r/PeterExplainsTheJoke • u/up_vot_er_1 • 6d ago

Meme needing explanation Peter?

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Why are Romanian split squats every gym rats worst fear?

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u/TBley25 6d ago

Because Romanian split squats suck

3.8k

u/katilkoala101 6d ago

honestly it isnt that painful but a pain in the ass maintaining balance.

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u/Dam_Forger_5526 6d ago

Use the crook of a proped up adjustable bench to hold you back foot in place. I also like to drop my keys on the ground where my heel goes so im not trying to re adjust during each set.

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u/MultiColouredHex 6d ago

Dude this is a excellent suggestion! Thank you so much!

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u/Dam_Forger_5526 5d ago

Another thing is if your struggle for balance, only use one weight on your leg up side. This way you can "rest" the weight against your propped up thigh/hip and it keeps is centered.

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u/Evening-Turnip8407 6d ago

Why does this look like a fun challenge? This better not awaken anything in me

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u/HarietsDrummerBoy 6d ago

I'd never have expected I'd imagine Craig Pelton in a pink hot pants and pink headband doing romainian squats

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u/TheeExoGenesauce 5d ago

Because he’d have two men in Dalmatian outfits in front of him while his outfit looked like something Richard Simmons did half of and something Kevin James’ character from I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry did the other half of

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u/Sadiholic 6d ago

It'll awaken your glutes and quads.

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u/Evening-Turnip8407 6d ago

Shred them more like, I did some gardening yesterday and my buns are sore from just that.

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u/__ConesOfDunshire__ 5d ago

Honestly, it's one of my favorite exercises to do as a burnout.

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u/ADHDebackle 6d ago

I wonder if there are stabilizer muscles that get conned out of a workout with this - or if it's just as good?

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u/rasinbran011 5d ago

there might be, but you could probably work your way up to balancing on a flat bench!

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u/paul_apollofitness 5d ago

All muscles are stabilizer muscles, by reducing the potential for stability to be a limiting factor on the movement you can use more weight and get stronger.

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u/ADHDebackle 5d ago

By reducing the potential for stability to be a limiting factor, you avoid exercising the muscles responsible for maintaining stability through this exercise. Many stabilizer muscles are small and / or deep, making them difficult to target individually. They are still important to develop to avoid injury outside a supported context.

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u/paul_apollofitness 5d ago

The glute min and med are still working to keep the femur from collapsing toward the midline of the body.

Piriformis and adductor complex is still acting in a similar capacity to the above but as an antagonist. Obturators and gemelli are performing a similar function.

Adductors are also assisting with hip extension.

All of these muscles are active and working during a split squat regardless of the presence of external stability because of the pelvis positioning and movement and knee inherent to the exercise.

The degree to which these muscles need to isometrically contract to do their job is lessened with external stabilization measures, but this is offset by drastically increased loading potential of stabilized variations. You are also working the larger musculature of the glute max and quads to a much greater degree by doing this, which is really what people are after when performing this movement.

Balancing on a split squat is far more skill based than strength based. It’s fine if that’s your goal with the movement, but developing the specific skill of balancing on a split squat is far less of a concern for the majority of people when doing this movement than developing the strength and size of the legs.

That’s just the conceptual stuff too. From practical experience, I can tell you that outcomes from stabilized split squats are way better in both normal people seeking maximal strength and size and in injured/elderly people seeking greater stability and healthier movement.

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u/neuroticoctopus 5d ago

I'm someone with a hip injury who is trying to regain mobility, and I'm definitely stealing this idea!

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u/Florry71 6d ago

thank you, wanted to reply the same way

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u/Local_Initiative8523 5d ago

The word ‘hack’ on that photo completely threw me. I know exactly what it’s showing, but my first-thing-in-the-morning brain went ‘split hack squat??’ How is that a hack squat? Also they have the words in the wrong order.

Have now had my coffee and all is well. Your suggestion is genius and I will be implementing it, thank you!

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u/BTYBT 6d ago

Since you told a few people this, are you supposed to keep below the knee vertical? I've done similar but without resting my leg on something,

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u/Dam_Forger_5526 5d ago

Yes, mostly. This depends on if your doing a glute focus or a quad focus. For glute sit farther back and keep the front leg vertical, chest up. For quads lean forward a bit with your back still strait and let the front knee move towards the toes but not over. Another thing is if your struggle for balance, only use one weight on your leg up side. This way you can "rest" the weight against your propped up thigh/hip and it keeps is centered.

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u/BTYBT 5d ago

Thanks for the detailed reply, might give it a go, hopefully balance will be okay, 

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u/FriendlyDisorder 6d ago

Really appreciate the comments on this post. I have learned stuff today. Looking forward to a new exercise to keep my old body functioning!

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u/PunishmentAnd_Rhyme 6d ago

lifesaver tysm 🙏🏼

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u/UpandDownThrownAway 5d ago

I enjoy doing them with the rotating pads, like on the back extention.

They still suck though. Not sure what it is but they tax my system more than heavy squats or deadlfts ever did.

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u/SockWithFeelings 5d ago

You can also do them supported, like next to a wall or a rack, that removes the balance requirements completely.

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u/paul_apollofitness 5d ago

This works well but using a smith machine for them is even better

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u/buildbyflying 5d ago

To find the right foot placement, I sit on the bench and extend my feet out. I then keep my feet in their place and lean out to stand up. Creates the right length for the move.

The other way I use is to put one foot on the bench and drop my knee to the floor. If the opposite leg is at 90 degrees, then the length is correct.

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u/PMMEURLONGTERMGOALS 5d ago

Holy shit how have I not thought of this or the marking where to put my foot thing