Thank you, looking forward to doing this new program. I did your best damn workout for natural athletes for several years. Really looking forward to this new program
Keep us posted. It is similar in its approach to the Best Damn Workout, so you should like it
I just purchased all 3 programs but have a garage gym.
Is a list of alternative exercises posted somewhere? I don’t have access to chest press, leg curl, hack squat, etc.
I did see the mention here of alternatives to hack squat.
What do you all have in your garage gym? I work out of mine and have a rack, multi grip pull up bar, barbell, dumbbells, a high pulley and a low pulley (currently putting together). I’ve had to make substitutions for exercises in the past.
I have a similar setup to you, rack, barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells. I can come up with exercise subs, but was curious if Christian had recommendations.
I have an interesting hack squat variation with dumbbells. You put a foam roller, I have a shorter one, behind your low back against a wall and then holding dumbbells by your side and then just sit or squat down as far as you can go while pushing back against the foam roller and stand back up. I’ve had issues with the foam roller riding too farm up though and almost coming up too high and toward my neck.
Problem is outgrowing the dumbells and/or your quads very quickly not becoming the limiting factor.
if you have a barbell just replace hack squats with a front squat or other squat variation, or a different rep range of a squat you’re already doing. There’s nothing magical about any exercise.
Bulgarian split squats are also a very good option.
I like your idea. Only thing I’m thinking is doing a squat variation three days a week on a six day week program. It could be a lot of stress on the lower back. But maybe a variation of split squat wouldn’t be so bad.
From what I understand he regularly gets people to do 3 squat variations in his full body (3x/week) programs which also feature a pull and a hinge on the same day. If overall lower back volume sounds like it’d be similar over a more spread out program, then you’ll probably be okay.
Hopefully he’ll come in and give you a more educated answer.
1 Like
I appreciate your insights.
I don’t think I would let an exercise prevent me from approaching one of CT’s programs. Sure a commercial gym setting is probably ideal but I think everyone’s ideas for substitutions are great.
I had a similar question a short while ago and tried some of these ideas and think they all have merit. I would also throw in belt squats. It’s easy to make a DIY belt squat with a loading pin, homemade wood boxes, and a dip belt & chain. Slight upgrade from that which seems to hit quads more in my opinion is using a landmine and barbell for attaching the dip belt to and doing belt squats facing towards the barbell or away (bar between legs) to get a slightly different stimulus as the weight pulls you forward “differently”.
And belt squats will save your lower back but still allow you to perform the squat pattern.
1 Like
I did just see some variations that you are talking about. A labdmine squat where you face away from the barbell and the other I can’t think of at the moment.
Also for landmine exercises I simply took a tennis ball and cut a four way slit in it so the end of the barbell fits into it and then just place it in a corner. Works great.
Never tried that but seen it done often. Only question I have is does the bar cantilever and raise up or move when you put a lot of weight on the bar. I always see that approach in crossfit style videos where they do 1M squats with like a 10lb bumper plate.
I have had issues with my previous landmine popping up out of the bumper plates on the anchor side (not bolted down Landmine attachment) and had a couple close calls with the bar coming dangerously close to my “nickers” (sorry).
I had to put a kettle bell over it to hold it down.
1 Like
@davemccright rigs up a barbell hack squat, and he’s silly strong
2 Likes
Any idea how he does it?
Still need to give this movement another honest try…I seen him mention it in his log the other day.
Load up a barbell like you would for a Deadlift, put a 35 pound plate under your heels and basically perform a deadlift behind your back. There’s way more knee flexion than a regular deadlift and It’ll give you the craziest quad pump of your life.
2 Likes
I’ll give that a shot! Maybe today even. Thanks for sharing that.
1 Like
Do you have an image or video of this belt squat variation? Trying to picture this…