Squat substitute

[Jeremy Tully]

I am sorry but this isn't the reason why I made the question. The obvious solution is of course to change gym and find a rack, if I could I would do it and I won't be asking. Thanks for your answers and your time, I don't want to be rude or something, but I would appreciate it to get an answer, even if it's like the one you gave me before that there is no substitute.

There is no substitute for the squat. The best thing you can do to make up for this very sub optimal situation, other than the answer you don't want to hear, is add backoff sets for more deadlift volume. Try doing your heavy set, then adding 2 backoff sets of 5 at 80% of your top set. Stay away from the Smith Machine.

But really... get a better gym situation as soon as you possibly can.

[Oldster]

I use the PGDL myself, Oldster, but I was afraid to admit it for fear that I'd be tarred and feathered and unceremoniously escorted out. (In fact, since I've been training at home and don't have a cage or rack, it's my primary power movement. But don't tell anyone else.)

Love the movement, blues. Not afraid to admit it. Tough not to get strong by handling big weights. I also train in a garage gym with 6,000 pounds of weights, a dip, bench, chin, and squat rack stations, combined with unlimited DBs (adjustable) and around 5 or 6 different bars!

There is no substitute. Find a better gym. I'm real sorry, but that's the answer.

It is, but circumstances dictate our lives.

In my gym there is, also, no trap bar ��
Last year, when I was in another gym, I maxed my Squat at 140kg. Definitely I am not even close now to that number.
Front Squat can be an option if I use that short barbell stand, used for curls, and start my movement from a lower position. Not sure about that actually.

I can only clean around 50kg at the moment, I can go a bit higher if I train few weeks on it, I tried it recently. But they are very few kgs to back squat them. Should I try to clean and front Squat?

Do you think leg press can help?

Of course clean and front squat! A leg press is a poor substitute, but better than absolutely nothing.

Years ago I corresponded with a fellow living in Australia's outback on a farm. He made a bar of correct length and fashioned his weights from concrete. After twenty years of deadlifting combined with the clean and press, he put on over 100 pounds of bodyweight and handled stupendous poundage's in both movements. He was an animal from the two lifts, although he admitted to me to occasionally rowing and curling. It's been a long time, but if memory serves me correctly, he deadlifted over 700 and C&P over 400, sometimes front squatting it, too. But then, he was isolated from the lifting crowds and focused on the two movements he could do alone and continually add weight. No distractions. He was, probably still is, a mountain.

[Down]

There is no substitute for the squat. The best thing you can do to make up for this very sub optimal situation, other than the answer you don't want to hear, is add backoff sets for more deadlift volume. Try doing your heavy set, then adding 2 backoff sets of 5 at 80% of your top set. Stay away from the Smith Machine.

But really... get a better gym situation as soon as you possibly can.

Thank you for your answer, I can hear the answer but the solution it's not so easy unfortunately.

Do you think adding backoff sets on deadlift and doing clean and front squat can help me at the moment?

It is, but circumstances dictate our lives.

Exactly!

Of course clean and front squat! A leg press is a poor substitute, but better than absolutely nothing.

The only thing that worries me is how can I combine clean and FS with power cleans, would it be much to have those both on a day?

Years ago I corresponded with a fellow living in Australia's outback on a farm. He made a bar of correct length and fashioned his weights from concrete. After twenty years of deadlifting combined with the clean and press, he put on over 100 pounds of bodyweight and handled stupendous poundage's in both movements. He was an animal from the two lifts, although he admitted to me to occasionally rowing and curling. It's been a long time, but if memory serves me correctly, he deadlifted over 700 and C&P over 400, sometimes front squatting it, too. But then, he was isolated from the lifting crowds and focused on the two movements he could do alone and continually add weight. No distractions. He was, probably still is, a mountain.

Sounds a very interesting story for real!

[Mark E. Hurling]

Hip belt squat.

[Dave_M]

You aren't committed to that gym, your money is. I'm sure they give zero shits whether you actually train there or not.

Snatch grip deadlift might be another option.

What are the heaviest DB's they have?

[MBasic]

Do they have a leg press?
Heavy leg presses are good.

Do they have barbells? I assume they have barbells.
Certain Smith machines, you can lockoff the Smith bar all they up to the top, and then use the hooks LIKE rack...some you can't.

Power clean it do front squats...might be somewhat limited by you clean.

Clean it, do lunges....legpresses along with lundea after sounds good.

Snatch grip deadlifts with legpresses sound good.

[Down]

You aren't committed to that gym, your money is. I'm sure they give zero shits whether you actually train there or not.

Snatch grip deadlift might be another option.

What are the heaviest DB's they have?

Of course my money are committed, there isn't someone who pulls me to the gym everyday lol.
They heaviest are 35kg.

Do they have a leg press?
Heavy leg presses are good.

Do they have barbells? I assume they have barbells.
Certain Smith machines, you can lockoff the Smith bar all they up to the top, and then use the hooks LIKE rack...some you can't.

Power clean it do front squats...might be somewhat limited by you clean.

Clean it, do lunges....legpresses along with lundea after sounds good.

Snatch grip deadlifts with legpresses sound good.

They have leg press. The smith machine is exactly that one http://www.impulsefitnessuk.com/medi...i/t/it7001.jpg

I just wonder what can be an, as possible as we can say, optimal substitute if we consider doing power cleans in the same day or not.

[NCuba]

3x5 DL every workout, can do one top set with backoffs if you like. Wish I did my LP like that.

You can alternate cleaned-FS and PC for their own sake after DLs on an A/B schedule.

[Dave_M]

Of course my money are committed, there isn't someone who pulls me to the gym everyday lol.
They heaviest are 35kg.

What I'm saying is you can always cut your losses, depending on your financial situation.

You can sort of replicate a trap bar deadlift with DB's, but toping out at 35 kg, you are not going to get much out of it unless you are very weak. I guess a gym that doesn't have a rack is not likely to have 50 kg+ DB's either.

[Brodie Butland]

I would never suggest that you intentionally violate a contract...your signature is your word, and your gym could sue you and get their money back. But I have a story that I'd like to tell.

Back in the day, I was committed to a two-year gym contract at $35/month in a large corporate chain. They automatically drew from my credit card each month.

About six months before the contract ended, I lost my credit card and had to get a replacement. Which meant suddenly my gym could no longer autodraft. By that time I had moved and was going to a local YMCA instead of my big box.

What did they do? Nothing, nada, zero, zip, zilch. I assume this is because it was only about $200 they were going to lose out, and it simply wasn't worth their time to pursue me. Their only real option was to file in small claims court, which would not only take up a day of their time, but they also would have to hire an attorney since an employee cannot "represent" a corporation in court...unauthorized practice of law and such.