Squats are one glute exercise many people swear by – but not celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak. Ariana Grande, Nina Dobrev, and Lady Gaga are some of the many A-list stars he has worked out with in the past, and it turns out they never had to do any squats.
Pasternak recently discussed his disdain for this common exercise with Women’s Health, and explained why he’s opposed to this lower-body move, especially once you add a barbell to the mix.
“Squats aren’t a great glute exercise at all, so I don’t do squats with my clients. Loading your spine with all that weight, putting your shoulder girdle back to hold the bar, that’s all really tough on your body,” said Pasternak.
The celebrity trainer believes that lunges are a much better alternative, since they mimic everyday movements and have the power to engage your core in a much more effective way.
“Since these are isolateral, your dominant side doesn’t have a chance to take over. And you’re getting a deeper range of motion than you would with a squat, so your glute has to work harder,” explained Pasternak.
