Building Muscle/Working out

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Originally Posted by jnich67

I work out at home. I don't have room for a squat rack or even a bench - I use a Swiss ball for bench presses. I do have a barbell and dumbbells and plenty of weight. The problem is that I can't really do squats with appropriate weight because getting a heavy bar up from the floor and then down is proving problematic. I've substituted front squats with heavy dumbbells and started doing weighted step-ups as well (I also do single leg squats and all the lighter weight stuff). Any other exercises that can substitute for heavy squats? Thanks

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Pavel Tsatsouline has a great book called the naked warrior which explains what is called a Pistol. basically you put your hands straight out and one leg straight out and squat on the remaining leg. they are very hard as you are supposed to go all the way down and back up but you can work your way down using chairs or anything that will hold your weight. they are a great exercise that really produce results, plus no real equipement is needed. if you look up thenaked warrior (no space) on youtube or check out steve cotter on there you can see them. searching "one leg squat" will find it also.

i find lunges are great also, add a little weight and it is easy to get a great leg workout from them.

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Originally Posted by jockeys

you're gonna laugh, but here goes...

I don't have a power cage, or fancy squat racks or anything like that. I have a pair of steel sawhorses on my back porch with a bar and weights. When I first started squatting, I just cleaned and jerked the bar, but soon my squat was enough that I couldn't do that, so I put the weight on sawhorses. They are tall enough that I can get under the bar and do a lift with good form, then I walk away a little and do my reps.

Pretty ghetto, but it gets the job done.

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I could totaly deal with the sawhorse solution, but I live in an apt. My wife caught me looking at equipment on-line once, and it was the "over my dead body" thing. I tried to explain that we could cover it with some pretty cloth and decorate it with nick-nacks when not in use, etc. Didn't fly. :D

I'll have to make do for the time being. :hmmm:

Jordan

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Originally Posted by Wildtim

You know what equipment would be needed, a bench and a power rack.

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actually, you can get around needing a bench by doing weighted dips. i had a bad experience doing unspotted benchpresses alone when I was younger, (I work out alone at my house) and now do weighted dips. just grab a hip belt and some plates and you'll hit all the same muscles without the risks of doing benchpresses.

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Originally Posted by jnich67

I could totaly deal with the sawhorse solution, but I live in an apt. My wife caught me looking at equipment on-line once, and it was the "over my dead body" thing.
Jordan

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when I lived in an APT I used my hiking backpack (can hold about 100#) and did lunges and one leg squats with it. not quite as good as a bar, but still a pretty decent leg workout. you lose the back workout of a true squat, tho.

I dont know if i would agree that bench press can be substituted with dips...yes dips will work your traps great...more than a bench...but bench will work your chest...way more than dips...

Two words for skipping bench...

PUSH UPS...do them with all types of stances...wide narrow hands turned in hands turned out...feet elevated...master the pushup and you will see yourself gain...

Lunges are great...do them forward step and reverse step...also step ups onto a chair are good...

if you have the straight bar ... do dead lifts...but do them with a straight back and keep your back verticle and just bend at your knees and squat down to pick the weight up...us your legs...this is also a good workout...

the other thing you could do....i hate to say it but join a gym...

they have all the equip you need.

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Originally Posted by jnich67

Since we seem to have so many well informed members, I'll throw this question out for discussion.

I work out at home. I don't have room for a squat rack or even a bench - I use a Swiss ball for bench presses. I do have a barbell and dumbbells and plenty of weight. The problem is that I can't really do squats with appropriate weight because getting a heavy bar up from the floor and then down is proving problematic. I've substituted front squats with heavy dumbbells and started doing weighted step-ups as well (I also do single leg squats and all the lighter weight stuff). Any other exercises that can substitute for heavy squats? Thanks

Jordan

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Jordan,

I highly recommend researching Men's Health online (Men's Health - Men's Guide to Fitness, Health, Weight Loss, Nutrition, Sex, Style and Guy Wisdom). They'll have info like this. Off the top of my head, there are two great ones I can think of:

Hack squat - hold the bar behind your heels, and bend down to grab it like a deadlift. Because the weight is under your torso, you can still squat without risking your back, and it's not a deadlift, it's more of a leg-focused workout.

Overhead squat - Clean and jerk the bar, then press it overhead (you'll need lighter weight), then squat while holding it straight overhead. It will work your shoulders for endurance, while still doing your squat. PLUS, with the arms so far overhead, you'll have to stabilize your core which will work your abs.

There are a ton of different ways to work a squat without using front or back shoulders as support.

If you're looking to get a great chest workout, you can put your feet on the ball, and assume a push-up position, and do push ups from there. For an added challenge (try 10 "perfect form"), add 25lbs to your back.

And on "perfect form," that's KEY. When I started teaching my friends how to weight train, I told them right away "you leave your ego at the door, I don't want you coming in here and trying to curl 40lbs using your shoulder and momentum; I want 20lbs using your bicep" and etc... Form is absolutely key. I was benching 135 with struggles, but once I worked on my form, I'm close to hitting my goal of 200lbs (going to try it tonight, actually). This was improved over the course of two months. I had the muscles, but wasn't doing it right.

Also, utilize balance. If your back is weaker than your chest, you're in trouble. I'm trying to get my lat-pulldown to 200 lbs, my bench to 200lbs, and my squat to 200lbs (though that's probably pretty close...just haven't checked...might do that tonight). If you work your back, work your chest and vice-versa...otherwise you're just asking for an injury. Try mirroring the bench press on a suspended bar at waist-height: hang below it, and pull yourself up to the bar. Ten times with chest to the bar (driving your elbows back, not pulling yourself up), and you're set.

Best of luck, and don't get hurt. As always, PM me with any questions, I'd be happy to help.

Chadd

Quick addition:

I also just got the "perfect pushup." AMAZING. They say that within a month you'll increase your bench by 10-15%, and your arms will increase roughly 1-2 inches, chest 2-3 inches. Trust me when I say it's true. Only takes about 10 min a day, but it's a KILLER workout.

From what my friends have told me, P90X is ridiculous too. I'm going to try some of it out over the course of this week (borrowing from my stepdad while he's on vacation), and I'll let you guys know...I hear it's horrifically painful (which is good :)).

Chadd

One other suggestion for exercise equipment -

I think the Total Gym is highly under rated. My wife had one (the cheap 1500 model) when we met and I brushed it off as junk, that is until I seriously tried using it.

It's best for upper body (and you CAN get a great upper body workout with this unit), but if you do lunges you can still get a great leg workout too.

It is very easy to store and set up and you would be amazed at the variety of moves you can do with it. Getting the most out of the Total Gym really depends on your knowledge of body movement and how your muscles function. And it beats the heck out of using saw horses and other homemade stuff. The Total gym is also a great supplement to a regular free weight program to help break up the monotony.

Interesting to note that the Total Gym comes in a variety of models. From the cheapest at around $200 - $300, all the way up to commerciall and rehab therapy models in the range of $2000 - $5000. But they ALL work on the same principle of gravity and body weight. The only difference I can perceive is the more expensive models are constructed of heavier materials.

Scott

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Originally Posted by erictski

I
PUSH UPS...do them with all types of stances...wide narrow hands turned in hands turned out...feet elevated...master the pushup and you will see yourself gain...

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+1

This is what I try to do almost daily.

One day I do pushups to whatever rep count I can reach, but at a low speed so as to maximize the efficiency of the workout. I do this 2 or 3 days in a row, and then skip a day.

I have also started doing 1 handed pushups again. In addition to being arm workouts, they also train your entire torso, because your body has to excercise torque in order to maintain balance.

I usually finish each workout with 30 or 40 twisted sit-ups: the resting position is halfway (45 deg) then I come up with my right elbow to the left knee, go down, and then with the left elbow to the right knee. I twist at the down point, because then I also use the side muscles of my torso. Twisting in the up position is pointless because you only use the front abs.

And finally, I lay on my stomach and curve my back so that my shoulders and feet lift from the ground. I do this only 10 reps, and mainly just in order to balance my abs. I found that if I only excercise my abs, I tend to hunch forward when sitting at my desk.

There appear to be two different threads running here. One about bodybuilding and the other about physical fitness. One is primarily about what you look like and the other practical efficiency.

I think that is partly because they are related, and partly because the thread title mentions both building muscle and working out.