You’re right about that. Coincidently, I pulled a groin muscle playing basketball on my high school team. Vivid memory, very painful and it took some time to heal. I also trained basketball players. That was better because the head coach didn’t care about how much they squatted or benched. But also worse, because the coach didn’t really think it was all that important to train (wasn’t mandatory and few players trained during the season). Mostly just the guys who also were football players.
Even though he has been retired for awhile, Jay Cutler still regularly films and posts his workouts on YouTube. I just finished watching his latest, a leg day. His rational for squatting: He wants to avoid that dreaded affliction of old age, the “Shovel Ass”. 
Allow me to elaborate and clarify my statement about ‘bigger butts’ on women.
I absolutely agree that women want a shapely backside. I did not mean by bigger butt a concrete-block shaped big butt.
However, without ‘substance’ there can be no such desired shape. And that [butt] shape is enhanced - and made pleasingly shapely - by 1) Developing the glutes; 2) Plastic surgery enhancement; etc. This is similar to enhancing the shape of a woman’s boobs; if they are small, some size must be added - often done by implants - but if those are not desired then women can develop the underlying pectorals with the appropriate exercises to push out and make firm the boobage. But I’m sure that you guys know all that.
The bottom line message is that one has to have the appropriate ‘substance’ to work with to get the desired shape.
Incredible! I cannot imagine doing squats with right at 500 pounds!.
When I was in my early twenties I did 4-to-5 rep negative squats with 500 after a couple of sets of regular squats – and had two or three guys helping me get back up. When I was doing them, it felt like there was a tractor-trailer across my shoulders - and it was about all I could do to control it on the way down.
You are a machine, RT; amazingly strong. I would love to see some pictures of you in your forties; must look like the HULK.
Jesse Lee
495 x 10 is indeed impressive.
I’ve seen a YouTube video of a guy doing 500 x 10 with good form. But he was a pretty capable powerlifter (top 20 finisher in the 205# weight class at a recent US Nationals). For a bodybuilder to be working at that level is amazing.
I would like to see that video. Do you remember the lifter’s name - or any other descriptor that could direct me to the video?
Jesse Lee
The lifter’s name is Austin Baraki. He is a practicing MD, and one of the owners of Barbell Medicine (website/training organization). If you google Austin Baraki 501 x 10, you should find the video. I’ll post the link below, but sometimes they get removed by the site moderators/software:
Thanks much! Appreciate the assist with info.
Wonder why he wore long jean pants to do that set.
Maybe sweat pants, not jeans. Maybe a cold day in an unheated garage?
If I recall correctly, he was a competitive swimmer in college. Took up weight lifting while in medical school. Was initially training using Rippetoe’s Starting Strength programs, then branched off on his own with another MD, Jordan Feigenbaum. Feigenbaum is just as strong, but looks more like a body builder.
You can find videos of him going back 5 to 7 years, and the progression in his strength can be seen. There is a 7 year old video where he grinds through 5 reps at 405. Some years later he is up to 10 reps with 500. Progression works, I guess. What gets me is that these guys are carrying some muscle, but they are not huge, and still able to move impressive amounts of weight.
I know exactly what you mean! Boggles my mind. I guess they must have favorable leverage factors ‘built in’ to their musculoskeletal system.
I occasionally did three-to-five rep sets of negative squats with 500 pounds when I was in my early twenties – and it was pretty much all I could do to control the weight on the way down - and not plummet down. There were two or three guys that worked out with me spotting me to help if I started to ‘free-fall’ – and also to help me get back up from the bottom position. It felt like there was a tractor-trailer truck across my shoulders; I couldn’t imagine doing complete squats with that weight – and still can’t.
When I was at the Mr. Olympia, they had a strongman competition, most of the competitors were not huge or had much muscle…but they were deadlifting over 500 lbs
Were you a competitor at the Olympia ?
No, if this question was towards me
Dr. Darden,
have you used these machines in a 10-30 manner?
No I haven’t.