Gentlemen;
I’m in my mid- thirties, and I still maintain a pretty high level of physical conditioning. I utilize strength training (and emphasize Olympic- style weightlifting exercises), explosive power and soft- tissue recovery training (sled training), “core conditioning” (exercises that emphasive abs and lower back), and what I euphemistically call “vomit” training - 5 minute intervals of alternating 15- 20 seconds of sprinting with 10 seconds of rest. However, I recently (~ 6 months ago) had knee surgery to repair a torn posterior horn of my latertal meniscus, and I find that I simply can’t deep squat (rock bottom), nor perform below parallel squats without grinding and crunching noises from my knee. Simce I don’t want to have knee replacement surgery in the next 5 years, I’m interested in ways to train the quads without deep squats. I currently perform deadlifts and power cleans as my quad weightlifting movements. I hate machine exercises (leg press, knee extensions) because there’s no functional transference. Any suggestions?