Harry Potter Middle Earth Squats

**Zephzilla** · Posted On: 10/26/2011 6:36pm

I saw this video today and quickly felt like a elderly fat woman. I tried ONE and looked like a drunk baby giraffe on ice.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 10/26/2011 6:52pm

That was part of a kung fu form I learned a few years ago. At first I was awful, then I could do the down part but not the up part. Then, I started practicing next to a desk or chair so I could use my arms to assist, until I could do it. Then, I tried to do it at my desk a few seconds ago and looked like a big idiot.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 10/26/2011 7:07pm

These are going to get really popular right up until the first person's kneecap literally explodes all over the webcam and the bloody mess gets posted on Youtube and becomes a great animated GIF meme.

Not everyone should try this one, imho, especially with the added weights. You only get to use your knees for so long, it seems. Why ruin them early doing this?

**Zephzilla** · Posted On: 10/26/2011 7:23pm

Originally Posted by W. Rabbit

You only get to use your knees for so long, it seems. Why ruin them early doing this?

Because it's AMAZING! He's like half man, half mountain goat. If I had crazy Satyr legs like him I wouldn't need a car. I'd just hop home.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 10/26/2011 7:27pm

Cotter has more pop.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 10/26/2011 8:57pm

Middle earth squat? WTF? Oh, it's just a pistol. I picked up Pavel's book the naked warrior and started doing these. I wish my quads looked as badass as the guys in the first vid. I could crank out 6-8 unweighted before my knee injury. Just for fun I tried these the other day on my non injured leg and to my surprise I could still crank them out. I felt like a badass. Surprisingly they almost seem easier with a weight because I felt it helps to stabilize your center of gravity and transfer some of the core work to the leg. That's just my guess though because I was surprised I could do them with weight. As for standing on the kettlebell? Still quite badass because of the small surface for balancing, but elevating the working leg actually makes it easier. It's actually one of the steps in Pavel's progression, I can't remember what Pavel recommended but I ended going with a couple of 45lb plates stacked together with my heels on the plate and toes slightly hanging off. It's easier because you don't have to hold the non load bearing leg quite as high.

Originally Posted by W. Rabbit

These are going to get really popular right up until the first person's kneecap literally explodes all over the webcam and the bloody mess gets posted on Youtube and becomes a great animated GIF meme.

Not everyone should try this one, imho, especially with the added weights. You only get to use your knees for so long, it seems. Why ruin them early doing this?

I'm no expert but I don't think these are as bad on the knees as you may imagine, the less you extend the knee passed the toe the better on the knee joint. If you already have knee problems these may not be for you. But if your a newb to exercise these are worth a shot. I'm interested to see if I can manage this with my injured knee when it heals completely.

**HereBeADragon** · Posted On: 10/26/2011 11:37pm

I've got bad knees but I can "almost" do these well. Its not all that hard on the knees really, provided you have full mobility in your knees and hamstrings to begin with that is. Its probably one of the most impressive and difficult bodyweight exercises outside of handbalancing feats.

As for Steve Cotters video well that hurts my knees just watching it!

Btw. WTF does this have to do with Harry Potter or Middle Earth?!

**Midnight Star** · Posted On: 10/26/2011 11:57pm

We used to do those too in class. Now my knees cry just watching it! I had to compromise as i've gotten older. What I usually do when i'm working out is grab a couple 25lb dumbells, then walk half quat around on the balls of my feet for a few minutes shifting into different stances as I go. Almost like slow motion sparring changing directions all the time and never standing fully up. Its a good workout, but trying to go all the way down, would definitely be more painful than its worth.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 10/27/2011 12:59am

Originally Posted by Midnight Star

Bruce was always one of my favorites, and I always did like his style of fighting. When i'm working out, it's usually an exercise in balance mostly, though it does help to strengthen my legs a little bit. I can't really do full out squats without worrying about injuring my knees, so i'd rather be able to do something, rather than nothing if either of my knees give way.

Do you have any previous knee injuries? That you have seen a doctor for?

**Midnight Star** · Posted On: 10/27/2011 1:03am

Originally Posted by jspeedy

Do you have any previous knee injuries? That you have seen a doctor for?

I'm guessing a lot of it is from mileage and age, I just don't think they can do much for it. I think my problem is the Patella but i'm not positive. When I do a full squat and come up, I can fell a burn where the top of my knee cap touches my leg. It's right in there somewhere. The last time it hit, I was just squatting down without any additional weights. It felt swollen and hurt for weeks. At first I thought it was a tear, so i'm not entirely sure. I was planning on having it checked out just to see if it's degeneration over time, or something i've done.