Are there any good alternatives to squats besides lunges?

DerickVonD

DerickVonD

Well-known member
I don't mind doing squats at all and actually kind of like them, however I have a friend that hates them and doesn't want to do lunges. I do know there are some other exercises that target glutes. I just don't want my friend using a squat machine.
 
I mean there really is no good substitute that comes close to squats there so much benefits in doing squats, but if he has his mind set on not doing them or lunges you can either telll him to man up cause those are two of the best excercises for legs and i mean theres really not much else to do other then what was mentioned above.
 
Show him this video someone posted not too long ago and tell him squats cure cancer and im sure he will squat

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Yeah, I agree with everyone who says to get him to stop being a female dog. What is their beef with doing squats? They should at least be able to put some light weight and get the form down. If it's a problem with the bar hurting their upper back/shoulders/traps, get one of those pads that go over the bar.

Same with lunges, light weight so they can get comfortable with the form, and then start upping the weight.

As for another exercise that targets the glutes, the leg curl machine where you lay on your stomach, and the hip abduction machine (the one where you sit in the chair and open your legs that works the outer thighs) works the glutes secondarily, I believe.
 
rckvl7 said:
Tell him to stop being a ***** and squat.
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word....
DerickVonD said:
I don't mind doing squats at all and actually kind of like them, however I have a friend that hates them and doesn't want to do lunges. I do know there are some other exercises that target glutes. I just don't want my friend using a squat machine.
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the main reason people don't like to do squats is because they suck at them and can't lift as much as the guy next to him because they've never taken the time to do them consistently. tell him to sac up, don't worry about the weight and concentrate on the benefits of one of the best exercises you can do for yourself.......everyone starts somewhere, some heavier than others, weight is relative, what's heavy for you might not be heavy for me, and my favorite piece of advise when working with someone new or old is..."do you know what's the first thing you leave at the door when walking into the gym?" "you're ego"
 
Well if your trying to hit your glutes just do some good mornings or sldls instead. If you want to replace a leg exercise have him do bulgarian squats, front squats, leg press, hacks.
 
Wait, usually if you don't do traditional barbell squats you have to do lunges. There's really no way around it. Why don't they wanna do lunges? Unless there's some medical reasoning behind any of this tell him to suck it up. I don't do barbell squats but I do many other kinds of things. Many variations of dumbells squats and lunges and my legs and glutes are almost too big.
 
Flaw said:
Wait, usually if you don't do traditional barbell squats you have to do lunges. There's really no way around it. Why don't they wanna do lunges? Unless there's some medical reasoning behind any of this tell him to suck it up. I don't do barbell squats but I do many other kinds of things. Many variations of dumbells squats and lunges and my legs and glutes are almost too big.
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I actually hate lunges. I rather do squats all day
 
it's understandable, i used to hate squats myself - now it's my one of my top 3 favorite lifts.

have him try goblin squats out. they're great for form (go down until your elbows hit your knees) and repeat. though you probably can't go really heavy on it since it's a dumbbell exercise... but it's still a good alternative imo. either that or single leg presses.

but yeah, just bust his balls about him being a bitch and he'll do them eventually. he'll thank you later.
 
I've got a pinched L5S1 nerve from a back squat incident on a smith machine when I was 14 years old, I'm quite paranoid to go heavy on the back squat free weight now, I feel I limit my ROM and never go full parallel. A bench had really helped me but I'm still wary. I feel much safer doing front squats, albeit not as heavy as I can go with a back squat.

Will I be missing out on lower body development if I'm doing only front squats? I also do leg press, lunges, and deads on my leg day. All in 3x5 heavy sets.
 
Rodja said:
The only thing that can be subbed for a back squat is a front squat.
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I guess it can make a decent replacement, but nothing can really replace a back squat.

Porcha, try box squatting on a box set at a height you feel comfortable with, then gradually lower the box until you are able to squat below parallel. You don't have to go super deep, but you want your hip joint to drop below the top of your knee. Also your injury is one of the reasons I would never use a Smith Machine, they force unnatural bar paths which lead to injuries.
 
rckvl7 said:
Also your injury is one of the reasons I would never use a Smith Machine, they force unnatural bar paths which lead to injuries.
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oh i never use a smith anymore for any exercise too, I was 14 at the time it occurred, but I put more blame on poor form than the machine.
 
porcha said:
oh i never use a smith anymore for any exercise too, I was 14 at the time it occurred, but I put more blame on poor form than the machine.
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It's pretty hard, if not impossible, to have good form when you can't have 3d movement.
 
DerickVonD said:
I think it's a flexibility issue.
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The answer is the same advice I gave Porcha. Have him box squat to a box and see where his form breaks down, set the box height to right above where it breaks down. Gradually lower the box height until he is able to squat below parallel with good form. He should also be stretching and foam rolling to improve his flexibility.
 
tell him to stop being a ***** and do squats. i HATE working legs with a passion but i do a simple but brutall routine
Squat up to a weight where i can hit 3-5 singles
drop the weight and try for a PR 5 rep box squat
olympic squats 2 x 8-10
lex extentions and leg curls 5 x 15
calf raise 4 x 20
 
DerickVonD said:
What about stiff leg deadlifts?
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Good for hams, lower back, and glutes. Won't do a thing for quads. Actually I thing good mornings are better than sldls. More carryover to squats in my expereince. They won't do anything for quads either though.
 
Jstrong20 said:
Good for hams, lower back, and glutes. Won't do a thing for quads. Actually I thing good mornings are better than sldls. More carryover to squats in my expereince. They won't do anything for quads either though.
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Right. Well I think I might be able to get him to do hack squats
 
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