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I’ve been working through a lower back injury caused by heavy squatting and deadlifting, and these have been my savior. Leg presses still aggravate the area of I go too heavy but these don’t at all. The quad stimulus I get now has far exceeded any I’ve gotten from a heel elevated high bar squat, and my adductors get hit like never before.
You do not need squats if you do pendulum squats. It's so much better for back support. And go slow down to really burn those muscles. Stop at the bottom and flex to really target the tear drop. It's the hardest and best leg machine there is.
Incorrect. If you do only one variation of a movement you will increase the likely hood of imbalances and increase injury. Always stick with the basics but use correct depth and form. This type of squat is not a natural movement. And the back can still be felt with the weight as with a conventional barbell.
My gym just got one but doesn't have the counter weight on the front, i can only put two 25 pound plates on each horn and even that's really heavy at the bottom.
So glad for this video, put half my squat weight on thinking "Yeah, I'll be fine with this". Cut to 10 seconds later and I am climbing out the bottom, devstated 🤣🤣🤣
@@MarkoAssi_pokervlogger To an extent if we're just assessing joint angle when the pendulum plate is set similar to a sissy squat. That said, the stability and resistance curve create a vast difference between the two!
@thatfitfriend I've been to the gym this morning. 4 attempts made to get on that bloody machine, none were successful. I ended up doing squats on the Smith machine instead!
Hi, thanks for the informative video. I tend to perform better at Pendulum Squats when I am not gripping the support handles. Is this something you have noticed in your workouts?
Depends on the machine, you may just feel more comfortable doing so - nothing wrong with that! Isn't it funny how we'll set up and do things like grip handles on machines differently? I do that in my current gym on our hack squat machine
I have ACL tear, and I cannot perform free squats and leg raises, Pendulum squats are easy on my knee and explosive throughout by lower body. If you have ACL tear, this is a must try.
If your range of motion is the limiting factor, what do you do if you fail under load? How do you limit range of motion, if your knees need protecting? Thanks
Shouldn't be an issue with most machines, but I'm also a little confused on what you're asking here. You mean, like what happens if you fail at the bottom and can stand back up will your knees get crushed?
i just tried this today because my gym just got this machine early last week it's funny cause i was hoping that they would get this and i love how it feels now i will just have to play around with the foot placement . i can see how some people would be temped to dive bomb it be i think that just takes away the point of using this machine
Steeper angle generally will hit more quad as it will push the knees further over the toes. It depends on your anatomy, machine, and ROM, though, too. Without seeing your setup, I'd adjust the plate to diff steepnesses and hit a set of 8 at each angle and go slow so you can see what gets blown up regarding muscles worked etc. Slower tempo will give you a better idea of what's getting worked
Just write down the poundage you do each week and use that as your metric! Can always hit a leg press/back squat with various weights, too, to see if there's any carryover/similar neural feel.
@@thatfitfriend not sure how to log the weight in front vs weight in back. Doesn't seem to be any formula I've found how to decide how much to use on each end.
@thatfitfriend I have no idea how to determine that. There's zero information on the machine. First time I used it there were 5x45 on the front, 2x25 rear. Worked up to 5x25 in the rear. Felt heavier than expected. Other times I see it with no weight in front, just in the back. Staff has no idea.
@ just set it up the same each time and track accordingly 😅 best you can do here, tbh. Diff machines will have diff profiles, too, so impossible to say without their data
If you have a pendulum squat where you can adjust the angle of the foot plate, do you know if a certain is angle better for biasing quads? Or is it more of just a comfortability thing?
Generally if you bring that foot plate up you'll get a bit more quad as the knees will track further over the toes. That said, if you set it to where it's most comfortable and simply focus on effort you'll prob be fine regarding your quad gains!
@@thatfitfriend Since you are losing the benefit of stability and core work that comes with doing a traditional squat, do you think the kinetic chain/explosive benefit is the same as traditional? I try to assist a couple of throwing athletes.
@@johnnyripple8972 apples to oranges there, honestly. I wouldn't necessarily look at the pendulum for having shortcomings in those context, but instead as a tool to push your athletes to high thresholds while having constraints (the machine) to keep them focused on the goal at hand. For example, pairing some form of squat variation where you're focused on stability, power, etc, then using the pendulum to drive hypertrophy/strength while limiting spinal loading would be a solid pairing depending on intensities used that make sense for your folks!
@@johnnyripple8972 keep in mind, that’s just my coaching take You may approach this topic from a completely different POV. As long as whatever is going on gets results, many ways to skin the cat
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I’ve been working through a lower back injury caused by heavy squatting and deadlifting, and these have been my savior. Leg presses still aggravate the area of I go too heavy but these don’t at all. The quad stimulus I get now has far exceeded any I’ve gotten from a heel elevated high bar squat, and my adductors get hit like never before.
They're sickkkkk! and less neural fatigue on the spine. Stoked you've been loving them.
Thanks man, my gym recently bought one of these and i had no idea how to use it. Definitively gona try it. Greetings from México!
Ayyy! Love to hear it. Let the leg gains commence 🤝
You do not need squats if you do pendulum squats. It's so much better for back support. And go slow down to really burn those muscles. Stop at the bottom and flex to really target the tear drop. It's the hardest and best leg machine there is.
@@jparks6544 agreed, the idea that squats are a must needs to finally die, so many variations can work
Legs have blow up since switching to pendulum squats. Can’t see myself going back to spine destroying back squats now
@@JP-zd2wl spine destroying squats…? How are you squatting bro lmao
@@JohnnyMango91ahh you know how it is with the bar. My choice of words could have been better.
Incorrect.
If you do only one variation of a movement you will increase the likely hood of imbalances and increase injury.
Always stick with the basics but use correct depth and form.
This type of squat is not a natural movement. And the back can still be felt with the weight as with a conventional barbell.
My gym just got one but doesn't have the counter weight on the front, i can only put two 25 pound plates on each horn and even that's really heavy at the bottom.
So glad for this video, put half my squat weight on thinking "Yeah, I'll be fine with this". Cut to 10 seconds later and I am climbing out the bottom, devstated 🤣🤣🤣
@@Braddicusfinch 😂😂 these are the best lessons to learn, tho. Been there
It's a shame not every gym has this machine
Agreed
Aren't they similar in mechanics to the sissy squat?
@@MarkoAssi_pokervlogger To an extent if we're just assessing joint angle when the pendulum plate is set similar to a sissy squat. That said, the stability and resistance curve create a vast difference between the two!
Mine does
Great video with detailed explanation of how to bias certain muscles! *Working around shoulder surgery*
Great addition! Thank you for checking it!
Im just getting into them, they're hard as hell but im loving them!
Sooooo good, though!
@thatfitfriend I've been to the gym this morning.
4 attempts made to get on that bloody machine, none were successful.
I ended up doing squats on the Smith machine instead!
Hi, thanks for the informative video. I tend to perform better at Pendulum Squats when I am not gripping the support handles. Is this something you have noticed in your workouts?
Depends on the machine, you may just feel more comfortable doing so - nothing wrong with that!
Isn't it funny how we'll set up and do things like grip handles on machines differently? I do that in my current gym on our hack squat machine
Such a great vid! Thank you.
Ay, stoked it helped! Thank you!
I came from doing the leg press to doing this, I got humbled REAL fast, but its an amazing piece of equipment
So fantastic. I wish more gyms had good pendulums
this is a humbling as an squat variation can get haha.
Such a killler for leg growth!
I have ACL tear, and I cannot perform free squats and leg raises, Pendulum squats are easy on my knee and explosive throughout by lower body. If you have ACL tear, this is a must try.
Love hearing that! Added stability is UGE!
Got humbled real quickly with this equipment,I was thinking this is hack squat throwing 2, 45 lb plates on for warm up set ,I found out real quick.
I’ve been there 😂 it’s like how on some hacks you can load em like crazy then on others it’s brutal even hitting a few plates
The gym were I'm going just received this machine 🎉
YO, thank the gym owner for that!!
If your range of motion is the limiting factor, what do you do if you fail under load? How do you limit range of motion, if your knees need protecting? Thanks
Shouldn't be an issue with most machines, but I'm also a little confused on what you're asking here. You mean, like what happens if you fail at the bottom and can stand back up will your knees get crushed?
i just tried this today because my gym just got this machine early last week it's funny cause i was hoping that they would get this and i love how it feels now i will just have to play around with the foot placement . i can see how some people would be temped to dive bomb it be i think that just takes away the point of using this machine
If you can adjust the footplate’s steepness which way would you recommend? Steeper or more flat
Steeper angle generally will hit more quad as it will push the knees further over the toes. It depends on your anatomy, machine, and ROM, though, too.
Without seeing your setup, I'd adjust the plate to diff steepnesses and hit a set of 8 at each angle and go slow so you can see what gets blown up regarding muscles worked etc. Slower tempo will give you a better idea of what's getting worked
I can't figure out exactly how to determine the actual weight I'm doing on it. Definitely works quads though.
Just write down the poundage you do each week and use that as your metric! Can always hit a leg press/back squat with various weights, too, to see if there's any carryover/similar neural feel.
@@thatfitfriend not sure how to log the weight in front vs weight in back. Doesn't seem to be any formula I've found how to decide how much to use on each end.
@ as in, you’re not sure where to place the weight? I’d place it based on your programming effort + rep goals! Then go from there.
@thatfitfriend I have no idea how to determine that. There's zero information on the machine. First time I used it there were 5x45 on the front, 2x25 rear. Worked up to 5x25 in the rear. Felt heavier than expected. Other times I see it with no weight in front, just in the back. Staff has no idea.
@ just set it up the same each time and track accordingly 😅 best you can do here, tbh. Diff machines will have diff profiles, too, so impossible to say without their data
If you have a pendulum squat where you can adjust the angle of the foot plate, do you know if a certain is angle better for biasing quads? Or is it more of just a comfortability thing?
Generally if you bring that foot plate up you'll get a bit more quad as the knees will track further over the toes. That said, if you set it to where it's most comfortable and simply focus on effort you'll prob be fine regarding your quad gains!
How are those tyr shoes? Are they worth the money?
They’re decent. Outsole can lip and break but TY typically replaces
Great vid helped a ton
Ay, thanks for checking it out!
Glutes 5:26
Thiccc
Brutal.
These always put me in my place reallllllll fast
@@thatfitfriend
Since you are losing the benefit of stability and core work that comes with doing a traditional squat, do you think the kinetic chain/explosive benefit is the same as traditional?
I try to assist a couple of throwing athletes.
@@johnnyripple8972 apples to oranges there, honestly. I wouldn't necessarily look at the pendulum for having shortcomings in those context, but instead as a tool to push your athletes to high thresholds while having constraints (the machine) to keep them focused on the goal at hand.
For example, pairing some form of squat variation where you're focused on stability, power, etc, then using the pendulum to drive hypertrophy/strength while limiting spinal loading would be a solid pairing depending on intensities used that make sense for your folks!
@@thatfitfriend
Awesome.
Thanks for the reply and insight.
@@johnnyripple8972 keep in mind, that’s just my coaching take
You may approach this topic from a completely different POV. As long as whatever is going on gets results, many ways to skin the cat