Take a look at most guys in the gym doing squats and you'll probably notice one thing. Doesn't look like they're having much fun huh? Some even have their knees wrapped so tight that their trying to prevent them from combusting into a literal patella shrapnel explosion. At least those guys are looking out for their spotters. After all, those pieces of kneecap shards can be pretty dangerous! But seriously, ask yourself this one simple question..."WHAT IS THE POINT?".
I understand that this some guys squat as part of a powerlifter routine or are competing. But at what cost? Are they going to regret every second of it when they're barely able to walk up a flight of stairs because their knees are shot or can't stand upright because their backs have been reduced to a compressed patty of nonfunctional spinal discs? Most likely yes.
But we all know how effective the squat is in producing more muscular, more athletic, and more powerful legs. So what do we do? And I'm not suggesting at all that the exercise should be "pleasant" when you're doing it, for it to be worthwhile. As a matter of fact, some of the most unpleasant exercises (ie. pullups, bent over rows, deadlifts, squats, etc) are often times the most effective when it comes to building muscle. But most people do these exercises wrong and that instantaneously makes these exercises the most potentially damaging instead of beneficial.
So wouldn't it be great if you could come up with some great squat alternatives that you could mix into your leg workouts that would still allow you to get great results without crippling you in the process? I thought so, so I did. Now...a recent article that appeared on ASKMEN.COM covered 6 alternatives to squats that gave guys some good solid options for doing this. However I feel they may have missed a couple....actually 3 of my favorite athletic squat alternative exercises that can supercharge your workouts and stimulate your quads, hamstrings and glutes in ways they haven't quite felt before! And all you need is a your own bodyweight and an optional weighted vest!
So what are these squat alternatives? I thought you'd never ask.
1. Hill Running (weighted vest or weight plate in a backpack - optional) - One of the greatest exercises of all time bar none! Get yourself to a steep hill (somewhere around a 45 degree incline) and strap on that backpack with a weight plate inside or invest in a weighted vest...or just go au natural (clothed of course but with no weight) and start running sprints as fast as you can up the hill. It should be around 40 yards if possible. Slowly walk back down which will work the eccentric muscles in the quads and you'll be smoked within just a few trips! Keep trying to increase the number of hills you get to with each subsequent workout.
2. Backwards Hill Running (weighted vest or weight plate in a backpack - optional) - OK, now it just got even harder! Talk about a quad killer. Pushing up the hill backwards is going to zone in on those quads in almost a closed chain version of a leg press. It keeps the knees in a safe position and oh by the way, gets the heart pumping pretty fierce, which is a great two for one benefit and way to get your cardio in at the same time.
3. Box Jumps - Simple I know, but explosively effective! Don't have a box you say? No problem, find a sturdy rock or stone wall or park bench to be your jumping platform and you'll get just as good results. The key is in the repetitive power required to pull off say 20 consecutive reps of this bad boy. Throw on a weighted vest or hold two dumbbells while doing this and you'll turn those quads into jelly faster than you'll forget who won last years NCAA Men's Basketball tournament. You did forget didn't you?
Stay Strong,
Jeff
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