I have been doing a LOT of bodyweight only squatting. I see a difference in both the size of my legs and the strength. I have been trying this as part of an experiment, which, as usual, came up because of my height.
I am so tall that any time I squat, I slow down around rep three or four. This usually happens whether I am squatting with kettlebells, a barbell back squat or front squat, an overhead squat, or even with lunge variations. My femurs are so long that I have had a challenging time finding anything that lets me get deeper into sets of high reps.
Air squats have been the answer so far. I can knock out lots of reps in a relatively brief time, they are definitely making me stronger, and that’s all I really care about: progress.
I like this tutorial, although the pattern is beyond basic. Squat down and stand up. Disclaimer: doing these does not make you a Navy SEAL or a cage fighter.
K.
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josh what are some of the variations that you test with them. i have had a hard time with squats too. I am not as tall as you, but i am not short. Does the hip belt test better then back squats for you?
Frank, the hip belt tests way better, but sometimes air squats are better than the belt. For variations so far I’m alternating between lunges, normal stance, and heels together. I also experiment with tempo. Faster usually works better.