Skiny-
20 rep squats are not a waste of time. Anyone with balls and heart to work at them, which most people don’t have, will tell you this. They hurt more than any other leg routine I’ve ever done. I’m 39, but in my mid 20’s I worked up to 345 for 20 rep breather squats, completely drug-free BTW. In other words get under the bar, go BELOW parallel each rep and don’t rack the bar until every rep is done.
It may take 5 minutes. Keep suckin’ wind between reps with the bar on your back. Just man up and do it. Lie on the floor, puke or pass out when your done. Wait ten minutes do a couple sets of benches, chins and military presses, calves and your done. Do this twice a week and add 5 lbs to the bar each workout.
As for a rack, get some 2x4’s, bolts and brackets and attach it to the wall. Or get some training partners to pick the f’ing bar up and put it on your back.
Last time I did them, a few months back, I did them for 2 months once a week working up to 275 for 20, at home.
You can substitute traditional deadlifts but the focus isn’t the same for your legs. Obviously it’s more in your low back. I did them once with with 365 and smoked my erectors for a week.
Don’t recommend for this reason, to easy to injure yourself.
One last thing, 20 rep squats built more muscle on my quads, hams and ass than any other routine or exercises I’d ever done.
Try them for three months, twice a week and adding 5 lbs a work out. Watch what happens.