does anyone have one of these (sissy squat/roman chair squat

[golfwolf]

Does anyone have one of these? Thoughts? I think I found one for a reasonable price and am considering picking it up.

Can you use a barbell or weighted vest with this for additional resistance? I'm curious if it'll tip over.

Thanks.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/pro93165w.jpg


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[nategismyhero]

bump my buddy and i were trying to improvise one today at the gym we were at. the burn is uncompararable but you do hit a plateu pretty quick so weights would help good post!

[Shoua]

I don't have one but I've used one before and it shouldn't tip over. I've never used it with a barbell before but I've used it with holding dumbbells and one 45 lb plate on each side. It seems like you would have some stability issues if you used it with a barbell depending on how heavy you go. Plus, you would have to lean forward more to keep the barbell on your back. You're probably better off holding the bar in a zercher or front squat position. But this exercise with BW alone is already pretty challenging if you try to use as much ROM as possible.

Another alternative is the quad blaster which is a bit more portable.
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If you can find a sissy squat bench for around $100-$150 then I think that's a pretty good deal because it seems like most of them are in the $200+ range.

[Keetman]

..............You're probably better off holding the bar in a zercher or front squat position. But this exercise with BW alone is already pretty challenging if you try to use as much ROM as possible.

If you can find a sissy squat bench for around $100-$150 then I think that's a pretty good deal because it seems like most of them are in the $200+ range.



I'm not sure as I've never tried it, but using a barbell in a front squat position for this exercise seems like it could very well lead to disaster. If the user falls back out of balance..... ouch.... no F'ING OUCH.

OP, I think this exercise is so difficult that db's should be fine. I've seen guys use them and their faces looked like they were in a lot of pain. If you build up enough strength in your legs, back....in general your whole posterior... you could even learn to prop up your heals and do them without a device. (This is admittedly very challenging.... I can do it, but I'm not 100% I'm doing it right.... its neat to try though and its one of those things not everyone can do, so its rewarding to some extent ;)).

[thedickus]

I've only ever done these the old fashioned way. Hold a plate onto your chest with one hand, hold onto a pole with the other hand, get on the balls of your feet/toes, lean back and thrust your hips forward while squatting up.

[Cpl.Girthington]

I'd second what Keet said. Seated leg extensions are hotly contended by ortho's, PT's, and the like as being good for rehab or terrible for knee stabilizing ligaments (the guys who say it's bad seem to have a better argument in my eyes). I'd say that motion is similar to these, and if you got a bit off balance with your legs locked into place between the pads- with a barbell on your back, you could create a lifelong knee issue in an instant.

[keyboardworkout]

Maybe something like the Frank Zane Leg Blaster would be a better alternative.

http://www.frankzane.com/EQUIPMENT.htm

[golfwolf]

I'm not sure as I've never tried it, but using a barbell in a front squat position for this exercise seems like it could very well lead to disaster. If the user falls back out of balance..... ouch.... no F'ING OUCH.

OP, I think this exercise is so difficult that db's should be fine. I've seen guys use them and their faces looked like they were in a lot of pain. If you build up enough strength in your legs, back....in general your whole posterior... you could even learn to prop up your heals and do them without a device. (This is admittedly very challenging.... I can do it, but I'm not 100% I'm doing it right.... its neat to try though and its one of those things not everyone can do, so its rewarding to some extent ;)).


If I tried these and needed more resistance I'd probably go either the dumbbell or weight vest route. Unless those two could cause damage.

[Keetman]

If I tried these and needed more resistance I'd probably go either the dumbbell or weight vest route. Unless those two could cause damage.


I'm not an exercise physiologist, PT, or physician.... so I'm cautious about advising what will cause "damage" or not. I do what I want to do in as safe a manner as I can, I try to listen to my body, and I try not to do stuff that is reckless or clearly stupid (I fail plenty on the latter...but that's another issue). If I were to do these regularly and needed to increase the resistance, I would use the db's or vest before I tried a bb in a front squat position.


Here is a decent article on sissy squats: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/real_men_do_sissy_squats


Here is a pic (from that tnation article) showing a pretty big dude doing them with some pretty cool globe dbs. The weight is probably pretty impressive from what I know about globe dbs.... but the dude looks like he's getting ready to poop out a baby rhino.

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq203/Keetman/Odd%20or%20Misc/SISSYSQUATPAINFULPIC.jpg



Another old school pic of a sissy squat being done with a barbell. This just looks like an iron meal waiting to happen:

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq203/Keetman/Odd%20or%20Misc/barbellsissysquat.jpg

[hardNheavy2011]

I think I might have answered this in another forum but I'll give my .02 here too. I built a sissy squat about a year ago and honestly, I only used it a few times before knee pains kept me away from it. I was using it more for pre-exhausting my quads before each set of squats. I'm considering starting them up again though. Whenever I used additional weight, which wasn't very easy, I used my safety squat bar. I built this with some metal and pad that I had leftover from some other projects. The pad just happened to work out perfectly. LOL

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Turboboy/DSC03205.jpg

[slimneverdies]

I asked this question in another forum...


Yeah, I've built the majority of my weight equipment. I've done them weighted too with a barbell but it gets a little tricky trying to get in and out of the thing. I would have used dumbbells but I don't have any. LOL
have to bring this one back...

HardNheavy I've been on the fence about building one of these myself. I'm curious to know are you saying that you stop using this machine cause you have knee issues or are you saying that it puts your knee in a uncompromising position that you can't perform them?

I need something to add into my routine since I'm constantly having lower back issues when I barbell squat. Also I just had my acl reconstructed in Feburary and just started doing body weight squats in rehab. Hopefully I can throw this in my arsenal to get some size back in my thighs but if it's to much stress in the knees I'll scratch that idea. My pt has forbidden me to do any type of leg extensions and this almost seems like a reverse leg extension. I would just ask my pt but since my insurance ran out I'm at the mercy of my own rehab.

Thanks
Slim

[hardNheavy2011]

I asked this question in another forum...


have to bring this one back...

HardNheavy I've been on the fence about building one of these myself. I'm curious to know are you saying that you stop using this machine cause you have knee issues or are you saying that it puts your knee in a uncompromising position that you can't perform them?

I need something to add into my routine since I'm constantly having lower back issues when I barbell squat. Also I just had my acl reconstructed in Feburary and just started doing body weight squats in rehab. Hopefully I can throw this in my arsenal to get some size back in my thighs but if it's to much stress in the knees I'll scratch that idea. My pt has forbidden me to do any type of leg extensions and this almost seems like a reverse leg extension. I would just ask my pt but since my insurance ran out I'm at the mercy of my own rehab.

Thanks
Slim

I loved the feeling I got in my quads while using it, but after using it a few times, my knees began hurting quite a bit so I abandoned it. I posted the above answer about 6 months ago, and although I intended to go back to sissy squats, I never did. If you've had acl reconstruction, I'd stay away from sissy squats. Just my opinion bro.

[slimneverdies]

Thanks hardNheavy. I kinda of figured it but wanted to hear from someone who has acutally used it like you have. Just trying to add as much diferent style leg exercises to my regiment cause I want be using weight for a while.