Hi, first post.
I’ve been having trouble with squatting because i have no cage or smith and i want to put some weight in the barbell.
But I can’t clean or jerk with the same weight I should squat heavy.
What can I do??
I do have a bench, but I think the barbell support is very low height to put my spine there.
HELP PLEASE!!!
Squat stands. And you can do without the safeties if you’re being reasonable. Don’t add weight before you OWN the bar.
That’s the matter. I’m being very reasonable, but i can’t add more weight without being reasonable so i can’t be stronger.
Safety in squats is a must, like in everything i do in the gym. But, more with squats.
I managing at most my bodyweight, when i can squat much more.
Thanks anyway.
Zercher squats work fine barbell hack squats also. For a zercher squat, deadlit the bar to your thighs, put it in the crease of your fore arms then start squatting, it can be done deadstop like that or continuous. Barbell hack squats are like deadlifts with the bar behind you, it would be best to find a video of it. Doing them with the barbell slightly elevated is recommended for those with less mobility or short arms. Do you have a squat stand?
If if was possible to squat heavy without a cage, rack, or squat stands, there would be a lot fewer cages and squat stands out there. See what you can do about getting access to one of those.
And a Smith machine doesn’t count.
Squat Stands are very inexpensive and most will hold up to roughly 450lbs comfortably safe but have actually had 550 on it but was Beery shaky and it is by far extremely cheap. I literally bought it for like $65 at used sports store.
Front squats.
You only need to clean the weight, not get it over your head, you won’t need as much weight and you can always dump the bar forward if you fail.
Clean front squats
Dead-start zercher squats
BB hack squats
Along with your deadlift variations.
Squat stands are a good idea. Hell, I have access to a full rack, and often times I intentionally squat outside of it. Keeps your ego in check.
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
Clean front squats
Dead-start zercher squats
BB hack squats
Along with your deadlift variations.
Squat stands are a good idea. Hell, I have access to a full rack, and often times I intentionally squat outside of it. Keeps your ego in check.[/quote]
Why would you squat outside of it? I am comfortable in my rack (habit mostly) and go balls to the walls at times.
[quote]DSSG wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
Clean front squats
Dead-start zercher squats
BB hack squats
Along with your deadlift variations.
Squat stands are a good idea. Hell, I have access to a full rack, and often times I intentionally squat outside of it. Keeps your ego in check.[/quote]
Why would you squat outside of it? I am comfortable in my rack (habit mostly) and go balls to the walls at times.[/quote]
Well, I just stated why I squat outside of it. It keeps my ego in check. It would be a different story if I were to go for a 1RM, but most of the time for me it’s more about NOT doing something like that and just putting work in with a weight that I can handle for sets. Squatting outside of the rack reinforces that since there’s nobody to save me if I get boneheaded. Plus, you don’t have to worry about bumping into the sides of the rack when you walk it out.
FWIW, you squat without a cage in meets, too. Although I’m sure you already knew that.
Yep, squat stands and monolifts are used for meets instead. I think some federations might have a safety of some kind with their monolift?
[quote]DSSG wrote:
Yep, squat stands and monolifts are used for meets instead. I think some federations might have a safety of some kind with their monolift? [/quote]
Maybe some of those straps that people use to catch the bar if they need to bail, but I honestly don’t know.
You have spotters in a meet. If you still fail - well, then you picked a weight that was way too heavy. It happened to Mark Bell and he survived, though.
Thanks to all!!
About the front squats, is the one i most commonly use. But it’s really painful to the shoulders at some point and i can squat more than i clean.
The zercher squat and the hack squat are excellent alternatives, i’ll try them today.
The squat stands would be a very good way out. I need to chat about it in my building -that’s why the gym it’s not perfect for me-.
Thanks again!!
I’ve tried the zercher and bb hack squats.
The first, i’ve reached less weight than the front squat cause my arms pits where killing.
But the hack i think is the best option.
It’s very similar in many ways to the deadlift i think.
About the Zercher Squat: it’s the same it was happening, i needed to moderate weight, not cause my quads/legs that should be the working bodypart in the excersise.
I’ll try more of the hack squat.
I know you were asking about squats but have you been doing plenty of unilateral work ie bulgarian split squats? They can kill your legs with much less weight.
You can also do speed squatting/slight jump. But yep nothing beats squatting heavy weights.
Oh and try sumo deadlift, that resembles a squat if you keep your hips down.