Only the Strong Shall Survive

Squat-
Option
Lowdown
What to Do in Lieu of Squatting by Bill Starr
Photography by Michael Neveux

W
hile I firmly believe that the full increase your hip and leg strength.
squat is the very best exercise for Dumbbells afford many advantages over a
developing the hips and legs, the barbell. You don’t need a rack or spotters, and
power base of the body, I’m also there’s no danger of getting stuck at the bottom.
aware that many strength athletes Should you run out of gas, just set them down.
cannot do squats. I know it because of the people You’ll also discover that you can go lower using
I’ve met in gyms over the years and from the dumbbells, which works the adductors and
many letters I’ve received from men asking for hamstrings more thoroughly. And you can do
alternative lower-body exercises. dumbbell squats in limited space with very little
Those who cannot squat generally fall into in the way of equipment. Squatting with a bar in
two categories: athletes with knee, hip or ankle a high-rise apartment might pose a problem, but
problems, and those who are unable to fix a bar doing it with dumbbells doesn’t. They’re also easy
behind their necks because of an injury or some to store and take along on road trips.
infirmity such as rheumatoid arthritis. Of course, Another excellent alternative is lunges done
there are other reasons that people can’t do squats with or without weight. If you haven’t been doing
as well as a group who choose not to do them. anything for your lower body for a while, start with
The exercises recommended here will be useful to walking lunges, a simple but extremely effective
them as well. hip and leg exercise. If you doubt that, just check
First, I’ll deal with athletes who find it out the amazing lower-body development of
impossible, or extremely painful, to position a bar female gymnasts, who do countless lunges in their
across their shoulders, behind their backs. Squat training. While lunges appear tame, they aren’t.
Model: Mike Ashley

with dumbbells. Obviously, you can’t use nearly I’ve had athletes who were squatting 500 pounds
as much weight even if you strap on to heavy give out after lunging the hallway back and forth,
dumbbells, but if you run the reps up, you can a distance of about 150 feet.

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 You Can Get
left-handed. Unconsciously, we
give priority to one leg. I notice
on the beach, in the hallway of a
hotel—and I’ve even lunged around
work well too. Most people find
that holding a weight makes the Bigger,
that when I walk up stairs or step
up on a curb, I always lead with
a motel pool. I did, however, do
those at night, when the pool area
exercise easier to do since it helps
with balance. Make sure that you Stronger
my right foot. As a result, my right
leg is stronger and more flexible.
was empty, so the residents wouldn’t
be alarmed that a nut case was
don’t allow the weights to swing
too much, which will adversely and Leaner
That’s exactly why I include
some form of lunges in all of my
loose.
After you feel
affect the rhythm of the exercise
Faster Than Ever
programs. They help bring the comfortable doing The Powertec squat Before!
weaker leg into proportion with walking lunges, try adding
resistance. Dumbbells are machine is an excellent You don’t have to burn hard-earned muscle
as you melt away fat. Now you can actually
Lunges hit the lower body hard. best, although milk jugs
filled with water or sand
alternative to free-bar build more muscle size and strength as your
abs get razor sharp and you get ripped.
Eventually, your back leg should squats. (For more info visit That’s the attention-grabbing look you want
now, and the new Fat to Muscle 2 shows you
be extended, but start with this www.Home-Gym.com.) how. You’ll discover:

•eatPrecise nutrition guidelines and diets—

version to hone your ability to to max out your muscle mass as pounds
of ugly bodyfat disappear. (Learn the Carb-
balance. Stacking strategy that can transform mus-
cle size and stoke the fat-burning furnace.)
• Which substance—found in almost any
kitchen—is the ultimate aid for energy,
the stronger one. better muscular response and fat burning.
Once you’ve stretched out • How dairy can help you burn fat—
into a deep split, push off with yogurt, cheese and milk can get you leaner.
your lead foot and step forward • How to increase fat use with a minimum of
aerobic exercise, and why aerobics may be
with your other leg into another a waste of time for a lean, muscular look.
lunge. That has to be done in a • The amazing direct/indirect Fat-to-
fluid motion, and here’s the key Muscle 2 training program—with this
innovative routine it appears as if you train a
to being able to do it: When you bodypart only once a week, but you really
rise out of a deep split, extend train each twice thanks to indirect work (and
each workout takes less than an hour).
high on your toes before stepping
forward. That makes it easier to • The 8 key nutrients for faster fat burn-
ing, including how much to take of each.
flow from one rep to the next • Top 6 fat-to-muscle tricks. (Great info!)
than if you did the movement • The 10 rules for super energy.
flat-footed. The secrets to melting away bodyfat as you
build lean, ripped muscle
Another important form point are all packed in this IRONMAN
Magazine’
s

is to maintain an erect torso. If bulletin—eating plans, BULLETIN

#5

you start leaning forward or to

workout routines, FAT TO
MUSCLE
metabolism-accelera-
either side, you’re not going to tion techniques and the
get the desired results. When
your form breaks down, stop,
best fat-to-muscle
nutrients. Stop dieting
Pack On Le
2 an
away muscle—pack As You Shed Mass
Bodyfat
take a break, and start in again. on more as you burn Includes carb
-sta
diets, grow cking and carb-reducti
fat-burning th hormone activatio on
fat, and look your wor n,
Lunging short distances with hard, muscular best
and the 10 kouts and supplements
Rules for Sup
er Energy
Model: King Kamali

perfect technique is much more in record time!

productive than going longer
using sloppy form.
Once you determine how far
Just $9.95
plus $6.50 postage & handling ($15 outside North
you can go and still maintain America) (California residents add 8.25% sales tax)
There’s a difference between inward or outward, it will adversely flawless style, lunge to your goal, Credit card orders call
stationary and walking lunges. affect your balance. Step far enough pause, then go back. That’s one set. 1-800-447-0008, offer ITS
The walking form requires more so that you’re lunging into a very How many sets you do depends
balance, and there’s a rhythm to deep split. At the bottom-most entirely on your physical condition, YES! I want to transform my physique. Rush
performing them correctly. In the position your lead knee should be but as in every exercise it doesn’t me IRONMAN’s Fat to Muscle 2.
walking lunge, you never come to out over your toes and your back matter where you start, only where ......................................................
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Stand very erect with your feet your trailing leg downward, and I stop at the end of a hallway or room. shipping payable to: Home GYM Warehouse,

Model: Luke Wood

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at shoulder width, toes pointed might add, a lot harder. Just turn quickly and continue the Credit card orders call TOLL FREE
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hips. Step straight ahead with either more flexible than the other. That’s walking lunges is that you can do CA residents add 8.25% sales tax. Foreign orders
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foot. That’s a key point. If you step only natural, like being right- or them almost anywhere—on a lawn, U.S. dollars drawn on U.S. banks only.

316 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Only the Strong Shall Survive

and, therefore, the results. In the you are sure you have the correct the deep-bottom position is the
event that you can’t find a place to grip, lower your hips as far as you most valuable in building hip and
do walking lunges, just do lunges can and push your feet down into leg strength.
in place. They’re not quite as the floor while keeping the rest of Knowing that, once athletes learn
productive as the walking variety, your body tight. The bar will come the technique, I have them do hack
but they’re still very beneficial. up between your legs and touch lifts using 25-pound plates. That
Another useful hip and leg your crotch. Pause, make sure your forces them to go even lower, which
exercise that used to be a part of back is flat, and lower the bar in is a good thing. The deep position
every bodybuilder’s and strength a controlled manner. Stop at the makes the adductors and leg biceps
athlete’s routine but is now rarely bottom and make certain your body work much harder. Also, if you start
done is the hack lift. It’s also referred mechanics are right before
to as the straddle lift, since you are, doing the next rep. Don’t get If you use leg presses as
in fact, straddling the barbell. in the habit of rebounding the
This excellent exercise plates off the floor, because your squat alternative, be
was named for George
Hackenschmidt, a professional
careful not to let your hips
strongman of the early 20th roll off the back pad as you
century. Born in Estonia, he was
known as the “Russian Lion.” He lower the foot plate.
invented and popularized the
hack lift and claimed that this
single exercise was responsible
for his powerful lower body and
massive leg development. In 1902
he reportedly did 50 reps with 110
pounds, which may not sound like
much—until you try matching it.
You can use the hack lift as a
substitute for squats or lunges
or to add some variety to your
lower-body routine on occasion.
Since it’s different from any other
hip and leg exercises, it will hit
some new muscles, and that’s
always a good thing in strength
training. The hack lift is a simple
movement, yet you’ll still need to
practice it for a time before you
get the feel of it.
Straddle a bar, facing one of
the plates. Your feet will be at
shoulder width or a bit closer.
Most people use the same foot
placement as they do when they
squat. One hand will grip the
bar in front of your body and the
other behind. You can use straps
on these if you want. As with a
deadlift, you start this lift from
the bottom position. You’ll have
to do some experimenting with
your grip to find the place where
the bar is in balance before you
begin. For most trainees a grip
that is a hand length from the
smooth part in the center of an
Olympic bar works well.
You must keep your back
Model: Steven Segers

extremely tight and your torso

upright throughout the execution
of this lift. Leaning forward
diminishes the benefits. After

318 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Only the Strong Shall Survive

with your left hand in front, switch really duplicate the hack lift, but massive poundages, you’re forced
and do the next set with your right they go by that name in most to short-stroke, and the partial
hand in the lead position. gyms anyway. I like the ones that movement only works the quads
Try to keep most of your weight glide up and down smoothly at a and abductors.
on your heels. That will help you 45 degree angle and the ones that Now, for trainees who cannot
stay more upright. While you’re allow you lie horizontally without squat because of problems, new or
learning the form, do eight to 12 gripping anything with your hands. old, in their knees, hips or ankles
reps. Then you can lower them You can place your hands on your due to injuries, arthritis or other
to fives if you like. Three sets of thighs, avoiding any strain to your ailments: My advice may seem
the higher reps are enough in the shoulders. foolish, but I’ve seen some very
beginning, and five to six sets will Leg presses are useful, but only if positive things happen when it’s
suffice with the fives. you achieve a full range of motion. followed. Experiment. If squats hurt,
The greatest advantage of the Your knees must go lower than your try lunges, hack lifts, deadlifts or
deadift is that you can work the hips in order for your adductors and the leg press and hack machine. Try
hip and leg muscles and handle a hamstrings to be fully activated. squatting with dumbbells. You may
lot of weight, which is what it takes For most people that means using a be surprised. Many are. I trained
to activate those large muscles. moderate amount of weight. When with an older man in a facility that
If you’re doing deadlifts as a the leg press machine is loaded with had minimal equipment, and for a
replacement exercise for full squats,
you’ll want to set your hips really
low. Again, I have athletes use 25-
pound plates to force their hips and
legs to squeeze the bar off the floor.
As in the hack lift, keep your torso
upright and your back rigidly tight.
The bar has to stay close to your
body from start to finish. As I also
mentioned regarding the hack lift,
you want to lower the bar in a slow
rather than a fast fashion and avoid
rebounding the plates off the floor.
If you’re doing deadlifts as a hip-
and-leg exercise and aren’t planning
on entering a contest, go ahead and
use straps. Each time you deadlift,
change the set-and-rep formula.
The rotation of rep schemes I use
is: five sets of eight, five sets of five,
then three sets of five followed by
three sets of three. The eights and
fives increase the workload, while
the threes hit the attachments more.
Each workout is different, which
helps you get geared up for each
deadlift session.
Machines can help in building
a stronger lower body, although
they may not be available. Plus,
some are poorly designed and do
little to improve strength. For those
who cannot rack a bar on their
shoulders, the hack squat machine
can be useful. The machines don’t

The greatest advantage of the

deadlift is that you can hammer
your hip and leg muscles and
Model: David Yeung

handle a lot of weight.

320 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

 Leg extensions are a good Walking lunges are
adjunct to squats or squat grueling, but they’re a
alternatives. To preserve Presents the
killer hip-and-lower-
your knees, don’t lower body blaster.
your legs beyond a 45
degree angle. the cables to your
ankles and work
your adductors and
those lifts and found that he was abductors while
once again able to take long hikes, seated or standing.
something he hadn’t been able These are very
to do for a long time. He told me effective movememts.
CONTEST
that the higher reps seemed to Remember, adductors For the first time ever, fans
alleviate the knee pain he used to pull your legs inward; got to vote for the winner
have when he did simple everyday abductors move them of a major IFBB contest,
functions, such as climbing stairs. outward. the IRON MAN PRO. And the
I told him the higher reps flushed If there isn’t a fans agreed
blood to his knees and fed the hyper or reverse with the
attachments and all-important hyper machine, you judges as Lee
cartilage without stressing them. can always do good Priest was the
I’ve know a few people who mornings or almost overwhelming
couldn’t squat with a bar or straight-legged choice of
dumbbells but were able to lunge. deadlifts with a light thousands
I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t bar or broomstick. who voted
matter. A friend of mine found Ankle weights are online during
that when he did wide-stance useful, although I’m Bodybuilding.
deadlifts, he didn’t feel any pain not sure they’re still com’s live webcast.
in his hips. With conventional on the market. In
deadlifts, he did. Yet another was the event there isn’t ...AND THE WINNER IS

Model: Derik Farnsworth

sure he would never find a lower- a gym in your area,
body exercise he could do until he or you just don’t care
stumbled across hack lifts. That to join one, you can
one exercise was all he needed to still work the various
rebuild his lower-body strength. muscles that make
My message is: Just because up your lower body
you’re unable to do a certain perform any of the exercises that without using any
exercise for your lower body—or I’ve recommended, even with light resistance. Do the same movements
any bodypart for that matter— weights. If there is a fitness facility in as if you were in the various
don’t assume that you can’t your area that has a wide selection machines. Obviously, you’ll have to
find some other exercise to of machines for the lower body, do a high number of reps, such as
Model: David Dorsey

do. Try lunges, squatting with it would be worthwhile for you to in the 200 range, but it’s time well Jonathan Fernandez of
dumbbells and all the others join. Be sure to check it out to make spent. Venezuela, (pictured above
I mentioned, and if they don’t certain that they have what you And while you may not be able to with Gustavo Badell) correctly
work, try something else—like need. This isn’t difficult. You need boast of a big squat or deadlift, you placed 8 of the top 10 finishers
isometrics or isotonic-isometrics. a leg extension machine for your will be able to enjoy a more active of the IRON MAN PRO. For
long time all he worked was his back placed them in that position for a It may seem impossible that a quads; a leg curl for your leg biceps, lifestyle if you keep your lower body his prolific prognostications,
and upper body because he couldn’t long time, but not the sharp pain person who cannot squat could do or hamstrings; specific machines strong. As the saying goes, Where Jonathan received a $500 gift
squat without experiencing severe he experienced when he squatted isometrics or isotonic-isometrics in for abductors and adductors, and there’s a will, there’s a way. If you certificate from Bodybuilding.
pain in his knees. with a bar. The reason the dumbbell more than one squat position, but something for your lower back, really want to improve hip and leg com and 2 Gold VIP tickets
One day he asked me if there squats didn’t aggravate his arthritic it isn’t. I’ve seen it happen. The pain either a hyperextension or reverse strength, you’ll figure out how to to next year’s Iron Man Pro
was something he could do for his knees was because when he went in the knees comes when the joint hyper. do it. TheFitExpo ($598 value).
lower body. I suggested that he try extra low, the pressure was taken off is in motion. When it’s locked in an Leg extensions and leg curl For more information about the “You Be The
squatting with light dumbbells and the knee joints and transferred to isometric hold, it’s okay. Granted, machines are standard at every Editor’s note: Bill Starr was a Judge” contest or to see Jonathan’s picks
that he should go extremely low. He the hips, leg biceps and adductors. not everyone with bad knees, hips gym, but there may not be any strength and conditioning coach and explanations, visit
www.ironmanmagazine.com or
was quite doubtful yet gave it a try. I Plus the weight was light and wasn’t or ankles can benefit from using apparatuses for working your at Johns Hopkins University from www.bodybuilding.com.
told him, “If it hurts, you can always being pushed down on his knees. isometrics, but you might be one adductors and abductors. The club 1989 to 2000. He’s the author of The
stop.” To his surprise, dumbbell The man also found that he could who can. may, however, have some sort of Strongest Shall Survive and Defying
squats didn’t hurt his knees. There deadlift, again using light weights. Finally, I want to address those cable setup, either attached to a Gravity. IM
was some stress during the first few Over the following two months he who are at the extreme end of the wall or as part of a Universal-type
reps due to the fact that he hadn’t slowly added to his workload on spectrum and positively cannot machine. Secure
Contest and rules © 2006 IRONMAN Magazine. All Rights Reserved

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