Picking up weights from the ground

[ShomerShabbos]

I do not have a squat rack and have been doing exercises at home to save some time. So what I've been doing at home is picking up slowly (rather quickly and in a fashion that would jolt my joints with sudden weight load on them), I basically pull it up and twist it forward to where my elbows are perpendicular to the floor and my forearms are facing up from it, 90 degrees. I'm doing a moderate weight in the higher rep range for legs, and haven't had any serious pain from doing this, some mild aching in elbows if my technique was off a bit pulling it off, but nothing too serious. I suspect this may not be very good for the elbows, is this at all safe or completely unsafe?

[abendm]

I do not have a squat rack and have been doing exercises at home to save some time. So what I've been doing at home is picking up slowly (rather quickly and in a fashion that would jolt my joints with sudden weight load on them), I basically pull it up and twist it forward to where my elbows are perpendicular to the floor and my forearms are facing up from it, 90 degrees. I'm doing a moderate weight in the higher rep range for legs, and haven't had any serious pain from doing this, some mild aching in elbows if my technique was off a bit pulling it off, but nothing too serious. I suspect this may not be very good for the elbows, is this at all safe or completely unsafe?

Google "power clean technique," or search for it here on the forums. It sounds like you might be doing something analagous to a powerclean, but can't tell from your description. Power-cleans, and cleans in general are safe, but they're a bit more advanced of an exercise than a simple squat from stands/ a rack. If you have bad form it's easier to fcuk some **** up with a clean. After not all that long, you're going to be able to squat way more than you can clean... look into going to a gym or buying squat stands.

[Rasputin4]

You can get a great leg workout at home but power cleans are more a plyometric movement and honestly probably a better workout for your back than legs.

Here's what I do:

1) hip belt squats (quad dominant)
2) 3" deficit sumo deadlifts (ham dominant)
3) forward lunges or reverse lunges with moderate gait (balance quad/ham)
4) calf raises holding barbell

Buying squat stands are also an option, but by no means the only viable one.

[koolskool]

Here's what I do. Not for the timid, but...
I use one of those vertical leg raise/ pullup / dip stations. The arms of the dip bars are strong as fuark. I rack my barbell on them.
They've held 265- strongly.

Of course you have to have a station but hell for 100.00 craigslist-no home gym should be without one.

[ShomerShabbos]

Just discovered this..



I could see maybe doing a power clean for every set to be problematic, not sure if this Steinborn Lift technique would be worse.

[koolskool]

Just discovered this..



I could see maybe doing a power clean for every set to be problematic, not sure if this Steinborn Lift technique would be worse.

SNAP CITY! somebody would die

[BoskiGuitarist]

Steinborn lifts are really good. Of course, you'll have to start with relatively lighter weights (I can't imagine doing this at 1RM lol); then build the weights up over time. You won't get injured if you train properly for it.

Now, as for the original post... Initially, you will have results with your current set up. But sooner or later, you will NOT experience gains with no squat rack. If your objective is just to stay fit and trim, then your set up is ok. But if you want to be bigger, then you need a squat rack. I suggest a power rack, so you can also use it for your bench press and heavy barbell shrugs.

[Tillday]

One alternative I've seen is you sumo deadlift the weight up, then place it on your thighs as you get into a squat position, hook your arms under the bar and do zercher front squats, not quite back squats but close. Personally I wasn't a fan of it.

Also if you do Bulgarin Split-Squat, since it's a one leg workout, you'll probably be using less than half your squat weight and be able to manage it with dumbbells.

[Rasputin4]

I can't believe I forgot to mention this:

bb hack squats are an excellent quad-dominant back squat substitute!

I was doing them awhile back but it starts feeling awkward in the mid-back when you start getting up there in the weights. You'll use less weight than on back squats, but once you start repping about 225+ it gets kind of uncomfortable, but it's not unmanageable. I'll probably go back to them at some point just to change things up. I was also doing them from a 3" deficit.

One note, they will scrape the hell out of the back of your ankles, tie some padding to your bar, like a pillow or something, to solve that problem. I know it sounds kind of stupid, but it works, you're not going to be able to hold the bar out from your ankles.

You'll get a great quad burn with this and you can overload much better than with hip belt squats, it's just kind of uncomfortable.

If your grip can handle it, you can easily follow this up with the 3" sumo deads for ham-dominance. Then the lunges, then the calf raises.

I'd honestly say there are four viable alternatives to back squats: hip belt squats, bb hack squats, bb front squats, bb zercher squats.

Front squats can becoming problematic cleaning the weight up and I was never able to master the lift (bothers my shoulders). Zercher squats I've tried, but I got tried of bruising.

In any case, you don't have to back squat, if you don't have room for a squat rack, there are options, just make sure it's a viable one (one of the above).