Life Without Squats?

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

OK, first off...I do my squats. Always will.

Secondly - I know the canned answers....go to another gym, you cant get strong without squats, not doing squats can cause cancer in the states of NY and CA and a life without squats is empty and depressing.

With that out of the way, we have a gym at work and a co-worker (in his 40s) wants to start lifting and the work gym is all he is willing to use..not negotiable. He came to me and asked me about strength training. Our gym has the full gambit of machines: leg press, chest press, overhead press, lower back, curls, etc.), along with a Smith machine. However, we also have a barbell, 400+ pounds of weights and dumbbells up to 85 pounds each. There is no squat rack or place to bench with the bar safely.

First thing...I sent him the link to Barbell Prescription strength over 40 and told him to read it, twice. In the interim, I was thinking inclined or flat dumbbell presses, overhead presses either from a clean or dumbbells, deadlifts and bent rows (shoulder injury from hockey prevents chinning). These can be programmed in a linear progression for a novice. But as far as squats go, I was thinking SGDL's and leg presses as a substitute. Or possibly deficit deadlifts, SLDL and leg press, each once per week.

Any other thoughts (other than figure out a way to squat)?

Thanks

[Cody]

Uh, you can absolutely get strong without squats. Squats are awesome, but there are plenty of ways to make a 40-something strong without them.

You already mentioned SGDL and leg press (leg presses are awesome). There's also lunges and split squats with the dumbbells.

Use what you've got and make due.

[Meshuggah]

Behind the back (Hack) deadlifts build the lower quads quite nicely, and they have always made my knees feel great.
I dont plan on doing any kind of back squats for a few months, I'm in Minimalist Mode for the summer.

[MBasic]

certain smith machines you can pin the smith bar up high, and get it out of the way. . . .
. . . and then use the smith hooking system to hold a barbell, like a conventional squat rack.
Some use a series of hooks that will act like J-cups. Others use a peg system that won't work.
__________________________________________________ ____________________________

But yeah, what Cody said, the leg press is pretty awesome leg builder too.

[Aaron Montgomery]

When/if I reach a 405lb squat, I want to look into squat variations that'll make my quads explode. Sure wish I had a leg press machine...

[SSZach]

Marty Gallagher teaches the goblet squat as the beginning of his squat progression. With up to 85lbs dumbbells you could do that for a while.

[Christopher Anderson]

Echoing what Cody said about using the leg press as a good way to build up leg strength, as well as utilizing the dumbbells. Having them go up to 85 is pretty awesome for a company gym.

[iamsmuts]

Do you have a skateboard, a wall, and some dumbbells? . . . Just kidding. You should have him do leg presses in the Smith machine with his back on the ground.

How bad is squatting in the Smith machine? You can't fall over, but the movement should be pretty similar, right? With the low bar back squat we aim for a vertical bar path over mid foot. Can this, or something really close, be done in a Smith machine? I've never been in one.

[tnumrych]

I'm 34 and I'm starting to contemplate never squatting again. I've been dealing with trochanteric bursitis/glute med tendinopathy/snapping hip for several years now. Any repeated hip flexion/extension flares it up. I've tried ART, stretching, isolation exercises, foam rolling, Graston, with various results. One thing I know is that they all are temporary. I was without pain for a few months while being a sedentary piece of shit and just started back last week under the bar. I'm up to a mean 165 lb squat and the hip has already flared up.

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

i was talking to someone last night and the trap bar DL came up. I was thinking a hex bar dl with lower handles might sub nicely for squats too. Maybe I can get work to purchase one.