Do you realize that it is a BLESSING to be able to bend and flex?

When you see a little kid squat down and pick something up, you can't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder for the creator, whatever you want to refer to that Source as.... Notice how when a kid squats down, they don't just bend at the hip and try to pick up that heavy ass object... A child will: 1) Bend their knees 2) Get down as low to the ground as possible 3) Come back to the standing position by straightening their knees. 4) Have strong and healthy knees Now... notice how a adult will attempt to pick up the same object by: 1) Bending at the hip, 2) Grab hold of the object 3) Attempt to straighten themselves out by extending their hips ( coming back up the standing position), putting all the stress on their hamstrings, which now become tight and over-energized because of the load they are forced to carry) Can you see a big difference in how children and adults do the same thing? Now. You're wondering " what's your point?" Here's my point: As adults, we tend to get stiffer and stiffer because we stop moving in ways that are natural and healthy for us to move. We train our bodies to move in un-natural movements, which just makes us even more stiff. One example of a unnatural movement is the barbell back squat. The barbell back squat is very good at strengthening the quads, hamstrings, the lower back and the rectus abdominus. The only thing that sucks about the BBS is that is doesn't allow you to bend your knees to their full range of motion. The good news: You can get some "strong knees" from practicing the BBS regularly. The Bad news: You cam get some really STIFF knees from regularly practcing the BBS. So here's the conundrum: How the hell do you reap the benefits of the barbell squat while keeping the benefits you get from bending your knees through their full range of motion? Simple!! You squat with fewer reps and you spend more time bending your knees to their full range of motion. High rep squatting ( 20 rep squat routine, for example) can increase your potential for knee injury, due in part to the fact that as you squat with higher reps, your get tired and you start to lose proper form, which will cause your body to call on other muscles to help you complete the 20 reps. Makes sense? And I know that every on has different goals and adaptations that you want to get from your training... and that's fine. I'm simply offering my observations and advice to those who want to be young and flexible for the rest of their earthly lives... So, to sum up everything: 1) Squat with less reps and moderately heavy weight 2) Practicing bending your knees to their full ROM regularly (daily, optimally) Any Questions? Drop me a line here or just post a comment if you agree and/or disagree with anything I've said here. Sincerely......