If I Could Only Do One Exercise for the Rest of My Life
If I was stuck in the wilderness and could only choose one exercise to do for the rest of my life, I’m picking squats. No hesitation. Not curls. Not bench press. Not push-ups. Squats. Why? Because squats are one of the closest things we have to a full-body movement. They build strength, power, athleticism, muscle, coordination, balance, and mental toughness all at the same time. If you master the squat, you build a foundation that carries over into almost every area of physical performance
Ronnell "Kilo Nellz" Leftwich
5/20/20263 min read
Squats Train Almost The Entire Body
A lot of people think squats are “just a leg exercise,” but that’s not even close to the truth.
When you squat correctly, you’re training:
Quads
Hamstrings
Glutes
Hips
Lower back
Core
Upper back
Calves
Stabilizer muscles
Even your grip and shoulders work during heavy barbell squats because your body has to stabilize and control the weight.
That’s one of the reasons squats are so valuable. They force the body to work together as one complete system instead of isolating only one muscle group.
Squats Can Help Increase Natural Testosterone Production
One reason squats are respected so much in strength training is because they recruit a massive amount of muscle mass at once.
Research has shown that heavy compound movements — especially squats and deadlifts — can temporarily increase anabolic hormone responses like testosterone and growth hormone after training.
When your body has to move heavy weight using multiple large muscle groups, it creates a much greater overall demand compared to smaller isolation movements.
That’s why hard squat sessions leave your entire body feeling worked, not just your legs.
Now let’s be clear: squats are not some magical shortcut that suddenly doubles testosterone forever. But consistently training hard with compound lifts can support strength development, muscle growth, athletic performance, and overall physical health.
Squats Build Real-World Strength
Squats improve movement patterns people use every single day.
Standing up.
Sitting down.
Picking things up.
Jumping.
Running.
Changing direction.
Staying balanced.
Strong legs and hips are the engine behind athletic movement. Whether you’re an athlete, powerlifter, fighter, or just somebody trying to stay functional as you age, squats help build usable strength that transfers into real life.
Squats Train The Core Hard
A lot of people think you need endless crunches to build a strong core.
Heavy squats already force your core to work overtime.
During a squat, your abs, obliques, spinal erectors, and deep stabilizer muscles all contract together to keep your torso rigid and protect your spine under load.
That’s why people who squat consistently usually develop thicker waists, stronger bracing ability, and better overall stability.
A weak core will fold during a heavy squat.
A strong core keeps everything locked in and powerful.
Squats Improve Athleticism And Explosiveness
Explosive athletes are usually built from the ground up.
The squat strengthens:
Hip drive
Force production
Balance
Coordination
Power output
That’s why squats carry over into:
Sprinting
Jumping
Football
Basketball
Wrestling
Combat sports
Powerlifting
The stronger your lower body becomes, the more force you can put into the ground.
And force production changes everything athletically.
Squats Also Build Mental Toughness
Heavy squats are uncomfortable.
There’s no hiding under a heavy barbell.
Squats teach discipline, focus, patience, and mental resilience. They force you to stay calm under pressure while your body is under extreme demand.
That mental carryover matters just as much as the physical benefits.
A lot of people avoid squats because they’re hard.
That’s exactly why you should do them.
My Squat Philosophy
One thing I always emphasize is that squatting isn’t just about moving weight from Point A to Point B.
Your setup matters.
Your bracing matters.
Your positioning matters.
I believe in:
Driving through the heels while gripping the ground with the toes
Keeping the head, neck, and back neutral together
Keeping the eyes fixed slightly downward instead of looking everywhere
Staying tight from the unrack to the final rep
Squeezing the weight up instead of trying to violently “jump” out of the hole
Control creates power.
The better your mechanics are, the more efficient and stronger you become over time.
Final Thoughts
If I only had one exercise for the rest of my life, it’s squats every single time.
They build strength.
They build muscle.
They build athleticism.
They challenge the mind.
They train the entire body.
Squats are one of the purest tests of strength and discipline there is.
Master the squat, and you build a stronger foundation for everything else.
CLICK LINK TO BUILD YOUR SQUAT CORRECTLY!