Squatting for More Upper Body Mass?

One of the things I was taught when I was younger was that if I wanted a big upper body, I would need to squat.

I did a lot of squatting.

Got pretty f*ckn strong at it too.

Squatting is celebrated in the lifting community.

It supposedly “separates the men from the boys”.

Here’s a picture of Ronnie Coleman squatting an ungodly amount of weight.

*Ronnie Coleman has had 13 surgeries on his spine and is almost paralyzed from all the screws, cages, and bolts put in him.

The problem with squatting is that it is possible to make progress quickly.

Why is this a problem?

I’m guessing with Reverse Pyramid Training I would eventually be able to squat 500+ for a few reps.

But just because you can do something doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

That is a lot of pressure on the spine.

I prefer Bulgarian Split Squats.

*This exercise works the legs without compressing the spine to the max like heavy squats.

It doesn’t look as impressive as a 500 pound squat…

But it improves athletic ability better than any other lower body exercise I’ve tried.

This exercise has added several inches to my vert and has improved my 40 yard sprint time.

Let’s get back to the point of this email.

Does heavy squatting help when it comes to adding muscle to the upper body?

Probably not and here’s why…

First of all, squatting DOES add a significant amount of muscle to your lower body.

It’s extremely effective for that.

Here’s the problem…

If you are squatting a ton while trying to build up the upper body… your protein synthesis gets divided between your upper and lower body.

• Typically 2/3 of the muscle you add will go towards your lower body.
• Your upper body will get 1/3 of that muscle.

If you add 10 pounds of muscle over the course of a year, only 3 pounds of that will get distributed to your upper body.

To create a dramatic transformation I recommend more emphasis on upper body exercises.

*Rapidly adding muscle to your upper body is what will create the most dramatic transformation.

In Movie Star Masterclass we do this by training the upper body 2 days per week and the lower body one day per week.

Here’s what the split looks like:

• Monday – heavy chest, arms, and light shoulders
• Wednesday – legs, calves, and traps
• Friday – heavy shoulders, lats, arms, and light chest

I talk about this setup in more detail in my recent Natty or Not Youtube Interview.

As a natural lifter, you have a cap on how high you can get your BMI (body mass index).

If you want bigger legs that will come at the expense of your shoulders, chest, arms, etc.

*I like the current size of my legs… training legs one time per week and avoiding squats is perfect for this.

When I say “squats” I’m referring to heavy traditional back squats.

I still like front squats, sissy squats, split squats, etc.

I cover exactly how to get strong and athletic legs without taking away from upper body muscle gains in my newest course…

Movie Star Masterclass

Grab this today to look incredible by summer.

Talk Soon,

Greg O’Gallagher

P.S.

I actually think people like back squats because they are an ego lift.

Same with deadlifts.

Most guys will eventually be able to lift 405+ with ease.

It gives them a confidence boost.

I get it…

But front squats and Bulgarian split squats are a much better long-term lift.

Less compression on your spine.

Improves mobility.

I cover precisely how to perform these exercises for max effect in Movie Star Masterclass.

You will get stronger without destroying your spine in the process.