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  1. #1
    Registered User awebsitedesigne's Avatar
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    Alternatives to squats

    Hi guys I'm in my 3rd week of a hardgainer weight gain plan, using a version of stronglifts.com 5x5 system which is basically gym 3 times a week, the first session I do 5 sets of bench press, squats and curls (I added those in cause I want guns) and 1 set of deadlifts (he says to do 1 instead of 5 not sure why). The next session I do shoulder press, barbell rows and squats.

    The idea as I understand it is basically to do mostly compound exercises to work on everything but to not do the same exercise every session to get some rest (although I'm not sure why you can do squats every session).

    Anyway I have found that my legs are getting some weird pains when trying the squats sometimes and I feel like I need to give them a bigger rest than 2 days. Also find I don't really enjoy the squats and it's a bit de-motivating. So for those reasons I want to replace the squat on one of the sessions with something else. I have replaced it for now with barbell extensions which I think just do triceps mainly but does anyone have any suggestions on a better exercise to replace them with? I'm really not concerned about my legs so I would prefer something that does the upper body if possible.

    I work out at home, with a Power Rack.

    Thanks in advance.

    Dan
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  2. #2
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    i know this isnt what you want to hear, but i strongly advise against dropping squats from your routine. thats a genuine bread and butter lift that should be a part of every dedicated lifters routine.

    anyway though, i can suggest all kinds of other exercises you could try, but im curious, what muscle groups are you looking to target?
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  3. #3
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    You have a power rack and don't want to squat??

    Just fix your form. Keep knees apart, tracking over toes (never caving inwards) is a good start. That and tight upperbody with natural lumbar arch.
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    You don't need to squat to make gains, if all your after is hypertrophy you can do lunges and deadlifts, good mornings, and maybe front squats if you tolerate those better, But, I would try to get into squats. They're very effective. My guess would be your form is whats causing your wierd pains.
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    Not even my final form NZninja101's Avatar
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    If you couldn't squat due to not having equipment or being physically unable even with proper form then I might suggest Bulgarian split squats.



    However before considering this I would definitely check form.

    And yeah pull ups would be a great exercise to add, much better to have a vertical pulling exercise and a horizontal pulling exercise rather than just a horizontal pulling exercise.
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    Originally Posted by awebsitedesigne View Post
    Anyway I have found that my legs are getting some weird pains when trying the squats sometimes and I feel like I need to give them a bigger rest than 2 days. Also find I don't really enjoy the squats and it's a bit de-motivating.
    Also, check the Squat Rx vids on YT uploaded by johnnymnemonic2. Lots of simple fixes to correct squat issues. Improved execution and performance may find you enjoying squats without weird pains.
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    Originally Posted by awebsitedesigne View Post
    Hi guys I'm in my 3rd week of a hardgainer weight gain plan, using a version of stronglifts.com 5x5 system which is basically gym 3 times a week, the first session I do 5 sets of bench press, squats and curls (I added those in cause I want guns) and 1 set of deadlifts (he says to do 1 instead of 5 not sure why). The next session I do shoulder press, barbell rows and squats.

    The idea as I understand it is basically to do mostly compound exercises to work on everything but to not do the same exercise every session to get some rest (although I'm not sure why you can do squats every session).

    Anyway I have found that my legs are getting some weird pains when trying the squats sometimes and I feel like I need to give them a bigger rest than 2 days. Also find I don't really enjoy the squats and it's a bit de-motivating. So for those reasons I want to replace the squat on one of the sessions with something else. I have replaced it for now with barbell extensions which I think just do triceps mainly but does anyone have any suggestions on a better exercise to replace them with? I'm really not concerned about my legs so I would prefer something that does the upper body if possible.

    I work out at home, with a Power Rack.

    Thanks in advance.

    Dan
    Pullups.
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  8. #8
    Nonregistered Nonuser bustermac's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by NZninja101 View Post
    If you couldn't squat due to not having equipment or being physically unable even with proper form then I might suggest Bulgarian split squats.


    However before considering this I would definitely check form.
    I don't have a squat rack so I may try this. Looks like a great exercise.
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  9. #9
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    Originally Posted by ZoranM View Post
    Pullups.
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  10. #10
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    Originally Posted by awebsitedesigne View Post
    I'm really not concerned about my legs so I would prefer something that does the upper body if possible.
    Stopped reading ^^^^ here.

    That attitude will find it's way into your upper body work eventually, OP.


    Good luck in meeting your fitness goals for 2011.
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  11. #11
    Hamiltonian operator 4ea's Avatar
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    hey op, i was thinking about it, you want another good upper body exercise right?

    id say dips would be an excellent choice. really though, dont give up on squatting.
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  12. #12
    Registered User awebsitedesigne's Avatar
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    Hi guys wow thanks for the replies. Just to be clear I'm only replacing squats on one of my days. Every second workout I'll still be doing squats. Still a bad idea?

    Dips would be good but I don't think I can do them on the rack.

    Pullups ok. I do have a pullup bar so maybe that's the one. Would you do them to failure? Or just do say 3 lots of 10 or something? I guess the problem I have with them is I find doing stuff to failure really de-motivating. I prefer to increase the weight each time as motivation but you can't do that with pullups unless you could attach weight to you or something. I'm doing barbell curls already. Also my rack has a bar you can pull down and another one you can kind of pull up from the ground. I haven't used any of that yet but perhaps I can do something similar to a pullup using one of those?
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  13. #13
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    You are squatting around 40 kg now, are you? Are you?

    Because stronglift 5x5 makes you always start with the empty bar (unlike SS) and work your way up 2.5 kg at a time. This is meant to train your body to the high volume, starting with a really low weight.


    If you started with the max squat you could do, then no wonder you got stuck. You need to follow the program to a T before deciding it's not for you.
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    well in my opinion i dont think you should discontinue doing squats. they are one of the best exercises for the legs and whole body for that matter. just because you dont like them doesnt mean you shouldnt do them man. i dont like cardio, does that mean i'm not gonna do it. no way because then i wouldnt get as lean as i need to be. if you want you can alternate different variations of squats per workout. front squats, hacks, back squats, sissy squats. switch things up so you dont get bored and so you hit the quads from different angles as well.
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    i didnt have an ideal place to do dips either, so i went to wal mart and bought two tall bar stools for $20 each.

    il be honest, i love dips
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    You're supposed to go a bit lighter on the second workout of the week with squats IIRC with stronglifts. It's designed that way so you aren't going 110% all the time allowing for active recovery. I'd try to follow the plan - there are spreadsheets you can download where you input your 1RM or 5RM and it gives you your workout progression over the 9 weeks or whatever.
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    I do lunges and pull ups
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    Registered User awebsitedesigne's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by 4ea View Post
    i didnt have an ideal place to do dips either, so i went to wal mart and bought two tall bar stools for $20 each.

    il be honest, i love dips
    Holy sh*t that sounds dangerous lol!
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  19. #19
    Registered User awebsitedesigne's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by noflyingcars View Post
    You are squatting around 40 kg now, are you? Are you?

    Because stronglift 5x5 makes you always start with the empty bar (unlike SS) and work your way up 2.5 kg at a time. This is meant to train your body to the high volume, starting with a really low weight.


    If you started with the max squat you could do, then no wonder you got stuck. You need to follow the program to a T before deciding it's not for you.
    Hi mate you got me I'm not really following the stronglifts program as such only the exercises. Instead of starting at 10kg I started at what felt ok which was about 40kg. I've increased it every workout until now where it sits at 63kg. My weight was 68 when I started 2.5 weeks ago so it's not far off my body weight.

    So perhaps I'm trying to lift too much.

    Incidentally tonight when I attempted 63 I got the weird pain same as b4 (but in the other leg) I pushed on anyway and I made the 5x5 and the leg is fine so maybe I just have to harden up
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  20. #20
    Registered User awebsitedesigne's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by JakeFusion View Post
    You're supposed to go a bit lighter on the second workout of the week with squats IIRC with stronglifts. It's designed that way so you aren't going 110% all the time allowing for active recovery. I'd try to follow the plan - there are spreadsheets you can download where you input your 1RM or 5RM and it gives you your workout progression over the 9 weeks or whatever.
    Hmm ok I better read it again I think I missed that bit!! I didn't find their plan all that easy to follow so I made my own

    Thanks for the tip
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