Squats Vs step ups for athletes

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Sgt Sprinkles
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So I've been on a squat journey now my knees are healthy and there's no football, it's been great, until I started to tidy up my diet and now I dread how much squats are taking out of me. I'm at maybe 165kg for 6 but I think I've got shit left on the table, that I'm not trying hard enough.

Anyway, I actually ditched my squats half way through yesterday because it took so much out of me.

Then as assistance I was doing high dumbbell step ups, 6 a side. I found it easy to work up to 100kg for 6 and felt I had plenty left in the tank although I was blowing after each set.

Now I've been feeling the step ups really impact my use of my leg power, but what's with the difference in weight moved and effect on my CNS? Might it be my legs are strong but something about my back is letting me down in the squat?

Is there much point in focusing on back squats when split squats and step ups seem to have more application to sport (football)?
 
So I've been on a squat journey now my knees are healthy and there's no football, it's been great, until I started to tidy up my diet and now I dread how much squats are taking out of me. I'm at maybe 165kg for 6 but I think I've got shit left on the table, that I'm not trying hard enough.

Anyway, I actually ditched my squats half way through yesterday because it took so much out of me.

Then as assistance I was doing high dumbbell step ups, 6 a side. I found it easy to work up to 100kg for 6 and felt I had plenty left in the tank although I was blowing after each set.

Now I've been feeling the step ups really impact my use of my leg power, but what's with the difference in weight moved and effect on my CNS? Might it be my legs are strong but something about my back is letting me down in the squat?

Is there much point in focusing on back squats when split squats and step ups seem to have more application to sport (football)?
Are there studies saying split squats and step ups are better for athletes?
 
So I've been on a squat journey now my knees are healthy and there's no football, it's been great, until I started to tidy up my diet and now I dread how much squats are taking out of me. I'm at maybe 165kg for 6 but I think I've got shit left on the table, that I'm not trying hard enough.

Anyway, I actually ditched my squats half way through yesterday because it took so much out of me.

Then as assistance I was doing high dumbbell step ups, 6 a side. I found it easy to work up to 100kg for 6 and felt I had plenty left in the tank although I was blowing after each set.

Now I've been feeling the step ups really impact my use of my leg power, but what's with the difference in weight moved and effect on my CNS? Might it be my legs are strong but something about my back is letting me down in the squat?

Is there much point in focusing on back squats when split squats and step ups seem to have more application to sport (football)?

Is there something stopping you from doing all three? That sounds like a perfectly normal leg day right there.


Squats
Bulgarian split squats
Step ups

There to go. Program accordingly with rep/intensity/sets
 
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