View Full Version : Serious help needed
Pokoritel
02-28-07, 11:57 pm
I know that squats are very important to leg workouts, however my gym decided to give me such a high price this year that I cant afford to go. I am a college student with no money. Here is the main thing. I started training in my schools gym cause its free, but what the hell do you do when they got no squat rack. I need a leg routine to follow, that will help build my mass in legs. I need routines any advice I can get. IF this helps there dumbbells go up to 100 lbs only.
TheNaturalG
03-01-07, 12:02 am
Get a job bro. I spend 12 hours between saturday nights and sundays to make money at my job. It is all about sacrifice. If I had a choice between squats or going out saturday night. Squats would be my choice without a thought.
Does your schools gym have a power rack, smith machine, leg press machine, hack squat machine, or maybe something you can get the bar up on to use as a squat rack.
paintrain69
03-01-07, 12:09 am
you can use the dumbbells for lunges...you could also squat down and touch the weights on the ground...calf raises...that's all i can really think of bro with dumbbells im sure some more brothers got more info...but...yeah i'd try to get a job also man...no doubt...work on the weekends bro...
With two people to help you, you might be able to get a decent squat into position. Just have them pick it up and hold it for you. You're not going to be squatting much over 300 though unless you have some bad ass partners.
It would work in a pinch, especially if your squats aren't that high yet.
Pokoritel
03-01-07, 1:24 am
Get a job bro. I spend 12 hours between saturday nights and sundays to make money at my job. It is all about sacrifice. If I had a choice between squats or going out saturday night. Squats would be my choice without a thought.
Does your schools gym have a power rack, smith machine, leg press machine, hack squat machine, or maybe something you can get the bar up on to use as a squat rack.
I work in my fathers business, I do my best to run things while he is seriously sick. However I dont get paid. Now you see my problem. They have a leg extensions machine and a leg curl machine. When it comes to every other body part I have no problem cause they have barbells and dumbbells. Well thanks guys I will apply the lunges and perhaps barbell hack squats. Thanks You
Hey man... sorry to hear about the shitty situation. You could try cleaning a barbell up to a front squat position and doing front squats like that. You might not get a lotta weight up doing that, but I think its better than nothing. Do they have a smith machine?
IronChin
03-01-07, 1:51 am
This may sound idealistic and a bit more long term, but I think that you should get your parents and other parents of your friends to start making some phone calls. I say parents because they typically won't listen to students...all they give a shit about is where their money coming from (unless you're paying for it). With the prices of college tuition these days, it blows really hard that they can't even get a fucking squat rack in there.
I know that squats are very important to leg workouts, however my gym decided to give me such a high price this year that I cant afford to go. I am a college student with no money. Here is the main thing. I started training in my schools gym cause its free, but what the hell do you do when they got no squat rack. I need a leg routine to follow, that will help build my mass in legs. I need routines any advice I can get. IF this helps there dumbbells go up to 100 lbs only.
Do they have a leg press?
You got to do the best with what you have!
Ever hear the saying "It is not the tools you use to do the job, but the hands that holds the tools FINISHES the job correctly."
Try giant sets...After a warm-up on a bike or tread try...knee ext. for 10-12 reps, go to leg curls for 15-20 reps, go to stiff leg deads for 6-8 reps and finish with waking lunges....25 steps up and 25 steps back!
Try this for four sets.
If they have a physio ball, do physio ball dumbbell squats, will save your back and fry your legs.
Sure, squats are key, but there are ways to work around this.
I know a lot of guys with torn-beat up knees who can't squat and you would be surprised of their masive leg development.
Hope this helps!
the Force
03-01-07, 2:05 am
there are lots of ways you can do squats. drag a bench press away from the wall and wrap your arms around it. stand up and take a step back, do your squats and put it back. I'm assuming the bench presses are low enough that you can lift the bar off the rack. This is a ghetto way of doing it but it works. Doing squats with the bar on your chest isn't that difficult to get used to either, and yes you can still go as heavy once you get form down. I've done squats before using a benchpress as my rack, its just not safe, but if you have good form that's all you need.
Hey bro How tall can you raise the bench bro. I have that problem at home I just raise the bench up as high as it will go and remove the seat and go from there I have to like do good mornings to get it off the rack, but that is my way of supersetting squats and good mornings hah ha ha. be creative I gues also hack squats are good put the dbs in your hands and do the squat motion just go til failure your body wont know the diffrence.
the Force
03-01-07, 7:22 am
nah man i'm talking about holding the bar across your chest by crossing your arms around it. If you stand behind the bench, like you're spotting someone, bend your knees and get low you can pick it up like you're doing a squat. Take a step back, and go to town.
Hollow1
03-01-07, 10:36 am
nah man i'm talking about holding the bar across your chest by crossing your arms around it. If you stand behind the bench, like you're spotting someone, bend your knees and get low you can pick it up like you're doing a squat. Take a step back, and go to town.
This works really good, especially in home gyms when you don't have the right equipment (Front Squats). Could try Sissy Squats and hold onto a plate for additional weight if your body weight is not enough resistance.
the Force
03-01-07, 10:44 am
If sissy squats are too easy here's an unorthodox method from back home. When i was working out on the farm and couldn't make it into the gym i would pile scrap metal and cement into buckets and hang the buckets from a broomstick or any other equivalent. You don't know how much weight you're using but you can still work hard. Plus, you can use these buckets for curls, lateral raises, you name it. I'm sure there are people out there that will tell you this is unsafe due to balancing issues, even weights, blah blah blah.
The key here is to work the muscles by any means necessary.
Here is a suggestion for a workout to try out since you don't have a squat rack.
Start out with the leg curl and leg extension machines as heavy as you can go. I know that it isn't the same as squats but it will get you a good burn to start. Then do some lunges with db's or find a box, step, whatever and do step-ups with db's. You should feel the burn by now, if not then you aren't working hard enough. Next do some stiff-legged deadlifts, you have bb's or db's so it is up to you. Finally after that follow what The Force said and do some front squats. Your legs should be tired by the front squats so you won't need a lot of weight, which will make it a little safer.
I followed a workout like this and saw some pretty good results. If you do it right then your legs should be shaking at the end, when you legs don't shake any more change it up. Hope it helps...
For the pain...
Pokoritel
03-01-07, 11:14 am
Thanks for all the help guys really. This is really helpful, I am going to try all these ideas. So far this is what I got.
1 Dumbbell Lunges
2 Dumbbell Step Ups
3 Barbell Hack Squat
4 Leg extensions
5 Leg Curl
6 Cleaning the bar to a front squat position and squat from that point
7 Try giant sets...After a warm-up on a bike or tread try...knee ext. for 10- 12 reps, go to leg curls for 15-20 reps, go to stiff leg deads for 6-8 reps and finish with waking lunges....25 steps up and 25 steps back!
8 Sissy Squats
I will try all these methods out, and I will tell everyone how my workout went. Thanks everyone. Also they dont have a leg press nor a smith machine. I asked a worker in the gym, and he said they might bring in a smith machine soon. I dont know if thats true or not but i will just have to wait and see.
Once again I want to give a big thank you to all you guys and your ideas. Thank you very much
being at school we did squats with someone sitting on the shoulders ,stand against the wall or grab athletic ladder so you dont fall,you have to have it in your school gym, isnt so comfy but nevertheless...
Pokoritel
03-01-07, 2:09 pm
Someone sitting on your shoulders, good idea. I also have some good news I found a gym but its a little far from me. One train ride wont kill me. I am going to check it out. As far as I here its really small, but I dont mind as long as they dont bring up those stupid rules like no chalk, no grunting, etc... But if it doesnt workout then I am going to incorporate all your ideas into my leg workout which is tomorrow.
i don't have a squat rack either, so i will either do front squats, or hoist the bat with whatever i can lift over my head and do squats as a warmup, lots of reps or at the end of the leg day, as i can't do nearly as much weight after doing everything else. i do a lot of DB lunges too, which is a good workout.
Thanks for all the help guys really. This is really helpful, I am going to try all these ideas. So far this is what I got.
1 Dumbbell Lunges
2 Dumbbell Step Ups
3 Barbell Hack Squat
4 Leg extensions
5 Leg Curl
6 Cleaning the bar to a front squat position and squat from that point
7 Try giant sets...After a warm-up on a bike or tread try...knee ext. for 10- 12 reps, go to leg curls for 15-20 reps, go to stiff leg deads for 6-8 reps and finish with waking lunges....25 steps up and 25 steps back!
8 Sissy Squats
I will try all these methods out, and I will tell everyone how my workout went. Thanks everyone. Also they dont have a leg press nor a smith machine. I asked a worker in the gym, and he said they might bring in a smith machine soon. I dont know if thats true or not but i will just have to wait and see.
Once again I want to give a big thank you to all you guys and your ideas. Thank you very much
Don't forget to add to your list Straight Leg Dead lifts for the hams. Romanian Deads also.
Pokoritel
03-01-07, 7:53 pm
good idea cole
Pokoritel
03-01-07, 8:10 pm
Allright guys I am on my way to that gym, and if it works out well I will have a normal gym to train at where I will be able to do squats.
Mr.Totality
03-01-07, 9:42 pm
let us know how it works out, tehre are a lot of options for you
Pokoritel
03-02-07, 1:46 am
Hey everyone I have amazing news. I found a gym called Powerhouse, which you all know of. It is a great gym with 5 squat racks and the price fit perfectly into my budget. They have a boxing room, and i love boxin. Big place lots of room and comfortable, etc... I checked out 3 gyms today, I started lookin around 8pm and I ended up in powerhouse at 11pm. I thought I wasnt going to find a gym but damn powerhouse was awesome.
I just want to thank everyone here at animalpak who responded to this thread and gave many great suggestions on how to destroy your quads without a squat rack. So thank you very much guys. I will use your ideas in the future if I end up without a squat rack again. So its time to SQUAT BABY!!!!!!!!!!!