Why do squats make me so out of breath and get my heart rate up?

[Anonymous]

I run a lot. I can run for miles, it's my favorite workout. I recently started doing more strength training though... I do like 15 squats and get out of breath and need to take a couple seconds break?

Updates

+1 y

How long is it okay to take breaks in between sets? A lot of the time I'll do a set every commercial break if I'm watching TV or something. But I don't know if that will do anything. I want a toned butt! I have a pancake ass

[guntherbrown11]

Squats work out your entire lower half and part of your arms. It is by far the most effective compound movement you can do. It is difficult and challenging. You will get used it it and your stamina will improve

[cavmanier]

I'd wait at least a minute in between sets, maybe 3-4. Make sure you're breathing, but yeah squats is the exercise that I'm aware of that uses the most amount of muscles at one time. It can be tiring.

[sherbearee]

because strength training and cardio are quite different - its good to have a balance of both
but if you've got good cardio, strength will catch up pretty quickly with time

[LaBellaNena408]

That's normal squats are the king of exercises so yea 😉

[Asker]

They are harder than I thought ::

[LaBellaNena408]

Just wait until you start doing heavy ass squats the next morning you can barley walk and its hell to sit on a toilet lol

[BCA6010]

Whenever I've done sets, it's usually something like 3 exercises for 20 seconds each without stopping, with one minute of rest in-between sets, and consecutive exercises don't work the same exact muscles. Excluding warmup and cooldown stretches, it all takes maybe 18 to 24 minutes depending on whether it's 9 or 12 exercises. It's much better to do the entire thing all at once than to just do some of it during commercial breaks. When just starting out, it's normal to only be able to do any given exercise at a modest pace, and it's important to make sure you're doing them correctly so you don't hurt yourself. Eventually, you'll be able to knock out a full squat quickly, perhaps surpassing 1/sec.

Squats and running don't really have much to do with each other; being good at one doesn't typically influence the other. In fact when I was in the Army, the guys who were really hard into strength training on their own time usually sucked at running and could barely pass the fitness test. This is also why military workouts tended to focus more on endurance than just being able to lift heavy weights.

[D_Bone_Steak]

How heavy, and how many sets? People that lift hella heavy have to take longer breaks to catch their breath. I do 3 sets of 12-10-8 reps so I only take 60 seconds between sets. The professional advice is 60 to 90 seconds. But I lift for hypertrophy. People that lift for strength lift heavy as hell and the general advice for them is 3 to 5 minutes between sets... and they tend to do fewer reps. Sometimes they lift so heavy they'll just do 1 rep for a set.

Squats are way more intense than running though for sure. I'd say the difference is like looking at a long-distance runner and a sprinter's body. Note the difference in the legs and glutes size. One is all skinny and the other has some size all packed on there around the legs and butt.

[VikingWarLord]

If you have GERD / Acid Reflux which you most likely have, you'll have to do squats on an EMPTY STOMACH in the morning.

I had the same issue many years ago doing squats and deadlifts.

Once I started working out on an empty stomach in the morning, that issue went away.

When I say EMPTY STOMACH i mean it, not even a drop of water

[WeaponZero]

Running is a very low intensity workout. Strength training to failure is high intensity. You're not used to high intensity work.

[Consultant]

Because it's a heavy movement. It's one of the fundamental compound lifts. Squats and deadlifts ramp up my heart rate more than anything. I'm dripping in sweat after.

[exitseven]

Your quadriceps are the largest muscles in the body. When you work them they consume lots of oxygen and cause you to get out of breath.

[mommymommymommy]

It's about how fast you do them, not the squats themselves. If you're doing so many, in so little time, you'll ruin your leg and butt, and be very out of breath

Just remember to take your time

[Anonymous]

If you're trying to build a butt, short rest times are better. Also focus on getting a really good flex in the glutes. Chair stepups are good for glutes as well

[Klaatu51]

do u do squats after runnin for MILES?

[Asker]

No I didn't run

[Daniela1982]

Why do you squat and leave it?

[HereForTheDay]

because it is work and you are out of shape

[Marstalk]

30 seconds to a minute between sets.

[Mettbltt]

you'll make more with time you're just clumsy now

[Anonymous]

Because they are intense!

[RosyBeak100]

Mhmm yep.