benchpress squats

taking the advice of many of you posters, I have stopped doing squats on the smith machine. However, as previously stated, my gym does not have a sqaut rack, so I use the benchpress as my squat rock (bending under the bar). Because of this, I have to go very light, so I can re-rack it. Does anyone have any opinions as to this. Is going light better than using the machine. Also, is squatting from that position bad for my back. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Deadlift for now until you find a gym that has a squat rack.

get a new gym! :slight_smile:

cant you find another gym? you are pooping on yourself.

well, if you go light on those squats on the bench pins, then do those full ass-to-the-grass… but your ‘light’ squat should eventually go up a little when you get more confidence, and if you are in trouble just drop the bar!

then use the smith for say, quarter squats or slightly above parallel squats so that you can still go heavy…

Learn to clean a bar to your shoulders, and front squat.

There are also other alternatives for quads that can be done with a bar on the floor, like hack squats, deadlifts off podium…

I admit that this gym sucks. I left my other gym so that I could lift with a friend. I signed up at his gym because it was close to my work, but he since stopped going. I guess I fucked myself.

Have you ever tried true hack squats? I’m pretty sure they’re described in one the “Exercises you’ve never tried before” articles. They’re an awesome alternative if you can’t true squat.

Squatting from the bench is fine. It’s harder, but you’ll learn the correct form also. if you squat from the bench.

Zercher squat and deads. Or the Steinborn lift.

Do you lift at Curves?

you want to hit your quads hard - do barbell hack squat. you wont be able to go as low as a deep squat but you can use a platform to get deep. You can also do dumbell squats. Get ready to see improvements in other parts of your body like your arms and shoulders because of the fact you have to hold the weight in your arm. laters pk

Any combination of the following would be very, very effective:

-Deadlift
-Hack Squat
-Jefferson Lift
-Zercher Squat
-Olympic Front Squat (from clean)
-Zercher Good Morning
-Pistols
-Ski Squats
-Lunges (w/DBs)
-Bulgarian Squats
-Natural GHRs

All of the above require a minimum of equipment yet are extremely effective. Pick three or four and you will probably have a far better lower body program than anyone else at your gym…

Ramo’s totally right.

Totally.

Dan “Deadlift!” McVicker

Thanks for the advice. I already do “light” squats, deadlifts, pushpresses, and cleans, but i’ll ad some of those other exercises to my workout.

On the “Quad” day you may perform barbell hack squat in superset with one of the two exercises described in CT’s Violent variations 2, issue 305.
3 or 4 days later you may try Cressey’s workout, issue 299. Anyway keep on looking for a gym with power racks.