Slow Squats Build Muscle and Strength Like Heavy Lifts
Low-load Slow Movement Squat Training Increases Muscle Size and Strength but Not Power
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Doing squats slowly with lighter weights made muscles bigger and stronger, but not more powerful.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 537 / 90
Evidence Score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Doing squats slowly with lighter weights made muscles bigger and stronger, but not more powerful.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 537 / 90
Evidence Score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Publication
Authors
Usui S, Maeo S, Tayashiki K, Nakatani M, Kanehisa H
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Claims (5)
Doing slow, gentle weight training can build muscle and make you just as strong as lifting heavy weights quickly.
Doing slow, low-weight squats three times a week for two months doesn't help healthy young men get better at explosive movements like jumping high or lifting fast.
Doing light squats slowly and holding the position three times a week for two months can make your thigh muscles thicker by 6-10% in young men, showing you can build muscle without lifting heavy weights.
Doing slow, low-weight squats three times a week for two months can make your hip muscles 18% stronger in certain movements, according to a study on young men.
Doing slow, low-weight squats three times a week for two months can make healthy young men about 10% stronger at lifting heavy weights.