Why Squats Stop Making Sense For Some People

What actually makes sense for people like us

Whew… this one never seems to go away. Every few months it comes back around.

“Do I need to squat?” I get it because depending on who you ask, the answer is either:

“You have to squat”
or
“Squats are overrated”

So which one is it? The honest answer:

Yes… unless no.

Not the cleanest answer, I know, but it’s the right one.

If your goal is to stay strong for as long as possible, then the squat is one of the best tools you have. It trains:

strength
stability
mobility
coordination

All at once, and not in a gym-only way. In a real-life way.

Getting up off the ground, lowering yourself down under control, and being able to move your body through space with strength… That matters more as you get older. Not less.

But…

this is where most people get it wrong. They think:

“If I don’t squat, I’m missing something.” Not necessarily. There’s a difference between the movement pattern and the exercise.

You need the ability to squat. but at the same time, that doesn’t always mean you need to barbell squat.

If your knees hate it…
If your back doesn’t tolerate it…
If it turns into more of a grind than a productive movement…

there are other ways to train the same pattern.

Leg press
Hack squat
Split squats
Controlled machine work

Same idea, different tool.

What matters is:

Are you training your lower body with enough intent…
through a full range…
with control…

That’s where the benefit comes from. Not from forcing a specific lift because you think you “should.”

I’ve gone through phases myself. There’s been times where barbell squats made sense as well as times where they didn’t. That’s part of training long term.

The goal isn’t to check a box. It’s to keep progressing without creating problems you’ll have to work around later.

So…

Should you squat?

If it fits your body and your goal—yes.

If it doesn’t—there are other ways to get exactly what you need.

The real question isn’t: “Do I squat?” It’s “Am I training this pattern in a way that actually works for me right now?”

That’s the question that matters.

— Rob
Coach
Iron After 40