-drop"? Anecdotally, I can feel it there. However, EMG studies actually show that it's the last 15 degree's of extension when the tear-drop is most fully activated. If anything, I "feel" it most in the "middle" (vastus medialis for you perfectionists) of my quads, from top to bottom.

In the video, I don't like his feet going flat at the top of the movement. I usually keep on my toes throughout, particularly at the top as it keeps tension on the quads.

If you are doing enough multi-joint exercises, throwing this one at the end is a GREAT "finisher" exercise.

 

[Ashop]

I still throw them in once and a while

Same here. I dont do them myself often but some athletes I train we incorporate these.

 

[abolish the weak]

modified sissy squat on hack machine

I do a modified version of a sissy squat on a hack squat machine at the gym. You have to go really light though, but what you do is you place your feet much, much lower than normal, almost to the point that to most people it'd look bad on the knees. I put half my foot on the floor, the top half on the angled pad. You go down really deep and your legs kind of fall forward knee first, but rest assured its no sheer force on the knees because the weight is so light. The heaviest I'll usually go is a 35 lb plate on each side of hack squat machine. I usually burn it out for 20-25 reps, I've gotten awesome results from it.