Squats Alternative?

What was the injury? I ask because 1)it will help with an answer and 2) everyone and their mom uses that excuse but very few have an injury to the extent that would really keep them from doing squats.
 
knowing what your injury is would be very helpful. Nothing would be an equal substitution for good form, full range of motion squats. Your best choice (assuming its a knee or lower back injury), would be leg press. The other lower body heavyweight would be deadlifts, but that would put a lot of pressure on your lower back.
Sage
 
i have a bad shoulder and it puts too much pressure on my shoulder when my arm is in the position of gripping the bar. its ard for me to keep my arm out in external motion.
 
Does it bother you to deadlift? Conventional deads are a fine substitute for squats. If they don't hit your quads enough. Do a set ot two of leg presses after you do your deads. Leg presses work OK, but they are miles and miles away from the overall growth producing effect you get from squats or deadlifts.

Iron Addict
 
i do leg presses hard as hell then follow up with deadlifts due to a back injury. my quads are always sore the next day. almost feels like th day after a 20rep squat. i do 2 warmups of each then 2 working sets of each
 
There is a great alternative for those that can't barbell squats.It's called Hip Belt Squats.They torch the legs and spare the low back since the weight in hanging at the waist.This is a great movement and praised by Mcallum? in the book Complete keys to progress.Ironmind sells it.Check it out.
 
Frank Zane Leg Blaster is a great apparatus, weight hangs on your sides and it cradles your shoulders, also it comes with a platform to lift it from and load the weight...
 
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I've had to eliminate squats the past 2 weeks due to m1t cramping in the low back. I've been making progress with just leg press & hack squats. As long as you use a full ROM on the press & don't follow the idots with 1000lbs & go down 3", it's pretty effective.

That Frank Zane thing is awkward, but really is effective. I tried one a while back. Too bad you don't see them in many gyms.
 
Longdog said:
I've had to eliminate squats the past 2 weeks due to m1t cramping in the low back. I've been making progress with just leg press & hack squats. As long as you use a full ROM on the press & don't follow the idots with 1000lbs & go down 3", it's pretty effective.

That Frank Zane thing is awkward, but really is effective. I tried one a while back. Too bad you don't see them in many gyms.
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Leg Presses are an exercise I wish would drop off the face of the earth. They put dangerous shear on the ligaments of the low back, there's no way around it. Lunges are an EXCELLENT alternative and there are many different types to keep you interested. Also mentioned was the hip belt squat--great piece of equipment. If you have $$$, Louie Simmons' belt squat machine is the bomb.

Last but not least, the Buffalo Bar (also from ironmind) is great for this problem. It is a cambered bar with a gentle bow in it to accomodate bigger lifters who have trouble getting under the bar due to adaptively shortened internal rotators or just because they're just too fucking big to get under the bar! It eliminates all the should stress that accompanies striaght bar squats. **** leg presses, save your back!

Joker
 
I'm sorry but I have to diagree with joker about leg press. I had to stop squatting do to back sugery and have switched to leg press and hacks (different foot position and rowtations) and have had some of the best leg work outs ever. I have had no back or knee problems. Trust me I am a firm believer in sguats for over all development but they are not an end all be all movement. What it comes down to is form form form and finding what works best for you. Everyone has an opinion. Good luck.
 
Just one more quick thing deads in my opinion are not a sub for squats thier target area is glutes, hams, and lower and upper back. Even with conventional deads your not getting enough range of motion to engage your quads. Besides deads should be done on back day.
 
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