[Balboa]

I don't have access to a squat rack at the moment. What's a good substitute - bar squats at lower weight/higher reps, dumbbell squats, leg press? Something else?

[WanderingSoul]

Try to get access to a rack or power cage ASAP. Until then, leg press and hack squats work well.

[DLZ]

Clean it up to your shoulders and do high-rep front squats.

Front squats are good for your form, too.

[Kieran]

Clean the bar and front squat (weight will be limited by your clean, but should allow a decent amount). Also Goblet squats for reps work well.

[granola]

Clean from the ground, shoulder to overhead, bring it down on your back...squat away. Or front squats.

[Mage]

Lunges. Can be done with barbells, dumbbells or triceps bar. I Prefer to include hamstring rises with them as they isolate quadriceps better than squats.

or this:

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

[dog24]

Snatch followed by overhead squats

[Thomas the Rhymer]

Deadlifts and dumbbell squats.

I'd say no to the leg press.

[WanderingSoul]

Why would you say no to leg presses? Deadlifts are not a squat substitute, they should already be in your program. You can't go heavy on dumbbell squats or cleaning to front squats, so leg presses are one of your best alternatives to gain size and strength.

[worldwidetraveler]

I took a break from the squat rack and replaced them with some air squats. I was surprised at how well those hit my legs. Try holding a squat position for some time and you will feel a nice burn.

[StealthAlpha]

z squats with a bench and barbell

[thegmanifesto]

What is your guys take on dumbbell squats?

Like them? Dislike? Why?

[JayMillz]

(07-15-2013 11:47 PM)Balboa Wrote:  

I don't have access to a squat rack at the moment. What's a good substitute - bar squats at lower weight/higher reps, dumbbell squats, leg press? Something else?

What's your goal? Are you simply trying to build mass?

[Vaun]

drill in your snatch, just practice your snatch with a lower weight for a while. overhead squat pistols(one legged squat) if you want to get funky. lunge squats. overhead walking lunges. farmer carries. overhead stair climbs like this

[worldwidetraveler]

(07-16-2013 10:55 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

What is your guys take on dumbbell squats?

Like them? Dislike? Why?

I have been doing some one legged squats with a dumbbell.

I feel a good burn in my legs but it is also helping me improve my balance.

[Snok]

(07-16-2013 11:22 AM)worldwidetraveler Wrote:  

(07-16-2013 10:55 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

What is your guys take on dumbbell squats?

Like them? Dislike? Why?

I have been doing some one legged squats with a dumbbell.

I feel a good burn in my legs but it is also helping me improve my balance.

Yeah, I like that one too. Here is a good vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDC-Et16DKg

I do it ocationally to get a break from squats and also when I prepare to skiing season.

[worldwidetraveler]

(07-16-2013 11:40 AM)Snok Wrote:  

Yeah, I like that one too. Here is a good vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDC-Et16DKg

I do it ocationally to get a break from squats and also when I prepare to skiing season.

I've been hitting them this way as well.

[canucktraveller]

(07-16-2013 09:34 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  

Why would you say no to leg presses? Deadlifts are not a squat substitute, they should already be in your program. You can't go heavy on dumbbell squats or cleaning to front squats, so leg presses are one of your best alternatives to gain size and strength.

Leg presses are an ego lift and they are really bad for your knee's and lower back.


I would do overhead squats and pistol squats if I had no rack. Both will kick the shit out of you at low weights

[Hades]

Dumbbell squats are not very good unless the rep range exceeds 20 and the total weight (carried?) is at least 150 pounds. It's not possible to load enough weight otherwise to make it worthwhile.
If you use one dumbbell (or two, I guess) to help stabilize while you do pistol squats, however, that's worthwhile.

OP, everybody here covered pretty much all of your options if you have a barbell.

If you have no barbell, you can always go to a beach, steal about two hundred pounds of sand, and sack it up into tire innertubes tied with zip ties and super glue or heavy duty ziploc bags - then throw every little sand bag into a heavy military duffle, then heave it onto your back or clean it and do as many squats or zercher squats as possible.

Either that or spend a few weeks learning to do the pistol squat.

(07-16-2013 01:13 PM)lush1 Wrote:  

I'm having the same problem as I train at home ina small spare room. I've come to the conclusion that you need a squat rack. I've plateaud because I can clean much less than I need to squat to add bulk.

For back squats, you can cheat and use no rack.
If you have bumper plates (preferable, though any will do), you can put as much weight as you can safely squat on the bar. Then get two small pieces of rubber, the size of a post-it note, and wrap it around the bar, flush to the plates. Find yourself the most heavy duty hose clamps that money can buy and get four of them. Put two on each end over the rubber and cinch it up as tight as possible, so the plates have absolutely no room to wiggle and possibly gain momentum to snap the seal from your heavy duty hose clamps.

Then lift one end up the barbell up until it points straight upwards. Side-tackle the barbell, grabbing the bar and resting it behind your neck. While gripping it tightly to your upper back, carefully lower down into "the hole" or the bottom part of the squat position. Stand up and adjust the barbell on your upper back.

To take it off, just heave it on the ground or do the other steps in reverse.

I don't recommend just "anybody" go out and try this, but it is what the 'old timers' would do before Bob Peoples invented the power rack and squat cage. The entire system relies on making damned sure the plates do not slide off one end.

[lush1]

I'm having the same problem as I train at home ina small spare room. I've come to the conclusion that you need a squat rack. I've plateaud because I can clean much less than I need to squat to add bulk.

[thegmanifesto]

(07-16-2013 01:08 PM)Hades Wrote:  

Dumbbell squats are not very good unless the rep range exceeds 20 and the total weight (carried?) is at least 150 pounds. It's not possible to load enough weight otherwise to make it worthwhile.
If you use one dumbbell (or two, I guess) to help stabilize while you do pistol squats, however, that's worthwhile.

What do you recommend? One or two?

[JayMillz]

(07-16-2013 11:19 AM)puckman Wrote:  

overhead stair climbs like this

this is the truth!

[Hades]

(07-16-2013 01:20 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(07-16-2013 01:08 PM)Hades Wrote:  

Dumbbell squats are not very good unless the rep range exceeds 20 and the total weight (carried?) is at least 150 pounds. It's not possible to load enough weight otherwise to make it worthwhile.
If you use one dumbbell (or two, I guess) to help stabilize while you do pistol squats, however, that's worthwhile.

What do you recommend? One or two?

I take it you are familiar with kettlebells and the pistol squat? The clean, etc.

What you can do is hold one dumbbell (or kettlebell) in the clean position, and keep switching the dumbbell from one side to the other depending on which single leg you are squatting down on.

You can also hold two dumbbells or kettlebells in the clean position on either side, this seems to help balance in the same way. I also knew a guy who would clutch a 45 pound plate to his chest, same principle. It boils down to preference and individual body mechanics to some degree, everybody has to experiment to find what works.

Other people hold a KB or dumbbell directly in front of them, like a handgun. I use this method and find it to be most effective for balance.

The first two methods (imo) are for more advanced pistol squatters, since you can theoretically hold 200 pounds in the double-dumbbell clean position without too much trouble. The third method is limited somewhat, most people would have trouble holding more than fifty or sixty pounds out in front of them for very long.

[bhawthorne]

Here are 5 different routines from MadBarz (1 beginner, 3 medium, 2 hard).

There should be more than enough exercises in here to give you an idea. Another exercise not mentioned in these routines is skater squats:

[Aliblahba]

   


   

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