Sissy squat

Josh · 07-14-2002, 08:38 AM

A few days ago during my leg session I tried sissy squats (my first time). I followed the instructions in Arnold's encyclopedia, one hand holding to a support while standing upright, then bending the knees while standing on my toes with upper body leaning backward I lower my body until my heels touch my buttocks. But I am not sure whether I've done this correctly, because I did not feel anything like weight training doing this exercise. I only felt like stretching my quads. Is this how sissy squats suppose to do, just stretch the quads? Or is there any trick, any twist that I need to be aware of to make this more effective?

- Josh

**Prince** · 07-14-2002, 11:58 AM

I use to do them after squats as a burn exercise, really high reps. I have not done them in years though.

LAM · 07-14-2002, 12:07 PM

that is the purpose of the sissy squat, it stretches the muscle facia...

ezekiel · 07-14-2002, 01:16 PM

I never could quite get the hang of them.

Snake_Eyes · 07-14-2002, 02:02 PM

What does stretching muscle fascia have to do with anything?

LAM · 07-14-2002, 02:24 PM

lol...

Stretching your muscles while they are pumped will gradually help to stretch your connective tissue or muscle fascia. This eventually allow your muscles to grow past their current size. Muscle fascia is like a tight girdle around the muscle fibers, restricting their size.

This is why people who were once overweight find it much easier to gain muscle mass--their connective tissue has already been stretched to allow more growth. And why muscle memory is a great thing for serious weight trainers who have taken long lay-offs from the gym...

Sub-Zero · 07-14-2002, 02:29 PM

The strecth the quads & also build up your teardrop muscle

Robboe · 07-14-2002, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LAM

Stretching your muscles while they are pumped will gradually help to stretch your connective tissue or muscle fascia. This eventually allow your muscles to grow past their current size. Muscle fascia is like a tight girdle around the muscle fibers, restricting their size.

Where, in the name of my unit, did you dig that turd up from?!

Snake_Eyes · 07-14-2002, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by LAM
lol...

Stretching your muscles while they are pumped will gradually help to stretch your connective tissue or muscle fascia. This eventually allow your muscles to grow past their current size. Muscle fascia is like a tight girdle around the muscle fibers, restricting their size.

Is that so? Why wouldn't that happen on its own as part of the growth process? I'm not aware of any growth function in the body that requires application of external mechanical force.

This is why people who were once overweight find it much easier to gain muscle mass--their connective tissue has already been stretched to allow more growth. And why muscle memory is a great thing for serious weight trainers who have taken long lay-offs from the gym...

I'd argue more that its simply the adaptation to the muscle fibers, to the neuromuscular junctions, and to the overall anatomy that's responsible for that, not simply "stretched fascia."

LAM · 07-14-2002, 03:34 PM

TCD...that's old skool bb'ing 101 !

Robboe · 07-14-2002, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LAM
TCD...that's old skool bb'ing 101 !

From the same skool that say high reps for cutting and low reps for mass?

Josh · 07-16-2002, 08:31 PM

Thanks for all the inputs.

- Josh

ALBOB · 07-17-2002, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy
Where, in the name of my unit, did you dig that turd up from?!

You wouldn't happen to have a more logical retort to his statement, would you? What's wrong with what he said? You usually back up your statements with good sound reasoning and I'm pretty interested in this subject so come on, put up or shut up.

Robboe · 07-18-2002, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LAM
Stretching your muscles while they are pumped will gradually help to stretch your connective tissue or muscle fascia.

Albob, Because this doesn't happen.

ALBOB · 07-18-2002, 10:05 AM

Let's use a baloon as an analogy. Your muscle facia is like the baloon, the muscle fibers are like the air filling that baloon. If you take a baloon out of it's bag and try to blow it up, it's very difficult. But, if you first stretch out that baloon it's much easier to blow it up. As LAM said, and I believe, it works the same with muscle facia and the tissuse inside. Why do you say this isn't so? Come on, you've convinced me of other things, tell me WHY this isn't so.

Robboe · 07-18-2002, 10:30 AM

I'm really not in the mood for this right now (amazingly, i know) but if you could stretch the facia and connective tissue then muscle reshaping would be possible.

Scotty the Body · 07-18-2002, 10:43 AM

Hmmmmmm, when you think about it, if you could stretch the facia and connective tissue, then how would it be possible to tair the connective tissue like some people have?

I don't know? Any studies? : scratch:

ALBOB · 07-18-2002, 11:49 AM

I don't necessarily agree that this would allow muscle shaping. Like you always say, if one fiber in a muscle contracts, the whole muscle contracts. In this case, I'm not talking about stretching a little portion of the facia, I'm talking about the whole thing.

Scotty, I'll use a different rubber device as an example this time. Put a rubber band in the fridge then, once it's cold, take it out and stretch it. It'll probably break. But if you warm that same rubber band up first and then stretch it, it'll stretch just fine. Same with muscle tissue and facia; when they're cold they tear, when their warm they stretch. Connective tissue is a different story. If you're talking about tendons and ligaments, I don't thing you can stretch those. Not without doing damage anyway.

Scotty the Body · 07-18-2002, 12:15 PM

Your perdy good with them rubber devices Albob!

Your analigy makes sence to me, but so far no ones come up with anything solid and its the first time I've ever heard anything about stretching the facia or connective tissues.

ALBOB · 07-18-2002, 12:18 PM

I'm with LAM on this one, I read about it MANY years ago. As far as I know it's still a theory though but it makes sense to me. (Especially when you consider I'm into rubber.

) That's why I keep bugging TDC for a better explanation, I'm curious why he thinks it WON'T work.

Slon · 07-18-2002, 12:42 PM

I doubt anyone (even the mighty TCD) can provide the definitive contra arguments here. And, again, the subject is so difficult to study properly, thus the old theory, appealing to many, will probably remain unproven for some time.
Going back to the original topic (sissy squats, in case anyone forgot :-), I got a great burn out of them couple of times, but soon my legs adapted. I do them once in a while, coupled with leg extension, to keep body guessing.

Snake_Eyes · 07-18-2002, 04:04 PM

The balloon analogy doesn't work because connective tissue isn't a static thing. That model assumes that the fascia is a static, inanimate thing. Its not.

The balloon model would have to account for growth and remodeling of the balloon itself, along with the increase of the interior volume....which it doesn't.

Like I said, I don't know of many growth processes in the body that require external mechanical force to facilitate.

LAM · 07-18-2002, 04:26 PM

ALBOB...I've had this info verified with Terry Giles. With his 25 years of experience developing supplements and standing at 5'10 330 lb in the off season and a competition weight of 295 @ 5% . I'm going by his word..

He knows more than all of us at this site put together.

ALBOB · 07-18-2002, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Snake_Eyes
The balloon analogy doesn't work because connective tissue isn't a static thing. That model assumes that the fascia is a static, inanimate thing. Its not.

The balloon model would have to account for growth and remodeling of the balloon itself, along with the increase of the interior volume....which it doesn't.

Like I said, I don't know of many growth processes in the body that require external mechanical force to facilitate. [/quote]

Ya' lost me. How could it be static? I'm talking about stretching it. That, by definition, means NON-static. As far as accounting for the increase of interior volume, that's WHY we're stretch in the first place, to allow for greater interior volume. At least that's my understanding of the theory. Going back to TDC, I'm truely trying to understand this because from what I can tell it's only a theory but it's a theory that makes sense to me.

ALBOB · 07-18-2002, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LAM
ALBOB...I've had this info verified with Terry Giles. With his 25 years of experience developing supplements and standing at 5'10 330 lb in the off season and a competition weight of 295 @ 5% . I'm going by his word..

He knows more than everyone at this site put together.

Thanks LAM, I appreciate that. I would like to continue the discussion though because I'm truely curious why some people think it doesn't work. Hopefully we can keep this one on a logical level and not digress into name calling.

TDC you're a weenie.

Robboe · 07-19-2002, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LAM
ALBOB...I've had this info verified with Terry Giles. With his 25 years of experience developing supplements and standing at 5'10 330 lb in the off season and a competition weight of 295 @ 5% . I'm going by his word..

He knows more than all of us at this site put together.

LMAO @ his stats. You do realise drugs totally change the equation, right?

And people, when you exercise you do stretch the facia, but LAM was talking about stretching and reshaping it permanently. You do realise that, right?

ALBOB · 07-19-2002, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy And people, when you exercise you do stretch the facia, but LAM was talking about stretching and reshaping it permanently. You do realise that, right?

Nowhere in anybody's post, other than yours, do I see any reference to re-shaping. Stretching, yes, but not reshaping. Now talking about stretching, what's wrong with it being permanent? Since I haven't gotten a response back from Snake Eyes I'll stick to my elastic analogies. If you stretch any form of elastic enough it will eventually lose it's elasticity. In the case of the facia I don't see it LOSING it's elasticity but I contend it's possible to make it more pliable hence, allowing easier growth of the muscle tissue inside. If muscle tissue can expand/grow, why are you so adamant that the facia can't?

Scotty the Body · 07-19-2002, 11:19 AM

If it is possible, I wonder if stretching while exercising will even be enough to make a difference on the facia.

I can understand a overweight person having a stretched facia when they loose the weight because it was "overloaded" (kind of like the overfilled balloon being easier to fill the second time) but would stretching really make any difference?

Maybe if you were to punp a shit load of synthol in it, lol j/k.

07-14-2002, 08:38 AM	#1
Josh Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Indonesia Posts: 337	Sissy squat A few days ago during my leg session I tried sissy squats (my first time). I followed the instructions in Arnold's encyclopedia, one hand holding to a support while standing upright, then bending the knees while standing on my toes with upper body leaning backward I lower my body until my heels touch my buttocks. But I am not sure whether I've done this correctly, because I did not feel anything like weight training doing this exercise. I only felt like stretching my quads. Is this how sissy squats suppose to do, just stretch the quads? Or is there any trick, any twist that I need to be aware of to make this more effective? - Josh

07-14-2002, 11:58 AM	#2
Prince the one & only Administrator Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Colorado Posts: 33,992 Blog Entries: 25 Photos: 320	I use to do them after squats as a burn exercise, really high reps. I have not done them in years though.
	SBMuscle.com - Discount Supplement Superstore AlltheWhey.com - Bulk Protein Powders CEM Products - Research Chemicals & Supplements MusclePharm - Complete Nutritional Arsenal BigBackGrips - If you lift weights you've got to try these grips! HumaneVoLabs - Foaming Transdermal Delivery System. Creatine Ethyl Ester HCL (CEE) On Sale $17.49 per bottle!

07-14-2002, 12:07 PM	#3
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	that is the purpose of the sissy squat, it stretches the muscle facia...
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-14-2002, 01:16 PM	#4
ezekiel Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 11	I never could quite get the hang of them.
	E z e k i 3 l

07-14-2002, 02:24 PM	#6
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	lol... Stretching your muscles while they are pumped will gradually help to stretch your connective tissue or muscle fascia. This eventually allow your muscles to grow past their current size. Muscle fascia is like a tight girdle around the muscle fibers, restricting their size. This is why people who were once overweight find it much easier to gain muscle mass--their connective tissue has already been stretched to allow more growth. And why muscle memory is a great thing for serious weight trainers who have taken long lay-offs from the gym...
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-14-2002, 02:02 PM	#5
Snake_Eyes Real American Hero Join Date: May 2002 Location: Nevada Posts: 221	What does stretching muscle fascia have to do with anything?

07-14-2002, 02:29 PM	#7
Sub-Zero Master of ICE Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Underworld Posts: 181	The strecth the quads & also build up your teardrop muscle
	Cold as ice !!

07-14-2002, 03:02 PM	#9
Snake_Eyes Real American Hero Join Date: May 2002 Location: Nevada Posts: 221	Originally posted by LAM lol... Stretching your muscles while they are pumped will gradually help to stretch your connective tissue or muscle fascia. This eventually allow your muscles to grow past their current size. Muscle fascia is like a tight girdle around the muscle fibers, restricting their size. Is that so? Why wouldn't that happen on its own as part of the growth process? I'm not aware of any growth function in the body that requires application of external mechanical force. This is why people who were once overweight find it much easier to gain muscle mass--their connective tissue has already been stretched to allow more growth. And why muscle memory is a great thing for serious weight trainers who have taken long lay-offs from the gym... I'd argue more that its simply the adaptation to the muscle fibers, to the neuromuscular junctions, and to the overall anatomy that's responsible for that, not simply "stretched fascia."

07-14-2002, 03:34 PM	#10
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	TCD...that's old skool bb'ing 101 !
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-16-2002, 08:31 PM	#12
Josh Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Indonesia Posts: 337	Thanks for all the inputs. - Josh

07-18-2002, 10:05 AM	#15
ALBOB IDIOT SAVANT Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: An alternate reality. Posts: 10,177	Let's use a baloon as an analogy. Your muscle facia is like the baloon, the muscle fibers are like the air filling that baloon. If you take a baloon out of it's bag and try to blow it up, it's very difficult. But, if you first stretch out that baloon it's much easier to blow it up. As LAM said, and I believe, it works the same with muscle facia and the tissuse inside. Why do you say this isn't so? Come on, you've convinced me of other things, tell me WHY this isn't so.
	Rules? You mean we have RULES for that???

07-18-2002, 10:30 AM	#16
Robboe Designer Supplements Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Newcastle Posts: 5,141	I'm really not in the mood for this right now (amazingly, i know) but if you could stretch the facia and connective tissue then muscle reshaping would be possible.
	Being held down by The Man

07-18-2002, 10:43 AM	#17
Scotty the Body I'm Dead Sexxxxy!! Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Canada Posts: 4,970	Hmmmmmm, when you think about it, if you could stretch the facia and connective tissue, then how would it be possible to tair the connective tissue like some people have? I don't know? Any studies? : scratch:
	Cool

07-18-2002, 11:49 AM	#18
ALBOB IDIOT SAVANT Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: An alternate reality. Posts: 10,177	I don't necessarily agree that this would allow muscle shaping. Like you always say, if one fiber in a muscle contracts, the whole muscle contracts. In this case, I'm not talking about stretching a little portion of the facia, I'm talking about the whole thing. Scotty, I'll use a different rubber device as an example this time. Put a rubber band in the fridge then, once it's cold, take it out and stretch it. It'll probably break. But if you warm that same rubber band up first and then stretch it, it'll stretch just fine. Same with muscle tissue and facia; when they're cold they tear, when their warm they stretch. Connective tissue is a different story. If you're talking about tendons and ligaments, I don't thing you can stretch those. Not without doing damage anyway.
	Rules? You mean we have RULES for that???

07-18-2002, 12:15 PM	#19
Scotty the Body I'm Dead Sexxxxy!! Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Canada Posts: 4,970	Your perdy good with them rubber devices Albob! Your analigy makes sence to me, but so far no ones come up with anything solid and its the first time I've ever heard anything about stretching the facia or connective tissues.
	Cool

07-18-2002, 12:18 PM	#20
ALBOB IDIOT SAVANT Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: An alternate reality. Posts: 10,177	I'm with LAM on this one, I read about it MANY years ago. As far as I know it's still a theory though but it makes sense to me. (Especially when you consider I'm into rubber. ) That's why I keep bugging TDC for a better explanation, I'm curious why he thinks it WON'T work.
	Rules? You mean we have RULES for that???

07-18-2002, 12:42 PM	#21
Slon Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 16	I doubt anyone (even the mighty TCD) can provide the definitive contra arguments here. And, again, the subject is so difficult to study properly, thus the old theory, appealing to many, will probably remain unproven for some time. Going back to the original topic (sissy squats, in case anyone forgot :-), I got a great burn out of them couple of times, but soon my legs adapted. I do them once in a while, coupled with leg extension, to keep body guessing.
	**************** Slon

07-18-2002, 04:04 PM	#22
Snake_Eyes Real American Hero Join Date: May 2002 Location: Nevada Posts: 221	The balloon analogy doesn't work because connective tissue isn't a static thing. That model assumes that the fascia is a static, inanimate thing. Its not. The balloon model would have to account for growth and remodeling of the balloon itself, along with the increase of the interior volume....which it doesn't. Like I said, I don't know of many growth processes in the body that require external mechanical force to facilitate.

07-18-2002, 04:26 PM	#23
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	ALBOB...I've had this info verified with Terry Giles. With his 25 years of experience developing supplements and standing at 5'10 330 lb in the off season and a competition weight of 295 @ 5% . I'm going by his word.. He knows more than all of us at this site put together. Last edited by LAM : 07-18-2002 at 04:31 PM.
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-19-2002, 11:19 AM	#28
Scotty the Body I'm Dead Sexxxxy!! Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Canada Posts: 4,970	If it is possible, I wonder if stretching while exercising will even be enough to make a difference on the facia. I can understand a overweight person having a stretched facia when they loose the weight because it was "overloaded" (kind of like the overfilled balloon being easier to fill the second time) but would stretching really make any difference? Maybe if you were to punp a shit load of synthol in it, lol j/k.
	Cool