andyparry123

are there any alternatives to squats? (no leg press, power rack or smith) at our gym at the moment (though i am campaigning!) and 100kg on a standard bar is wrecking my shoulders! would substituting for anything else work? (I already do deadlifts).

the_gre8t_1ne

Leg Press? Lunges?

big

Join a different gym.

Failing that, hack squat old-school style and stiff-legged deads.

Keyser Soze

All right Andy,

You say "no leg press" - just checking, you're not talking about the leg EXTENSION (and curl) machine where your legs are parallel to the floor? Because I've found that machine can be an absolute treasure, and pretty much every gym has one - I myself have one in my home gym.

There's a widespread prejudice in the BB community against machines, but don't believe it, many of the top guys use them for isolation/finishing touches, but as an addition or occasional replacement, there's nothing better (there's nothing at all, ha!). For example, I train alone at home, so I can't go as mad on the squat as I like because nobody would hear me scream, "Help!", so I hammer my quads with some leg extensions.

No, nothing beats free weights, but machines come a much closer second than people imagine, in my experience.

So, for your purposes, until you can change gym, simulate the squat as closely as possible in your choice; leg extensions, deadlifts, and good mornings, these latter ones prepare your lower back and stabilisers REALLY well for the squat. So nearly all the same muscle groups are getting hit; hips, quads, and lower back.

But...bear in mind this is just to tide you over until you can take the advice to change gym; the squat is THE most beneficial overall BB'ing tool, and no offence mate, but a 100Kg squat isn't a world record, so I think an investment of a few extra quid a month, and a few extra minutes commuting, would pay you handsome dividends.


KS

Edit - if you ever get your own gym, you can just tape some sofa foam around the bar, that'll stop it cutting into your back.

Carlos901

u should never miss squats, squats should be in every routine. like big said, join another gym

John

do hacks with the oly bar behind you, or leg presses if you can or get another gym.

hackskii

Hacks and lunges.
The lunge is nice as one leg is doing kindof a squat the other is doing kindof an extension.
Take some dumbells and lunge around the gym.
You can do them with bodyweight till you get them down.

You can run bleachers too, they will hammer the quads.

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Scott

DB

u mean the bar is diggin in too much?

stop being a pussy

take a towel in mate if u have a problem with it?

how about front squats?

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the_gre8t_1ne

Why dont you say how you realy feel?:love:

Magic Torch

I was just about to type that, build up your shoulders mate and take in a towel or a jumper and put it round your neck!

If it was somthing else like knee pain or somthing else then fair play but 'the bar digs in my shoulder'?!?! WTF?

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Aftershock

After warming up do a set of leg extension to failure and then move imediately to the squat rack, you wont have to worry about 100k digging into your traps cause you will be lucky to squat with 60k

hackskii

I was doing 10 sets of 10 on the extensions using 15-20 second rest between.
When you get up around 80 reps you are hatin life
I do those sometimes just for legs (quads) all by them selves.

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Scott

trickymicky69

in my experience when people say the bar is hurting when they squat, it is because the bar is to high on their shoulders. although the correct placement feels very strange try dropping the bar down your back a bit more so its almost in line with your posterior deltoids and it is resting right at the top of your rhomboids. it will feel like it is really far down but this is where you need to be if you want to stop whingeing about your shoulders hurting. if i even attempted to use a towel to wrap round the bar in my gym i would be laughed outta town! no gloves, no straps, no bench suits and no bloody towels

bdc

Aftershock- why would you pre-exhaust the quads with isolation before the most beneficial lift he can do? i would prefer to squat with a different method and work all the effected muscle groups fully.

As many people have said already, barbell hack squats are a great thing to do if you are struggling to do back squats, you wont be able to lift as much weight with them so it might buy you some time before you move gym. Front squats can be worth while (as long as you can clean a weight effective enough for your chosen training method). Try unilateral bulgarian squats if you fancy a challenge, great for evening out imbalances if you have any.

Bottom line is, you cant do the most effective lift there is, dont sacrifice it. I was in your position, trained at a leisure centre gym (max 30kg dumbells) and whined about not being able to strength train. I worked there and could train for free, i decided to travel half an hour to a club a lot further away, pay for its use and its the best decision i have done in my lifting career. If you want real progress, train somewhere else

Delhi

There is NO alternative to squats...............................there is however 'other' leg exercises.