Can this belt squat be programmed as a primary lift?
I recently was able to demo the Squatmax MD. No lever arms, no pulleys, just free weight loaded on a pin connected to a belt below my center of gravity. I was extremely impressed. Had a 45lb plate with a pair of bands on it and i felt my quads and glutes light on fire without having to load my spine. With the addition of a short pin they call a 'transformer pin' that was used to manipulate the center of gravity by changing the attachment point for the belt, I was able to emphasize quads or glutes to my liking. I had never tried a belt squat prior to this, either this is a really good unit or I was easily impressed. Also I found it much easier to squat at a deeper depth than with a loaded barbell on my back. After a few sets my legs felt like jelly.
Can this added/subbed into the program for us more "broken down" individuals to get stronger without having to load the spine? Can it be programmed like the barbell squat on LP or is it just an accessory exercise to add volume?
I'm feeling more broken down than what my biological age of 45 would indicate. I have significant trouble loading my back and stabilizing the bar due to thoracic disc disease; has been an issue for 20 years. Repaired the labrums in both shoulders in my mid-30s, tennis elbow surgery in my dominant right arm 3-years ago, and trigger finger surgery in 8 of my fingers over the last 13 years; only the thumbs have been spared. My doc says the trigger finger is due to thickening of the tendons caused by exposure to high blood sugar (I've had T1 diabetes since I was 9). Last November I had emergency surgery to drain my knee due to an inflammatory reaction/infection caused by an Orthovisc injection. I spent a week in the hospital getting intravenous antibiotics.