Summary4 min read

Summary: "I Stopped Squatting For Longevity" — Kreatures Of Habit Podcast with Michael Chernow

Release Date: August 25, 2025
Host: Michael Chernow
Episode Type: Solo “Monday Moments”

Episode Overview

In this solo "Monday Moments" episode, Michael Chernow opens up about a significant change in his fitness approach: he has stopped doing traditional heavy squats and deadlifts to prioritize his long-term health and well-being. Drawing from personal experience with back pain and a lifetime of high-impact activities, Michael discusses the importance of evolving one’s habits for longevity and quality of life. He shares alternative training methods and encourages listeners to reconsider “must do” exercises, especially if these are causing harm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Michael’s Backstory with Lifting and Injury

Michael recounts years of dealing with painful injuries from lower back issues due to sports and heavy lifting:
- “I probably spent at least a year of my life, if not longer in consecutive days, hobbling around in pretty significant pain.” (00:00)
His fitness history includes snowboarding, skateboarding, Muay Thai, running, and Jiu Jitsu — all contributing factors to back troubles.

Decision to Stop Squats and Deadlifts

Michael shares a pivotal decision: “I have not done a single squat. Traditional, back loaded, barbell, back squat. I have not done one in months. I also have not done a traditional conventional deadlift… I don’t believe I will ever do them again.” (03:03)
He clarifies that while he once loved these lifts and their challenge, the ongoing pain has forced him to reassess their place in his training.

Finding New Joy in Training

Shifts focus to lighter weight, higher-rep routines:
- “I have fallen in love with lighter weight, higher rep, higher volume training… Across the board.” (03:55)
Describes a recent hotel-gym workout using only 50 lb dumbbells for sets of 25 reps, finding satisfaction and challenge without needing maximum weights.

Reframing "Hardcore" Habits for Longevity

Michael confronts the cultural pressure to keep pushing heavy, remarking:
- “I know I am. People are gonna be throwing tomatoes at me, but I'm gonna share it with you because it's just a fact... as I evolve in life, I have to choose my battles.” (01:36)
- On squats and deadlifts: “They served a massive purpose for me for years… But the fact of the matter is is that they hurt my back… I have to choose my battles.” (02:57)

Alternative Techniques and Equipment

Endorses the belt squat attachment as a spine-friendly alternative:
- “One thing that I have been doing, which I've also fallen in love with, was the belt squat attachment… instead of loading your back with all the weight, you actually, you lift with your legs… far less pressure impacting your spine.” (08:24)
Demonstrates openness to experimentation: “I've been interested in playing around with a whole bunch of new things in training, and I feel so much better not doing deadlifts and squats.” (09:12)

Encouragement for Listeners

Empathy for those who struggle with similar exercise-related injuries:
- “If squatting and deadlifting have been things that you love, but they… are your main source of injury… it’s all good. Put them to rest. It's okay. It is really okay.” (09:46)
Reassures that health takes precedence over ego lifting and that there are many paths to building strength.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Our habits will make us or they will break us. I’ve lived on both sides of the tracks and have experienced some of the best and the worst that habits have in store.” (00:35)
“I’ve got to choose my battles, and that is a battle that I don’t feel like I need to fight.” (10:07)
“Lifting weights, resistance training is a big part of my happiness and my life, my health, my longevity. It's a big part of my plan.” (10:39)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00 – Personal experience with pain and the decision to stop heavy squats and deadlifts
01:05 – Introduction to the “Monday Moments” solo episode format
02:07 – Cumulative damage from years of intense fitness activities
03:03 – The precise moment Michael declares he’s done with traditional squats and deadlifts
03:55 – Discovering the benefits of lighter, higher-rep, higher-volume training
08:24 – Explanation and praise for the belt squat attachment as a safe alternative
09:46 – Advice for those whose beloved lifts are causing injury
10:39 – Reflection on the centrality of resistance training to overall well-being

Closing Thoughts

Michael’s honest and relatable approach demystifies the necessity of “core” lifts for every athlete and highlights the importance of adapting habits as you mature or encounter physical setbacks. Embracing new forms of exercise — and letting go of those that do harm — isn’t admitting defeat, but demonstrates wisdom and self-care. Listeners are encouraged to DM Michael for details on his revised training program if interested.

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[00:00]
A
I probably spent at least a year of my life, if not longer in consecutive days, hobbling around in pretty significant pain. So I don't back squat at all, and I don't deadlift at all. And I have fallen in love with lighter weight, higher rep, higher volume, training, higher across the board. What's going on, podcast family? My name is Michael Chernow, and this is the Creatures of Habit podcast. Our habits will make us or they will break us. I've lived on both sides of the tracks and have experienced some of the best and the worst that habits have in store. The decisions we make on a consistent basis truly define who we are as human beings. This episode will be a solo episode where traditionally I interview guests. This is a solo episode where I share with you guys experiences that I've had, things that are relevant in my life today that I think could potentially be interesting for you to hear, things that I simply just want to share or quotes or activities that I've done over the last few weeks that have inspired me. So sit back, relax, and get out your pen and paper, because what you hear in this podcast could potentially make some big changes in your life. Let's go. What up, y'? All? Happy Monday. Happy Monday. Monday. It's a Monday. Well, it's actually not a Monday. It's a Tuesday here. I'm recording on a Tuesday. But for you, potentially, it's a Monday, and maybe it's not a Monday, and that's okay, too. You don't have to listen to Monday moments. Only on Mondays. But I do like Monday moments. So I want to talk to you guys about sort of. For me, it's been a real optimization. And I'm gonna get a lot of shit for saying this. I know I am. People are gonna be throwing tomatoes at me, but I'm gonna share it with you because it's just a fact. For me, I've got a pretty crappy lower back. My lower back has suffered from years of just pounding fitness, snowboarding and skateboarding as a kid. Lots of fitness from twerk, you know, tweaking my hips, from years of Muay Thai to running for many years and then lifting heavy weights. I've just really. Jiu jitsu, like, I really did a number to my lower back. My lower back sucks. And I never thought that I would ever stop squatting. And deadlifting. I love deadlifts and I love squats. Here's the fact. I have not done a single squat. Traditional, back loaded, barbell, back squat. I have not done one in months. I also have not done a traditional conventional deadlift. I do do rack pulls, which are the barbell up on supports in the rack above my knee. So I have been doing some lighter rack pulls, but traditional conventional deadlift and back supported barbell back squats. I do not do them anymore and I could honestly say right here, right now, I don't believe I will ever do them again. They served a massive purpose for me for years. I love doing them, I love challenging myself with them. But the fact of the matter is is that they hurt my back. And I'm not going to say I'm getting old, not going to say that. But I am going to say as I evolve in life, I have to choose my battles. And there are so many things that I have discovered are equally as good for my quads, my glutes, my hamstrings, my back, my traps. There's so many other things that I can do that the squat and the deadlift cover without really putting myself in harm's way and hobbling around. I mean, I probably spent at least a year of my life, if not longer in consecutive days, hobbling around in pretty significant pain. So I don't back squat at all and I don't deadlift at all. And I have fallen in love with lighter weight, higher rep, higher volume training. Across the board. Across the board. I did a push day today and it consisted of the hotel gym. Only had 50 pound dumbbells and I was totally good with that. I did three sets of 25 reps and like it was hard and it felt good and I got the pump that I was looking for. And so there like I am going from feeling the need to lift super heavy weight to like being a little easier on my body. And now that I've got this other thing that I'm focused on that I'm going to talk about in a week or two. Like I'm being a little easier on my body with the weights and I think I'm gonna just keep it this way. Well, let me not say that because you never know, right? Like I could get back into lifting heavy. And one thing that I have been doing, which I've also fallen in love with, was the belt squat attachment. If you don't know what a belt squat attachment is, you know, belt squat is a very expensive, it's not a very expensive, but it's a big machine that I can't have in my home gym. So they make these attachments that you can put on your rack and you attach a weight belt to and you can load it up. And instead of loading your back with all the weight, you actually, you lift with your legs. And it's attached to your body on your hips, so it's far less pressure impacting your spine. I've been doing a lot of belt squats. I do heel elevated belt squats with a couple of. With wedges under my heels. So there's. I've been interested in playing around with a whole bunch of new things in training, and I feel so much better not doing deadlifts and squats. It's just where I'm at. And I don't think that I'm gonna go back. That's a fact. And so if squatting and deadlifting have been things that you love, but they. They really do. They, like, they're your main source of injury. Cause they were, for me, like, it's all good. Put them to rest. It's okay. It is really okay. Like, I know that it feels good to put a lot of weight on a bar and squat it, but, man, like, I've got to choose my battles, and that is a battle that I don't feel like I need to fight. All right, y'. All, I just wanted to share that with you. I hope this podcast struck a chord for you. If you lift weights, if you don't lift weights, you probably are long gone at this point, But I lift weights. Lifting weights, resistance training is a big part of my happiness and my life, my health, my longevity. It's a big part of my plan. So when something comes up like that, I want to share it with y'. All. And yeah, DM me and I can, you know, I'll send you what a new program looks like, what my new programming looks like without big back squats and conventional deadlifts. All right, y'. All. Share the podcast, Post the podcast. Subscribe to the podcast. Five star rating and a review would be awesome. Until the next one. Peace.