Are bodyweight squats good for size?

[Balloon]

I do not have access to a gym,

Do you think that doing slow and controlled bodyweight squats will add size to my legs?
the pump from them is prettty insane

[DK II]

No, to light. Try jump squats and wall squats. Get a barbell or dumbells and do sumo deadlifts or hack squats.

[Zach Trowbridge]

Try "pistol" squats:

[JasonH]

I don't see the problem with bodyweight squats - try doing 3 or 4 sets of 20 reps - I don't see a reason why it won't stimulate muscle growth as long as you go home and eat a lot of good high quallity protein foods.

[jpm101]

About the best you might do is one legged squats or step-ups. Off a higher bench, strong chair, ladder, etc., not off the floor as shown in the pic. Hold a DB in one hand (or both) after getting use to this form of bwt squat. These can be very effective for building shape and some limited size to the legs.

Another very good version of bwt squats are Sissy squats. These can make a great difference in leg development when done the right way.

Even the Hindu bwt squat has given stamina (endurance + strength) and improved muscle size (though not overwhelming size) to some people when done in higher reps of 50 - to 100. Some have gone to the 500  rep range or even more.. Martial art players, wrestlers and some MMA fighter include this version in training from time to time. I would guess that a lot of guy's who can do a 400+ squat would have a hard time doing a straight set of 100 rep Hindu squats. Good Luck.

[Method101]

did you ever see tom platz doing 1 legged "pistol" squats?
no.

end of discussion

[The Apprentice]

no

[haider]

did you ever see tom platz doing 1 legged "pistol" squats?
no.

end of discussion

what about the exercises that he did do for bodyparts that were not well developed? Lets say side laterals, and bench press.. are those exercises useless?

[JUSTJAXX]

its gonna be pretty hard to develop any real size without access to any gym equipment...that doesnt mean you shouldnt make the most of your situation, do all the bodyweight stuff you can for now, squats (single legs, sissy, etc), plyos, step ups, pushups, pullups, dips, handstand pushups against the wall, and whatever variations of those you can do...until your situation changes

and seriously, look around you, there's gotta be something around you that weighs at least 40-50lbs that you can improvise with and just build from there...its pretty easy to make a 40lb sandbag you can do squats with on your shoulder or in a front squat position

[Zach Trowbridge]

did you ever see tom platz doing 1 legged "pistol" squats?
no.

end of discussion

No shit, but he also didn't train out of his house.

[pumpster]

Long time ago without weights used to do jump squats with light weights, not bad. Plometrics like those are better than slow and controlled IMO, though you have to warm up carefully to avoid injury.

Personally i'd suggest finding a building with a lot of stairs or a good-sized hill. Do that at decent speed, you'll not only get in shape you'll see real leg development. You can always add a little weight over time to carry. Going faster would help.

Or get something to do step-ups with, and again add some weight over time. Or buy some high-resistance bands and use them in squat motions.

[DK II]

A VERY (!!) good exercise (Ronnie Coleman approved) without a gym would be pushing a car.

Get a long, straight road, a car, someone to hit the brake for you in case of and then start pushing the car. Once it gets to fast, have the driver break a bit.

This will surely work your legs like hell.

"I've been doing walking lunges since 1990," Coleman explains, remembering the year he won the Texas State Championships. "We used to push a pickup truck--a big yellow Dodge Ram. Brian [Dobson] used to put that truck in neutral and I'd push it all the way to the end [of the lane, approximately 200 yards]. We were just having fun. But then he sold the truck, so we broke out the bar. I've done as much as 315, but I don't usually go over 185 now. Walking lunges have always been great, especially for my glutes."

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KFY/is_11_23/ai_n26723953/pg_2

[TerryTarget]

I use body weight squats to failure as a way to get a final pump at the end of a leg workout, it works perfectly but really you need to lift heavy in the squat, mainly within the 8-12 rep range with the heaviest weight you can (get a fucking barbell and some big plates it aint that expensive)

Body weight squats will TONE your legs leaving them looking like a swimsuit models legs

Heavy barbell squats will BUILD your legs leaving them looking like a b-builders legs

The choice is yours

[El_Pajero]

I use body weight squats to failure as a way to get a final pump at the end of a leg workout, it works perfectly but really you need to lift heavy in the squat, mainly within the 8-12 rep range with the heaviest weight you can (get a fucking barbell and some big plates it aint that expensive)

Body weight squats will TONE your legs leaving them looking like a swimsuit models legs
Heavy barbell squats will BUILD your legs leaving them looking like a b-builders legs

The choice is yours

haha your such a retard.

[MuscleMcMannus]

I didn't build fucking 35 inch quads doing pistol squats you homos!

[Zach Trowbridge]

I didn't build fucking 35 inch quads doing pistol squats you homos!

That's probably because you didn't build 35 inch quads, period.

[mass 04]

I didn't build fucking 35 inch quads doing pistol squats you homos!

hahah oh brother.

[Royalty]

A VERY (!!) good exercise (Ronnie Coleman approved) without a gym would be pushing a car.

Get a long, straight road, a car, someone to hit the brake for you in case of and then start pushing the car. Once it gets to fast, have the driver break a bit.

This will surely work your legs like hell.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KFY/is_11_23/ai_n26723953/pg_2

back in 1997 UFC champs Mark Coleman and Mark Kerr used to do that....they called it "elaphant presses"