If you don’t know what a squat is… watch and learn:
1.) “It's hard to puke doing curls.” – Dave Tate
2.) “It's a great excuse to wear a big ass belt that makes you look less fat.” - Dave Tate
3.) “I love hearing ‘head up’ and it NOT being from a teacher.” – Dave Tate
4.) “Bashing your head on the bar is totally okay.” – Dave Tate
5.) “Internal rage.” – Dave Tate
6.) “You can gear whore up more than any other lift.” – Dave Tate
7.) “Very few movements require the same degree of dedication, desire and determination as heavy squats. Squats are more than a physical strength builder and may be the only movement that builds a person’s character. Life is about standing up AFTER a heavy load takes you down.” – Dave Tate
8.) “Light squats need to be treated as though they are heavy and heavy squats as if they are light.” – Dave Tate
9.) “No other exercise requires the same degree of total body tightness as the squat.” – Dave Tate
10.) “Any movement that uses cues ‘head up’ and ‘chest up’ is providing more positive reinforcement in ONE workout than most people get in a month.” – Dave Tate
11.) “ ‘Tweeds’ never squat.” – Dave Tate
12.) “One of the few lifts that can cause blood, sweat and tears to leave the body at the same time - without you knowing.” – Dave Tate
13.) “Increases bone density.” – Dave Tate
14.) “I can’t stand to see a rack alone.” – Dave Tate
15.) “ ‘Scrop’ – nothing better!” – Dave Tate
16.) “Because you told me to!” – Chris Bell
17.) “Great assistance work for the deadlift.” – Jeff
18.) "There is simply no other exercise (and certainly no machine) that produces the level of central nervous system activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic conditioning than the correctly performed full squat." –Mark Rippetoe
19.) “After breaking my ankle twice and destroying my knee wrestling, my doctor said I shouldn't squat or deadlift anymore. That was 5 years ago. No one tells me I can't.” – Roman
20.) “To prevent other people from doing curls in the squat rack.” – Nick
21.) “There's nothing like throwing 300+ pounds on my back at 5AM, right?” – Sam
22.) “It’s sadomasochism in its finest. The endorphins released by not getting crushed by a weight and completing the lift is immense. I also like the joy of being sore after a great session, as well as the complete stress release it has. After a hard squat session, I can’t be stressed because I don’t have enough energy.” – Curtis
23.) “For performance and the fact it makes me feel strong(er)!!!” - Luka
24.) “I wouldn't ask the kids I coach to do something I wouldn't do myself. Plus, they cure cancer.” – Chad
25.) “Because I can. Ok, so I also kind of like hearing the guys whisper ‘damn’ under their breath when they watch.” – Charlotte
26.) “They cure cancer. AND they make you one STRONG old lady pushing 60!!” – Elaine
27.) “I love the belt taking a few inches off my waist. No need for cardio!” – Curtis
28.) “If you don’t squat, you’re officially an arsehole!” – Sean
29.) “The squat just builds overall body power... no exercise like it.” – John
30.) “Nothing else gives that same sense of being a F*CKING man.” – Tone
31.) “If you go heavy enough you can see twinkling lights all year round instead of just waiting for Christmas.” – Steve
32.) “Because if I don't, I get cranky.” –Ben
33.) “I like breaking capillaries and blowing blood vessels in my eyes just so people look at me like I’m crazy.” – Peter
34.) “I like to see just how far I can push my body.” – Mike
35.) “I'm addicted to squatting. I don't even like it.” – Dan
36.) “They make me happy. And they give me something to look forward to all day on Mondays.” – Josh
37.) “They make my ass look good.” – Jane
38.) “They cure EVERYTHING!” – Joel
39.) “The only thing that feels better than squats are deadlifts, and because it makes me feel good for ages afterwards.” – Brian
40.) “I enjoy the pain and the misery of the hard work that it requires.” – Ken
41.) “To prove that it can be done even though I have a bad back, bad knee and messed up shoulder.” – Jim
42.) “Easy to do, long time to master.” – Timothy
43.) “It is HARD and I think it takes years off of your life when you use bands.” – John
44.) “It is great way to utilize the curling rack... Oh, and it is the GREATEST LIFT OF ALL TIME!” – Jerome
45.) “It’s better than a leg press.” – Mike
46.) “What else would I do on Sundays?” – Bill
47.) “Because cowards won't.” – Larry
48.) “More muscular bulk equals more muscular power. Squats are the best exercise to gain muscular weight, so squats are the most important lift.” – Todd
49.) “Squats build back strength contributing to other lifts. Even a bench press person can benefit the bench through squatting. I like the squat because it has a rebound motion making it different from the one-way pull-from-a-dead-stop of the deadlift.” – Hans
50.) “It makes me uncontrollably slap ignorant people… the whole day.” - Larry
51.) “I named my website deepsquatter.com…kind of stupid if I don't squat.” – Jason
52.) “I love squatting and occasionally puking from them. I thought I was really getting in great shape and the mad scientist Joe McCoy told me to do all my squat sets a couple weeks ago for 2 minutes straight, yeah I'm in great shape- puked everywhere. Whether it's speed reps, max effort or conditioning squats, they are ass-kickers for your whole entire body no matter what level you are..........if done right!” – Darryl
53.) “You don’t have to wait for the squat rack on Monday. Plus, squatting heavy validates your man card.” – Sam
54.) “It gives me a 'squat butt' that my husband loves!” – Kori
55.) “I am a sadist and it's the only piece of equipment in the chrome and fern gym that I train in that isn't always full of pumpers.” – Robert
56.) “I love the way a barbell feels and looks across my shoulders. It is also a great rehab for an ‘effed’ up knee/leg.” - Jerome
57.) “Same reason I deadlift. I like to go to failure and then have the weight drop off my back onto the racks so it makes a huge noise and interrupts everyone's set, so they can see how strong and awesome I am.” – Louis
58.) “Nothing drops panties faster than a heavy, deep back squat.” – Mike
59.) “It's an exercise that is rarely done properly amongst the general population, and I need to be good at something (because I suck at everything else).” – Brian
60.) “Develop more power in my legs to kick down doors.” – Bill
61.) “As soon as you sit back you can call your own depth...” – Ryan
62.) “My gym is full off sissies that do biceps and abs every workout.” – Brant
63.) “People who are smaller and weaker than me tell me not to squat and I choose not to listen.” – Andy
64.) “I love to squat. When I started lifting at age 13 I had one of those cement filled weight sets. There were a few iron plates that my dad let me have. I had no squat rack so I had to clean and press the weight overhead to squat. Fuck, I did floor presses before anyone, including me, knew what they were because I had no bench either. When I was around 18, I went to a friend’s gym and wanted to do a Tom Platz squat workout. I hit 315 for 15 and 225 for 25. Then I staggered outside and went down on all fours puking for at least a half hour. I couldn't walk right for a week and had to crawl up the stairs to my bedroom while my Mom heckled me from the bottom of the stairs.” – Paul
65.) “I believe the squat to be a very functional movement in life. If a lot of people learned how to do it properly, there would be a lot less lower back injuries.” – Jason
66.) “I like it when I squat to a box and people tell me I squat too low.” – Matthew
67.) “It is just plain fun!” - Jesse
68.) “When your squat goes up EVERYTHING goes up!”- Bobby
69.) “I don't want to be one of those guys in the gym with a big ass upper body and chicken legs.” – Brandon
70.) “Chicks dig big legs.” – Jon
71.) “Balance between the upper and lower.”- Richard
72.) “They hurt so good.” – Jordan
73.) “So that I can be the only one on my football team that actually squats.” – Morgan
74.) “I squat mainly because it makes me feel strong. I don't know, for some reason when I squat all my other lifts improve. Also, it impresses the shit out of the Average Joe.” – Charles Bailey
75.) “A guy who squats and has an iPod on, while wearing a ‘fuck you, pay me’ look on his face, doesn't get messed with.” – Jay
76.) “All the losers and dweebs are always hogging the leg press!” – Gordon
77.) “I want to see how far I’m willing to push my body. If you don’t squat, you’re gay.” – Matt
78.) “I love the challenge of it.” –Vince
79.) “Because no one else will!” – Sam
80.) “I love the feeling of not being able to walk or sit down for the entire week!” – John
81.) “Running out the door to puke because it's closer than the bathroom is wicked cool.” – Dan
82.) “Because bars need to be bent.” – Adnan
83.) “It gives me a reason to drink more milk.” – Tyler
84.) “Squatting makes me want to eat more!” – Josh
85.) “I hate and fear them! Who in their right mind would want to put a weighted bar across their shoulders and possibly get crushed? Talk about facing your fears! I guess I’m not in my right mind.” – Kelly
86.) “I was told if I didn't squat I would go to Hell.” – Justin
87.) “I squat because God told me to.” – Howard
88.) “I squat because it is what I was built to do, plus my bench is weak!” - Dustin
89.) “Squatting is my anti-drug.” – Corrigan
90.) “Squats made hair explode out of my chest and face.” – Brian
91.) “The best way to gain overall strength is to squat. And squat heavy my friends - rumor has it that squats can raise test levels!” - Matt
92.) “Squats cure cancer.”- Ben
93.) “Chicks dig a big back squat.” – Michael
94.) “It’s one of the 3 lifts I compete in, and if you don't squat, you are a pussy.” – Chris
95.) “It’s more fun than benching!” – Jeremy
96.) “Keeps the hips and core strong and healthy.” – Dewey
97.) “To build leg mass.” – Charles
98.) “To keep the junk in the trunk tight.” – Kimberly
99.) “I like doing the stanky leg around the gym!” – Francy
100.) “So I can’t wear ‘skinny’ jeans” - Carl
Another Day at the EFS Gym: Squats