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Thread: A simple workout question

  1. #1
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    A simple workout question

    My small gym has nothing better than a smith machine to do squats, and i want to be balancing the weight. I came up with a new, and very simple plan, and wanted comments. I'm 6' and maybe 220#. Overweight with a gut and decent strength.

    Well, I was doing a standard full body workout with a partner of 3x week of squats, bench, military, pullups, deads, rows, cleans, and some other various stuff like biceps, triceps, and forearms broken up into the three days.

    mostly I was thinking of staying the same but of getting off the smith machine for squats.

    Since my buddy quit , I envisioned a new workout of just me and a barbell.

    Pretty much the same as I mentioned, exept doing squats by myself. I'd do front squats, press it, dead it, clean it, back squats, press it more etc.

    Anyone have experience squatting alone? There's not much advice out there on the net. I guess I'll be squatting less weight, but it seems cool to be able to handle a certain weight in all dimensions.

    I'd appreciate any comments.

  2. #2
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    Do not squat alone unless you have a squat rack/cage with safety bars in place.

    Don't do smith machine squats.

    If you don't have a squat cage/rack, you can't squat with just a barbell because if you had enough weight on the bar to do squats, you wouldn't be able to get it up on your shoulders.

    So here are your options:

    Deadlifts - they work your quads a bit (not nearly as much as squats), and they'll also make your lower back and grip strong as hell.

    Lunges with Dumbells - they can work your quads really well

    Bodyweight stuff such as pistols (one legged bodyweight squats) - probably the bodyweight exercise that hits your quads the most. Mix these with Hindu squats and jumping Hindu squats if you want to change things up.

    My best advice would be to join a better gym that has squat racks and/or squat cages.
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  3. #3
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    what he said, and overhead squats!

    overhead meaning- clean off the floor, press over your head, then squat! better for ya anyway!
    Last edited by bodhitree; 01-10-2008 at 05:57 AM.
    Bless you

  4. #4
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    If there is no power rack available, the best alternative to squats is the trap bar deadlift which will train your legs harder than the straight bar deadlift. They usually cost about $250 or so. I've been weight training for 16 years and have tried probably everything by now. I must say that the trap bar is the best single piece of equipment I've bought! Not only can you do deadlfits with it, you can do bentover rows, shrugs, farmers walk, and more!

  5. #5
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    What Ironfist said.

    Lunges'll give you all manner of horror. Try this workout(halfway down the page: squats and lunges).

    In fact, read all these. I think it's from jolly old Alwyn that I got split overhead squats too. And don't forget single leg squats.

    Iron: couldn't he just do front squats where you hold the bar at the front...?
    its safe to say that I train some martial arts. Im not that good really, but most people really suck, so I feel ok about that - Sunfist

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  6. #6
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    Well, to begin with the exercises that I do for my legs, I do squat, straight leg dead lift, good morning with weight. Sometimes, I sit in low horse stance w or w/o punching. The purpose of these exercises for me is to build up strength and endurance (50/50). I am against crazy about building up strength. Your main sports determine what kind of physique you need, even if you do multi-sports. IMOV, if one needs to use rack to support the bar bell while doing squat, he is likely to have used too heavy weight. I mean one should not use very heavy weight for free weight exercicses. Go for those universal gym machines for such exercises is better, if they are readily available. This is one reason why these machines are invented - safety.



    Regards,

    KC
    Hong Kong
    Last edited by SteveLau; 01-31-2008 at 03:33 AM.

  7. #7
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    The only time squatting alone becomes a safety issue is when you are using a seriou samount of weight and training to failure or close to failure.
    The last thing you want is your legs to give out wehn you have 300+lbs on your shoulders.
    There are alternatives as mentioned on this thread and working with 80% of your max and up is really only needed if working on pure strength.
    There are squat racks available too.
    The range of motion for squats has yet to be duplicated for EVERYONE's bodytype by any machine.
    For squats and deadlifts, free weights is the way to go.
    Squats ( like DL) are not just a "leg exercise" they are a whole body one that is very "anabolic" in nature.
    They really get your body going.
    Squats hit all your lower body, plus your abs and core and, in the case of 20 rep squats and such, they hit your anaerobic threshold.
    In short, for fucntional strength you only need:
    Squats
    Deadlfits
    Dips ( or bench press, but dips are "better")
    Chins
    Overhead presses.

    Front squats are great and after mastering the technioque you can really work some nice poundages and over head squats give your core a serious workout.

    You can also make your own "squat spotting rack" with a little imagination.
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  8. #8
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    The only time squatting alone becomes a safety issue is when you are using a seriou samount of weight and training to failure or close to failure.

    by sanjuro_ronin
    Yep, workout as many reps as one can until he cannot continue is one quick way to injure onself. Another variation is the kind of using maxiumum resistance such that the person can only do one rep.

    Oh, I do not agree though that squat is an exercise for the whole body. What about if we do it w/o using weights. Even with using weights, there is only slight force exerted by the muscles on the shoulder and lower back. The arms do not do much other than keeping the bar on the shoulder.



    Regards,

    KC
    Hong Kong
    Last edited by SteveLau; 02-01-2008 at 11:56 PM.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveLau View Post
    Yep, workout as many reps as one can until he cannot continue is one quick way to injure onself.
    While I think too much is a bad thing, some working to failure is OK. An example is tabata. You work to failure not once, but several times at first.

    Another variation is the kind of using maxiumum resistance such that the person can only do one rep.
    Also, if you think about this logically, to find your 1RM you are also necessarily working to failure, although admittedly not by cranking out large numbers of reps, physiologically it's a similar response.

    Oh, I do not agree though that squat is an exercise for the whole body. What about if we do it w/o using weights. Even with using weights, there is only slight force exerted by the muscles on the shoulder and lower back. The arms do not do much other than keeping the bar on the shoulder.
    I think you're missing Sanjuro's point. Studies have shown that the squat and the deadlift stimulate the whole body's nervous system in relation to the muscular system. Something to do with hormones and neurochemicals produced throughout the whole body. Therefore they are both all-over body exercises and invaluable to anyone who is involved with physical exercise.

    It is not to do with individual muscles used. Although, assuming that you're doing them right the lower back will be nicely activated anyway, and depending on what kind of squat you're doing (overhead, overhead split, back, front etc) the shoulders should get some work too.
    Last edited by Mr Punch; 02-03-2008 at 05:08 AM.
    its safe to say that I train some martial arts. Im not that good really, but most people really suck, so I feel ok about that - Sunfist

    Sometime blog on training esp in Japan

  10. #10
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    Mr. Punch,

    Also, if you think about this logically, to find your 1RM you are also necessarily working to failure, although admittedly not by cranking out large numbers of reps, physiologically it's a similar response.
    Oh, I did not mean testing to find our 1RM. I meant taking maximum resistance in every of our strength training session is bad for our health.



    Regards,

    KC
    Hong Kong

  11. #11
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    I think you're missing Sanjuro's point. Studies have shown that the squat and the deadlift stimulate the whole body's nervous system in relation to the muscular system. Something to do with hormones and neurochemicals produced throughout the whole body. Therefore they are both all-over body exercises and invaluable to anyone who is involved with physical exercise.
    Yes, that is what I meant, thanks for clearing that up.
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  12. #12
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    Hi Madhusudan,
    i take the olympic bar with a 25 plate on each end and do these uninterupted:
    Hang clean into
    Front squat stand up into
    Press lower the bar onto shoulders for
    Back squat stand up into
    Press lower the bar back down front to
    Hang clean...etc.

    Works well without a partner, doesn't need a lot of weight.
    Good Luck with the training

  13. #13
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    I run hills and my legs have never been stronger.
    Check out my wooden dummy website: http://www.woodendummyco.com/

  14. #14
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    I run hills and my legs have never been stronger

    Reply]
    Ahh!! Good solid Caveman training!!!
    Those that are the most sucessful are also the biggest failures. The difference between them and the rest of the failures is they keep getting up over and over again, until they finally succeed.


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  15. #15
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    When I lived in an apartment I used to run/squat jump the stairs, I would run on flight, squat jump the nest, run, jump, etc, etc all 21 flights of stairs, then I would run across the hall way and repeat down the other side.
    It was puke training at its best !
    My legs were very strong for that activity anyways, I was only squatting 290 at the time for 6 reps and 160lbs.
    Not great numbers.
    A friend of mine that squatted 390 couldn't even go half way with me in that workout.
    Of course once I moved to a home I focused on squatting and would be squatting 375 for 6 reps and 170 lbs so...
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

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