Fitness: Squat Alternatives
Many men avoid squats because they either don’t have enough flexibility in their calves and shins to perform them properly, they have a nagging lower back injury that seems to flare up when squats are performed, they don’t have access to a squat rack and cannot lift heavy enough weight, or they simply just don’t do the exercise to begin with.
If including squats in your workout program is impossible, there are squat alternatives you can turn to. These will all work many of the same muscle groups as squats and will help to compensate for not having “the king of exercises” in your program.
Progress is going to primarily come down to being able to effectively overload the muscles, so if you can’t accomplish this with squats, but can do so with squat alternatives, that’s the smartest route to go.
Step-upsStep-ups, performed with either dumbbells or a barbell, are great squat alternatives as well as being an awesome option for home workouts. The higher the step or bench you are using, the more it’s going to target the glute muscles, which help push the body upward.
If you want to place more stress on the quads, move the bench slightly further away from you or step more toward the middle of the bench within comfort range.
You can perform all the reps on one leg and then switch (which is good for muscular endurance) or perform one rep on one leg and then switch legs for the next rep (better for maximum strength).
Split squatsThe second exercise is a variation of the squat known as the split squat. These are good for those who tend to feel "locked into place" with the traditional squat. To perform this, stand about two to three feet in front of a step or bench and place your rear foot on the step or bench. Balancing on your forward standing leg, hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides or place a barbell across your back and lower your body down as low as you can go.
To emphasize the hamstrings, split your legs farther apart, and to emphasize the quads, bring them closer together. Just watch that your knee is following over your toes at all times to prevent knee problems.
We have four more squat alternatives after the jump…