Best Alternative to Squats?

[britchenhauer]

Hey all, I've been doing Stronglifts 5x5 for about two months, and I have a confession: I hate squats.

I hate everything about them: the way the bar feels on my back, the way the motion feels, the way I alway seem to have some pain somewhere when I do them, etc. I know you're probably going to say I don't have proper form, which is a possibility I won't deny, though I've read Starting Strength and have been trying to get my form right for two months, and as a poor college student with no access to a trainer, I don't really have any more options.

What is the best alternative to squats? I know squats are ideal, but I am finding myself dreading going to work out purely because of them and I'd much rather have a longer/slightly-less-than-ideal workout than one I hate doing. I've also been seeing muscle gain from them even though I've stalled on the weight a ton (I've been on 75lbs for almost a month), and, I have to say, my ass looks great (haha, sorry, it's just one of the things I've noticed most), so is there a way to keep gaining muscle without squats?

Thank you!

[msuroo]

Switch up to a high bar squat. It's a more natural movement anyway.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Try highbar squats, like msuroo said, you may like it more. You can even do front squats, but know that they hit the front (anterior i.e. quads) of the legs much more than either of the back squats do and hit the back (posterior) much less. If you do switch to them, make sure you are doing deadlifts as well since they work the posterior chain of muscles like the hamstrings and the glutes (butt), especially since you seem to like the results back there.

[guest439437484421]

If you can try and post videos of your squats so that people can help you figure out what's going on.

Also, are you warming up before doing your squats? Squats are typically done at the beginning of each workout so if you aren't warming up enough then you're going ot feel it the most in your squats.

If you hate the way the bar feels on your back, you probably aren't tight enough for the bar to rest on your rear delts. make sure that your hands are in enough on the bar and that your elbows are pushed back, this makes a nice place for the bar to sit during the squat.

[britchenhauer]

Thanks guys, but the problem is I was already doing high bar. Is there some combination of other exercises that works the same kinds of muscles even if it's less effective? I'm just trying to be healthy and stronger, it doesn't need to be perfect.

[Waldo]

You could always switch to a more bodyweight type approach, where you'd only need weight once pistol squats start getting easy, and even then a little weight goes a long way (dumbbells and weight vests instead of barbells).

And hey, its not pure, but you could always use the leg press. Many consider it the epitome of evil....but it does work just fine for working the leg muscles; if your goals are not too extreme, it can be part of a workout plan. Lyle McDonald is a very respected dude in the world of bodybuilding, he's written many times that the leg press is better for some people than the squat due to individual biomechanics.

Edit, here's an article addressing that:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/squat-versus-leg-press-for-big-legs.html

[PrincessHeather]

If you have access to kettle bells (or dumbbells) you could do goblet squats, if for some reason you also don't care for front squats.

Two other options that work more or less the same areas are the bulgarian split squat and/or static lunge. Youtube that and give it a try. I like normal low bar squats, but I incorporate these as well and when I bump up the weight I certainly feel it!

[Makwa]

You could do lunges with deadlifts to replace the squats. I also highly recomend high box step ups. They will mimic the range of motion that you would get from a squat if you get a HIGH box. One that you need to have your thigh level with the floor to step up onto it.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I support the leg press as well, It doesn't restrict your movement as much as most other machines, but you'll want to do stuff like pistol squats like Waldo said to make sure you work those stablizing muscles as well.

[YuYu2]

Britchenhauer I would also second bodyweight, the box, variation of plies (these can be extremely effective), single leg squats, and my fave the Kettlebell. I'm right there with you. Bar squats tore me up and yes I was working with a pretty decent trainer I was paying quite a bit of money to to check my form etc. I was making strength and ass gains (yay for those of us that like ass), BUT my shoulders and neck hurt. They were incredibly stiff. I started to get headaches. I will leg press occasionally, but I mostly switched to front squats, goblet squats with the Kettlebell (Kettlestack in my case), and body weight.

I'm not making the mass gains I was (I'm good with that for now since I'm trying to cut), but things are still very toned and lifted back there and I don't hurt any more.

[chairohkey]

Just squat. Is it tough, yes, but most things worthwhile are. Stop looking for the easy way out.

[guest439437484421]

Just squat. Is it tough, yes, but most things worthwhile are. Stop looking for the easy way out.

i didnt' want to be the first to say it...

[britchenhauer]

Thanks so much to those who gave alternative suggestions; I'll definitely try them.

And to the last two commenters: quit with the judgement. If I need to do different exercises to make sure I'll still want to work out and be healthy, that's what I'm going to do.

[YuYu2]

Disagree that an alternative is an easy way out. A weighted vest pistol, a Bulgarian split squat, or a heavy KB goblet squat an EASIER way. I don't think so. Those exercises are challenging as hell.

Everything doesn't work for every body. Exercises are tools, not commandments. Choose your tools wisely. There are many.

[chairohkey]

Disagree that an alternative is an easy way out. A weighted vest pistol, a Bulgarian split squat, or a heavy KB goblet squat an EASIER way. I don't think so. Those exercises are challenging as hell.

Everything doesn't work for every body. Exercises are tools, not commandments. Choose your tools wisely. There are many.

If the OP finds BB back squats too hard what makes you think they'll find another alternative easier? SL/SS and any other descent beginners program has squats as its foundation for a reason because it the king of all exercises. Claiming that you can't squat properly because you can't afford a trainer is a cop out. Plenty of people, many here, have taught themselves proper form and squatted heavy weight. All it takes is a little persistence and determination.

[YuYu2]

I read the Ops question as not looking for "easier". The Op was asking about alternatives to an exercise that is causing pain. Pain is a message. You can ignore and just keep pushing till something gives out (an approach for some reason makes sense to some people until they are injured and seriously fucked up) or you can pause for a second and analyze (what am I doing wrong, can I correct it (yes, probably if you are motivated to do so), or are there ALTERNATIVES that can still give me results.

What the OP choses to do, is up the him/her/gender neutral. A choice is not a cop-out. Waldo posted a great article challenging the dogma of the Squat as the only way.

There is no "only way". Whatever way you can get a balanced workout and be consistent is your way and that's the only thing to be concerned about. I'm all for persistence and determination. However, is it really necessary to persist with an exercise that you don't need to do to get great results when there are viable alternatives? No.

[Maj. Bloodnok]

For the OP: another alternative is Zercher squats. Hold the barbell in the crook of the elbows, making sure the shoulders are thrown back, and squat normally. I was in much the same situation as you (no trainer and no funds), with the additional problem of no squat rack. For some reason, I couldn't keep my shoulders back far enough while doing goblet squats, so I switched to Zerchers. I got up to 135lb sets before my knees went on strike.

[Relic]

It took me about 2 months of training myself to squat before the bar felt comfortable on my back. And I had a decent amount of muscle to put it on. I wouldn't give up on it entirely yet. You could lower the weight and do a set or two at the end of your warm up or the begenning of you cool down for awhile to see if you can get comfortable with the bar on your back without putting much time into it.

as far as what's already been suggested...

goblet squats and zercher squats are worth trying

bodyweight squats working up to weighted pistols would be another good option

pistols are great because they make you work on balance/proprioception without really holding back your strength gains.

[Hermione Gainser]

While you have some good suggestions here, I would really recommend taking a video of yourself squatting so we can see what's going on. Just reading starting strength isn't going to give you the right form. You've got to test, retest, tape and analyze yourself, etc. I periodically record myself to see what's going on, just in case. Rip doesn't advocate HBBS and if I recall correctly, it's not really discussed in depth in SS. I might be wrong.. but that's my recollection.

Anyhow, I hated squats a whole lot, too. Passionately. But I kept up and now we have a mutual appreciation for each other. Before you give up on the squat, let's see what's going on.

My last piece of advice: mobility. Are you doing it? www.mobilitywod.com has great pre squat work to do so you can get a good meat shelf for the bar to rest on, for hips, ankles, etc.

[guest439437484421]

While you have some good suggestions here, I would really recommend taking a video of yourself squatting so we can see what's going on. Just reading starting strength isn't going to give you the right form. You've got to test, retest, tape and analyze yourself, etc. I periodically record myself to see what's going on, just in case. Rip doesn't advocate HBBS and if I recall correctly, it's not really discussed in depth in SS. I might be wrong.. but that's my recollection.

Anyhow, I hated squats a whole lot, too. Passionately. But I kept up and now we have a mutual appreciation for each other. Before you give up on the squat, let's see what's going on.

My last piece of advice: mobility. Are you doing it? www.mobilitywod.com has great pre squat work to do so you can get a good meat shelf for the bar to rest on, for hips, ankles, etc.

phrase of the day: meat shelf

[Dmaias]

do walkin lunges with dumbells in your hands

1) is another exercise

2) diferent movement

3) works your hip muscles (aka. abs, low back and ass)

4) the weight isn't in your back

5) it's great for conditioning and fat loss.

6) you're also working your forearms (you can't do this with a weight that you can't hold in your hands, but unless you have hell of a low body and weak hands it wont matter because you wont reach that point).

Flaws: it's harder to progress with a dumbell exercise because of the weight limitations (here in argentina all the dumbells go from x weight to x+2kg wich i think is 4-5 pounds.... in each hand.. so if you can't walk with the extra 4kg you're ****!)

In the end, hope this help you, if anyone up there already told something about lunges, well sorry but I didn't wanted to read more than the original post.

PS: oh and if you need more reasons well..

7) it's an almost unilateral exercise, works balance to some degree, and because the weight is in your hands it's more compound oriented (all of this improve athletics).

And 8) you WILL need A LOT of cuad strenght... seriusly... your ass will be sore as hell the next day, but if you don't have the quads to do this then you're not going to move!