Squats As Cardio

[Irongrip400]

I stopped doing back squats about three years ago, they just never "felt" right and I would sometimes get very bad headaches after high-rep sets.

It is too bad, I really liked 20-rep squats.

Still do front squats though, once or twice a week.

The headache thing happened to me twice on leg day in my life. It scared me the first time it happened, as I was almost blinded. Crazy shit.

As far as squats for cardio, I'd think it would make sense. I always got more winded from squats than any other muscle. Intense back workouts were a distant second.

[Thin Lizzy]

The heavy breathing is a result of lactate buildup which has to be removed via increased blood circulation. This is anaerobic. During aerobic exercise your breathing is only slightly labored.

A squat done at a brisk pace takes about 2 seconds. So, even high rep squats don't take enough time for your aerobic system to take over from the anaerobic.

Squats are a great exercise for lower body development and overall toughness, but they're not aerobic.

[2ND COMING]

I do lunges for "conditioning". 

It does get pretty f'ing brutal.

[WOOO]

i dont get cravings since i started eating this way and i stick to it big time--in nearly 60 days i cheated 4 times and thats it --- this is EXACTLY what I eat everyday --its sbland but I genuinely like it --- I cook the vegetables in 1 tbsp ghee --i hate spices, sauces and salts

1. steak and sweet potato

2. chicken and usually asparagus or zucchini

3. chicken and mixed vegetables

4. 2 beef patties or steak or chicken and mixed veggies or small sweet potato

5. 4 squares 90% lindt dark chocolate

i drink a ton of water and absolutely no other liquid

I'd suggest finding something similar to what you can live with.

[Set It Up]

I'd suggest finding something similar to what you can live with.

I dont understand your comment.

[WOOO]

I dont understand your comment.

Can you commit to a version of that diet forever?  If not you're likely to regain any lost weight.

[DroppingPlates]

I envy people who can do anaerobic things like squats for cardio.

It's always a mix. The more reps you made, the more aerobic the movement becomes.

[local hero]

The headache thing happened to me twice on leg day in my life. It scared me the first time it happened, as I was almost blinded. Crazy shit.

As far as squats for cardio, I'd think it would make sense. I always got more winded from squats than any other muscle. Intense back workouts were a distant second.

Happend to me a few times, pain in the back of my head/headaches, could actual feel a pulse banging away.. I usual cant strain for a few weeks after or it comes back, usualy a result of pushing too hard

[cephissus]

i used to be obsessed with keeping my heart rate up, breathing hard, etc. while lifting.

once i kept cardio (cycling) and lifting (heavier, more rest) separate, i started enjoying both a lot more.  in short, there's enough to focus on while lifting, without having to worry about getting "cardio" in as well.  i don't recommend it.

The headache thing happened to me twice on leg day in my life. It scared me the first time it happened, as I was almost blinded. Crazy shit.

As far as squats for cardio, I'd think it would make sense. I always got more winded from squats than any other muscle. Intense back workouts were a distant second.

i got these exertion headaches a couple times. i stopped eating a dozen eggs a day, and they went away.   not sure if related

scary as hell... i went from being the most workout obsessed person on the planet to thinking "i'm going to have to take up running, i guess" in the span of about ten seconds.

[Thin Lizzy]

This is a pretty good short primer on energy systems.

http://sjdbh.ycdsb.ca/departments/PhysEd/0D4AEBEE-0119EDCC.8/09.Energy%20Systems%20of%20the%20Body%5B1%5D.pdf