Alternatives to squats.

[Deadendgeneration]

So my new gym doesn't have a squat rack kind of eliminating squats and presses from my routine. Anyone offer some decent alternatives. I'm still going to do deadlifts, bench presses and power cleans but need to replace what I can't do.

[Scrap]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWf-b1zP2E

[Deserter]

So my new gym doesn't have a squat rack kind of eliminating squats and presses from my routine. Anyone offer some decent alternatives. I'm still going to do deadlifts, bench presses and power cleans but need to replace what I can't do.

Fella, I'm in the same boat, but I've got round it pretty easily - bought an Olympic bar (if you're doing deads I'm assuming you've already got one in there?) and I'm doing these two:

Front squats:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVNblYv02z0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnV6Lqj ... re=related

Overhead squats:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efGFLAZm ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCWLs1jTOVE

In all honesty, I went to a gym with a squat rack recently and my 'normal' squats (back squats) have actually improved because of doing the two harder exercises. Overhead squats in particular are amazing for the core.
In both cases, cleaning from the floor is all you need to get in the right position.

[TempleSlave]

So my new gym doesn't have a squat rack kind of eliminating squats and presses from my routine. Anyone offer some decent alternatives. I'm still going to do deadlifts, bench presses and power cleans but need to replace what I can't do.

What do you aim for in your leg training? If for strength/hypertrophy then without a rack you may have a bit of a problem. If for power then you'll find plenty options as you don't need so much weight.

[Deadendgeneration]

More for power than anything else. Hopefully my vpn will start working again soon and I can check out them videos. There's a bit about front squats in Starting Strength so I'll have a look over it again, my main worry was, as I can squat a lot more than I can clean, the weight I would be doing with front squats would be a lot lower, so should I up the reps or something?

I'm tempted to buy a rack but as I'm not loaded at the moment, I'm worried I might be doing more harm by getting one on the cheap.

[Deserter]

More for power than anything else. Hopefully my vpn will start working again soon and I can check out them videos. There's a bit about front squats in Starting Strength so I'll have a look over it again, my main worry was, as I can squat a lot more than I can clean, the weight I would be doing with front squats would be a lot lower, so should I up the reps or something?

I'm tempted to buy a rack but as I'm not loaded at the moment, I'm worried I might be doing more harm by getting one on the cheap.

Templeslave makes a fair point but by the sound of things you're the same as me in terms of goals. You should find your max weight with front squats is considerably lower than back squats so having to clean it won't necessarily present the same problem and that's even more the case with overhead squats

[TempleSlave]

You can also:
- vary the rep tempo - make you eccentric phase much longer - up to 5 or even 8 sec
- add plyometric jumps
- mix both - makes for a killer workout - before your body adapts and it becomes easy, that is
- work unilaterally - one legged squats, different step-ups, step-downs, lunges (forward, backward, to the sides)

[Poncey]

Pistol squats.

Even if your gym does have a rack, this is a much more effective exercise.

[TempleSlave]

Pistol squats.

Even if your gym does have a rack, this is a much more effective exercise.

Yeah, only before you're able to do them, they seem almost impossible to do. Once you've conquered them they quickly become too easy.
Having said that, add any weight, even couple of 4kg dumbbells and they're effing hard again
Also even though they're great body weight exercise, I'm not sure if they will help if you want to build really big legs. As the balance is quite an issue, you will never be able to load a lot of weight.

[Deserter]

Pistol squats.

Even if your gym does have a rack, this is a much more effective exercise.

Yeah, only before you're able to do them, they seem almost impossible to do. Once you've conquered them they quickly become too easy.
Having said that, add any weight, even couple of 4kg dumbbells and they're effing hard again
Also even though they're great body weight exercise, I'm not sure if they will help if you want to build really big legs. As the balance is quite an issue, you will never be able to load a lot of weight.

Agreed.

[Deadendgeneration]

How would you build up to doing them? Just use a bench or something?

[TempleSlave]

How would you build up to doing them? Just use a bench or something?

I helped one of my clients get to do them quite quickly by making her do one leg sit-downs (and ups) on reebok deck. Then I made the deck lower and assisted her with getting up - you can just use something stable to hold on to. She's now better then me

[TempleSlave]

Yet another alternative, if your knees survive it that is
Mine did (yesterday) therefore I'm sharing it. Just don't go all the way up to keep maximum intensity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx9p7mt8oyE

[Deadendgeneration]

Yet another alternative, if your knees survive it that is
Mine did (yesterday) therefore I'm sharing it. Just don't go all the way up to keep maximum intensity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx9p7mt8oyE

Hey what's the video off? Can't get on youtube here in China :( Thanks.

[TempleSlave]

Yet another alternative, if your knees survive it that is
Mine did (yesterday) therefore I'm sharing it. Just don't go all the way up to keep maximum intensity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx9p7mt8oyE

Hey what's the video off? Can't get on youtube here in China :( Thanks.

The exercise is called 'Sissy Squat'.

[GAV]

Yet another alternative, if your knees survive it that is
Mine did (yesterday) therefore I'm sharing it. Just don't go all the way up to keep maximum intensity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx9p7mt8oyE

Very interesting exercise. In all the places I've ever trained around the world and all the coaches I've worked with I've never before seen this one.

What muscle groups does it target?
What type of setsxreps have you been doing with it?

[TempleSlave]

Yet another alternative, if your knees survive it that is
Mine did (yesterday) therefore I'm sharing it. Just don't go all the way up to keep maximum intensity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx9p7mt8oyE

Very interesting exercise. In all the places I've ever trained around the world and all the coaches I've worked with I've never before seen this one.

What muscle groups does it target?
What type of setsxreps have you been doing with it?

I've only done it once - couple of days ago. It didn't smash my VMOs (teardrop-like muscle in your tigh) which I sort of expected but more of a 2 inner heads of quads. To me it looks like body weight version of machine leg extension, with a bit different resistance distribution - the hardest part being at the bottom of the movement.
Just did 4 sets, supersetted with another exercise. Every set untlil failure - 6-8 reps.

[zojo]

Front squats with light weight
Hack Squats (basically a deadlift where the bar is placed behind your legs when you lift off the floor)
Overhead squats with just the bar
Deep, quick squats with a medicine ball
Single dumbbell deadlifts (love them)
Jumping box squats
Jumping squats with light dumbbells
Bench squats

[Deserter]

Overhead squats with just the bar

Why just the bar? Agree that's a good starting point to get technique down to pat, but like everything else it should be about progressive loading.

[zojo]

Overhead squats with just the bar

Why just the bar? Agree that's a good starting point to get technique down to pat, but like everything else it should be about progressive loading.

It's all about the balance.

What I mean is that once you add weight to it, you will naturally start leaning forward rather than keeping the weight above your crown.

[Deserter]

Overhead squats with just the bar

Why just the bar? Agree that's a good starting point to get technique down to pat, but like everything else it should be about progressive loading.

It's all about the balance.

What I mean is that once you add weight to it, you will naturally start leaning forward rather than keeping the weight above your crown.

Well I can assure you that I'm lifting 70kg on OHS and if I leant forward, I'd fall over. The whole point is that you work your core stability massively to maintain the correct posture, as you can see from the videos I posted.

[zojo]

Why just the bar? Agree that's a good starting point to get technique down to pat, but like everything else it should be about progressive loading.

It's all about the balance.

What I mean is that once you add weight to it, you will naturally start leaning forward rather than keeping the weight above your crown.

Well I can assure you that I'm lifting 70kg on OHS and if I leant forward, I'd fall over. The whole point is that you work your core stability massively to maintain the correct posture, as you can see from the videos I posted.

Absolutely

[bigred83]

Overhead squats with just the bar

Why just the bar? Agree that's a good starting point to get technique down to pat, but like everything else it should be about progressive loading.

It's all about the balance.

What I mean is that once you add weight to it, you will naturally start leaning forward rather than keeping the weight above your crown.

U also need massive shoulder flexibility. U wont lean forward if u have it. If u dont, work on all ur arm stretches after workouts, and dynamic movements to warm up until u do. Great movement to be able to do

[TempleSlave]

Got one more - I'm using it to torture my clients
Can be done with couple of fairly light dumbbells held with each hand or - for a start - even with nothing at all.
Stand in front of a bench or reebok deck, feet hip-widh apart. Begin the eccentric (negative) phase like with normal squat until you're all the way down. Next, instead of starting usual concentric (positive/up) phase of squat, jump explosively on the deck/bench in front of you. Then immediately jump down on the floor (on soft knees!) and straight away start going down again.
Important: for best intensity, the eccentric (going down) phase must be done slowly, so it takes about 5-6 sec to complete.
Try to do 10-15 reps with good form.
Progression: when it becomes too easy, try the same but with pistol squat 8)
Enjoy.

[mark a h]

Bosu 1 leg squats are a great bodyweight exercise also great for balance