I saw this composit picture at popsugar.com and the first thing I had to think of was:
This is why your workout should include squats and lunges.
Both Jessica Alba and Eva Longoria do squats and lunges and circuit training workouts.
Lindsay Lohan, sadly, doesn't look like she's working out much these days. But she was in the middle of the picture. Hey Lindsay, if you need a trainer, I could get you back in rockstar shape in about 6 weeks.
Why do Jessica and Eva base their workouts around squats, lunges, and circuit training workouts? Because it works. Squats and lunges are extremely intense exercises using all of the muscles in the legs butt and thighs. The intensity of using all of those muscles in coordination cannot be replicated with muscle isolating leg machines. The sum is much, much more than the parts.
Squats and lunges have a hormonal response and a level of intensity that burns fat and builds sexy lean muscle. Anyone who is serious about getting that "rockstar body" needs to include these two powerful exercises in their workouts. Eva Longoria's ass does not look like that by accident. It takes smart workout programming and hard work. Jessica Alba is not genetically gifted, most of her family is overweight. She built that body herself through diet and squats and lunges.
I'm continually saddened by all of the nonsense out there. Stupid books, crappy gadgets, and mostly useless supplements are everywhere. Take a look at the options you have in your gym, and notice who is using what equipment:
• In my gym, all of the overweight people are on the ab machines doing thousands and thousands of pointless and ineffective crunches. Crunches are just too low intensity to make any real difference in how their body looks. They just don't know. It's the same as the people who only do long slow cardio, same thing. No intensity = no rockstar body.
• Look at all of the girls that are really, really hot. At some point you always see them squatting or lunging. Or doing some squat or lunge variation, like step ups. Usually they are strong - they aren't squatting with the 3lb plastic dumbbells. They are squatting and lunging with fairly heavy weight. Lots of intensity. They are getting some work done, and it shows in their results. It's actually rare to see a girl squatting who doesn't look good.
Now I understand that not everyone knows the proper form for squatting and lunging. And if you don't know the correct form, these exercises can get pretty sketchy. The last place to learn good squatting form is from the other people in the gym, many are doing it wrong. If you are unfamiliar with the proper form for squats and lunges, you should hire expert instruction. I'm not saying that learning to squat and lunge correctly is easy, I'm saying that it's worth it.
Josh Hillis is the author of the ever-popular fat loss e-book: The Stubborn Seven Pounds
and head coach of Josh Hillis Platinum Coaching Club
© Joshua Hillis 2007
