Questions About Squatting

[OldVet61]

I've never done freeweight squats I'm in my 6th week of weight training and I've gained about 15lbs so I'm pretty happy so far. My question is do you guys think its alright to do freeweight squats on a regular bench for your chest? I have one in my basement and I want to use that for squats I've been using the leg press at my Thai gym and could do 5 reps @ 330lbs max so far. How much should I try to lift freeweight here? Also what leg exercises can I do at home besides squats, pause squats and front squats? Or is that all I need to do? Thanks for the feedback.

 

[thecreator]

Squats on a bench, sounds dangerous.

If your using the bench as a squat rack, it would get pretty awkward, as even if the rack is high enough the bench is still in the way.

Hopefully your not stupid enough to sit on the bench when your squatting, this is a good way to snap your spine.

With free weights you can do many leg excercises, deadlifts, lunges, olympics, squats e.t.c. Free weight Calf raises are tricky, as you'll need good balance to do them on a step/box. Some of these excercises help train the Adductors, and Abductors, but cables, elastic, and machines are generally better for those two muscle groups.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

Sitting on a bench is fine...you won't snap your back, its called a box squat. Look at guys at westside them with 900+ lbs.

 

[OldVet61]

Sitting on a bench is fine...you won't snap your back, its called a box squat. Look at guys at westside them with 900+ lbs.

I was going to bring that up because I've seen guys doing box squats at weights I will never achieve lol. Will it be alright to use my bench for squatting though if I adjust the bar height?

 

[Wrecking Ball]

I think it would just depend how high you can adjust the bench. I think it'd be pretty tough starting with 80% of your max, and unracking it just out of the hole, ya know?

 

[thecreator]

I was going to bring that up because I've seen guys doing box squats at weights I will never achieve lol. Will it be alright to use my bench for squatting though if I adjust the bar height?

Box squats are not for beginners. If you do it, make sure you touch the box/bench very softly.

 

[Mark Limbaga]

What equipment do you have available? If your bench isn't high enough, look for a nother place to squat

 

[krellik]

You dont need no bench to squat. Clean the weight and do front squats instead. Will kick that ass good, trust me..

 

[anvar]

over the past few months, i have become a big fan of overhead squats, and front squats for my quad dominate lifts...give them a shot. I read in a Don John artical awhile ago that some track and field coaches will not let their athlets start training until they can overhead squat their body weight.

 

[Reakt]

Pistols are good too you can also do zercher squats

ok so now you've got: pistols, zercher squats, overhead squats, front squats and box squats + deadlifts

 

[Wrecking Ball]

Wow, thats crazy about the overhead squats anvar. I think thats kind of a tough order to fill though for a sprinter, you sure that wasnt a stat for throwers?

 

[anvar]

yea Don John's a thrower...but you should check out some of the shit Ben Johnson did with Charlie Francis

 

[Zeirhk]

I have one of those makeshift benches, so I can switch the rack backwards, and I could use it like a squat rack. Still dangerous, you'd have to make risky choices whether you can complete the last 1-2 or so reps...or you'll have that loaded barbell crushing you.

BTW I guess I've been doing Box squats improperly, as I actually sit down, rock back a bit then ascend again... ? ? ?

Hopefully your not stupid enough to sit on the bench when your squatting, this is a good way to snap your spine..

Like what this guy does in this video: http://www.joeskopec.com/joeskopecboxsquat.mpg


Will I snap my spine in half if I do it that way ?

 

[Wrecking Ball]

Ben Johnson's the cream of the crop though. I doubt your average college sprinter would be able to do that right out of high school.

 

[CoachB40]

I think you should stick with pistols. If you do 330 for 5 reps on leg press I think you can still gain a lot from pistols. Dead Lift and lunges are a viable option with your equipment.

 

[Sean S]

Box squats are not for beginners. If you do it, make sure you touch the box/bench very softly.

Do you mean in a controlled manor or not sit on the box at all? Sitting on the box is part of the exercise otherwise you don't:

1) Learn to sit back

2) Stop the momentum.

I'm really not sure what you are getting at with the whole snapping the spine thing.

 

[Alon]

Why don't you just build some squat racks?

Get two old steel car rims, a piece of metal with a lip on one end (to catch the weight) and holes on the other (to bolt to the rim) and you're done.

 

[thecreator]

Do you mean in a controlled manor or not sit on the box at all? Sitting on the box is part of the exercise otherwise you don't:

1) Learn to sit back

2) Stop the momentum.

I'm really not sure what you are getting at with the whole snapping the spine thing.

I mean first you need to be able to do a deep squat properly with good form, so that you have the strength to control you movement, and avoid injury when using a box.

Done incorrectly using a box to stop the momentum of your descent, can damage your spine due to the upward force of the box, and the downward force of the barbell.

The video that Zeirhk posted looked fine, as the guy diverted the force by rocking back.