Alternatives to squats

[Thunderhorse]

Step ups are pretty gay and lunges are a good assistance exercise. Keep squatting. :pfft:

[HaNs]

Keep squatting. :pfft:

Will you push my wheel chair for me?

[cantygirl]

Step ups are pretty gay and lunges are a good assistance exercise. Keep squatting. :pfft:

You might just want to try them with a nice heavy barbell on board.

[Matrix]

Actively engaging TVA's is important and can really help with injury prevention, however research from the chek institute suggests that engaging the TVA's and pelvic floor muscles is load specific, once a certain load is exceeded the body is better stabilized through abdominal bracing through generating intra abdominal pressure and as such, tends to do this automatically under higher loads.

Powerlifters do this automatically, it's commonly referred to as keeping tight throughout a lift by pressing the abdominal wall out under tension(usually against a belt).

You may need to take your training right back to retraining and strengthening your postural stabilizing muscles, through static positions, then onto bodyweight exercises etc. With an end goal of being able to execute compound leg exercises pain free.

Leg extensions and ham curls will minimize muscle atrophy, however a better goal is to work really hard on improving your core musculature to get back full function.

Other ways to overload your legs with a compound exercise that doesn't involve axial loadind are moves such as a split squat with back foot elevated on a bench, executed at a slow, deliberate tempo like a 4:2:2:0, or even a single leg swiss Ball squat(ball against wall) with slow perfect form.

These moves dont require vertical loading, yet are still challenging and effective and wont compromise your rehab.

Good luck

[roadie]

Not taking the mickey (much) but surely the whole point is to support the back?

How does a wide belt at the front help?

the belt helps by allowing you to increase pressure inside your core....put it on reasonably tight, then breathe in to maximise the pressure.

it is the front of the stomach that pushes out on the belt more so than the rear, so i would say use the widest belt that is comfortable

your comment actually highlights what others are trying to say here. it is not just the back injury that causes the pain. you need to have balance around your core and the abs/ hammys / hips to maintain good form and help recovery and not wreck it again

[Grover]

great thanks, learnt something new from this thread.

Will practice this myself

[Optimass]

Stair climbing d/b in hand.

warm up every step - then alternate steps - then 3 steps etc.

and as Pman has already said Lunges - you can use a d/b and reverse step/alternate - Stepping backward not forward but not traveling. really bites into your hamstring glutes + inner thigh. Once you have your balance it can be performed of a box/step to add more stretch through your inner thigh.

I personally wouldn't use a belt - It will compensate for the weakness and not allow strength to return in full once the injury has settled. And will encourage you to use exercises that could progress the pain and/or injury.

[roadie]

I personally wouldn't use a belt - It will compensate for the weakness and not allow strength to return in full once the injury has settled. And will encourage you to use exercises that could progress the pain and/or injury.

while i appreciate what you are saying, this guy is trying to work around an injury. if you have got a bung knee people dont think twice about using a brace or support / wraps, just like elbows

he needs to have a balanced program and good form to come out the other side with any hope of continuing in the gym, its difficult to help with this over the net.

its probably not the best to rely on it forever, but you can wean your self off the first set, then two sets then all sets over a period of time as things improve.

[old tryhard]

greetings new to this site ... another variation to lunges you could try is using a barbell (as per squats) step back into the stance and do all the reps on each leg without moving from the stance ....so you dont get a rest while your stepping back and forth ... mean burn, mean pump :pfft:

[PTinCHCH]

why you want an alternative?

to still work the quads?

just use a quad machine, or hack squat, or leg press.

just lunge till you cant lunge no more.

[HaNs]

why you want an alternative?

to still work the quads?

just use a quad machine, or hack squat, or leg press.

just lunge till you cant lunge no more.

Doctors orders

Yes

Hack still loads lower discs

K

[PTinCHCH]

why you want an alternative?

to still work the quads?

just use a quad machine, or hack squat, or leg press.

just lunge till you cant lunge no more.

Doctors orders

Yes

Hack still loads lower discs

K

lol. direct answers

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/ThighWt.html

check that out.

these badboys will be safe for ya spine

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Qua ... nsion.html

[HaNs]

these badboys will be safe for ya spine

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Qua ... nsion.html

Yeh i do them but i find the work the inside more than the outside of my legs.

Thanks for the other link. Will look through them.