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Squat Danger Myth

Squat exercises are bad for the knees - true or false?

THIS IS MOSTLY FALSE

• Any weight training exercise is potentially dangerous. The squat exercise, if done incorrectly, can place undue stress on the knee joint and cause injury.

• The squat exercise has been and continues to be a popular strength training exercise. When done correctly, the squat exercise is very effective in increasing leg strength. As with all exercises, you should make sure that you are performing it correctly.

• If you are new to doing the squat exercise, you should start with a light weight to progressively increase the muscles around the knee joint to improve knee joint stability.

Related Pages

• more fitness myths
• description of the squat exercise
• weight lifting exercises to avoid