So, DYEL noob here. Any alternatives to squats? Trying to work a different group of muscles every other day with cardio in between. Tommorow is leg day, and I dont know how i'm going to do squats. Read starting strength and it basically mentions barbell squats as the god tier exercise. My gym has 2 smith machines which can be used for squatting, but it feels terrible uncomfortable and puts awful strain on my knees. Obv I can do leg press, and calf raises, but those are ofc machine exercises which are inferior to da barbell because of forcing you into a restricted movement (this is all according to SS). Is it better to just work the machines than to work nothing at all? Barbell squatting just aint an option, I have terrible form and I haven't seen a free weight rack with a safety bar underneath in case I bail. If all else fails is running a valid leg exercise or am I fooling myself.
So, DYEL noob here. Any alternatives to squats...
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Yes do leg press then, it's less ideal but it's better than not training legs at all.
Something > nothing
I dread back squats I hate them and it's the most awful exercise. On top of this my gym does not have a squat rack.
So I do front squats. Clean the bar and do them.
>goes to a gym with no rack
How's under the bridge?
There is no alternative.
You might be able to get away with leg pressing......but than you might just end up like one of those DYEL pajeets who can leg-press 10 plates but still has twig legs.
No one who leg presses a lot with full rom has small legs.
You're pushing the same weight dude. Do you think your muscles only grow when force is applied in a way known as a squat?
Find a new gym. Seriously.
You're really not pushing the same weight in terms of load on the muscle. Triple it and maybe you're getting close but most gyms are not going to be happy with people taking the entire plate collection to go leg pressing.
Yes but I mean if you're legpressing 800lbs for 4x15 there's no way your legs are going to be small if you're doing full rom, it's suboptimal to squats but it still works
when i decided to stop skipping leg day, i couldnt even do a bodyweight squat with good form, but i got into it. start with the bar until you feel like you wont injure urself instantly, and then start doing bw squats till you get really comfortable with them, and then go back to normal squatting. you WILL start squatting some day, and you should start ASAP, but to build a base to make learning right form easier you can either run/especially sprint, you can do machines, leg press etc, and you can do deadlifts, i felt way more comfortable deadlifting than squating. when you have built the base, you have to work your way into the squat form, but your legs will be strong enough to make you feel safe learning them.
P.S. dont even think about calf exercises until you can squat 1pl8.
I use to leg-press 5 plates a side (10 in total) for sets of 12-15.
I lift at home now and my only option for legs is squats.......and I only squat 2 plates for sets of 10 and my legs are much more developed, muscular and bigger now, much more than when all I did was leg press.
There's probably something happening on a squat that just doesn't happen on the leg-press.
I can comfortably squat a pl8. Problem is my form is major shit since ive been doing squats wrong as fuck and no one at the gym corrected me. Basically had the bar on my neck while throwing out my knees every rep. Which is why I stopped leg day. I'll have to practice my form for sure, but i'd hate to be "that guy" at the gym. Whatever. You're right. Gotta develop the skill set somehow.
tfw I'm the noob and I know more than this guy. Its like the 4th page of Starting Strength bud, you know, the sticky. Machines restrict the human body into a narrow range of motion, which is unnatural for the human body and hardly trains shit. When you squat, you are recruiting your entire lower body to help lift the bar, and your body makes little corrections here and there to stabilize yourself which contributes to some gnarly gains. Idk senpai thats just my recollection of the book.
I have been lifting for over a year, but no leg days. I decided to give it a go 3 weeks ago and I had the same problem. Firstly, I started squats with light kgs and doing a 1/3 squat. Something like 30 degrees. Wasn't so happy, but I had sore muscles. Next time I got myself to squat a bit lower and make it 40 degrees and yesterday I think I did a full squat with 40kg. Just start doing leg days and try the squat every time until you are familiar and you will do it in no time. You don't quit a movie or a video game just because of first impressions.
>1+ year lifting
>neglected 50% of his body
You guys are honestly the epitome of a shit cunt. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
>believing anything rip days
I am ashamed of myself and I suffer from a cripling depression. Deluding myself into thinking I did something productive to myself is much more beneficial than being able to lift more kgs to cover my insecurities.
>I hate squats
>so I do front squats
?
Watch some reliable squat videos from alan thrall, Mark bell, rippletits, whoever you deem a knowledgable lifter.
Record your squat if you don't have a gym partner and critique your form from there
No, leg press is not a good alternative
Do squats. Start light. Get the form down. Go from there.
Candito is also a good youtube guy to check out, but I personally think alan thrall has some of the best advice out there
well, i started squatting at maybe 30kg and worked up from there, maybe your legs are strong but misguided, you should use really low weight and while u slowly get the form, increase slowly. dont start at 1pl8 and try to learn the form, and dont only use the bar. start low and work your way up while increasing your form, by the time u squat 1pl8 u will be able to do it right
what is full ROM on a leg press, though? i always use the angled leg press and just go to just below the starting point of the leg press (where the weight is being held by the safeties)
Keep using the leg press, stick boy.