Alternative to heavy squats?

[bbkingpin]

I cannot squat with 315 or higher without my hip joint clicking loud and hard due to the femur rubbing against the hip socket. I've already been diagnosed with endstage osteoarthritis and recommended a hip replacement. Short of having to go through the surgery any time soon, any secrets you can tell me to be able to develop my legs with lighter weights and non-compound movements like squats??? This is me in April 2006:
http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00260tq.jpg
Karma for any help. Please help.

 

[al420]

How many times can you squat 275? What about leg press, how is that going? I know nothing about hip issues. Your legs look fine but I don't see the top half to compare, so who knows I guess. You look pretty lean - what is your BF%

 

[blueta2]

I would recommend not working your legs at all. Osteoarthritis and hip replacement is pretty serious shit and looking lean and having muscular legs is not worth the potential disaster of this degenerative disorder.

 

[bbkingpin]

How many times can you squat 275? What about leg press, how is that going? I know nothing about hip issues. Your legs look fine but I don't see the top half to compare, so who knows I guess. You look pretty lean - what is your BF%

I'm not asking you to rate my physique.

 

[bbkingpin]

I would recommend not working your legs at all. Osteoarthritis and hip replacement is pretty serious shit and looking lean and having muscular legs is not worth the potential disaster of this degenerative disorder.

Even after hip replacement?
Didn't Bo Jackson return to pro sports after a hip replacement?

 

[blueta2]

yes but he had to retire shortly after. You need to be reasonable and not work your legs. Focus on your other attributes. Get a consult with a sports therapist on this one

 

[bbkingpin]

yes but he had to retire shortly after. You need to be reasonable and not work your legs. Focus on your other attributes. Get a consult with a sports therapist on this one

I hear ya bro(sis ). I left message for leading surgeon for minimally invasive hip replacement. I will get a consult asap. Are you a physician or medical specialist? Not that you have to be for me to accept your opinion, you just sound like you know what you are talking about.

 

[al420]

I'm not asking you to rate my physique.

Sorry - got side tracked I guess.... I was wondering about squatting 275'ish for reps - and wondering how many reps you were comfortable with, but after reading blueta2's posts I would rethink traing legs I guess - that is the saddest thing I have ever typed on EF.

On a more positive note I train in the same gym as Lee Priest. I have never seen bigger legs, longer yes, but not bigger. He uses low weights and works out in the 25-30 rep range. Never seen him squat much weight, but he kills the reps and the form & speed are beautiful.

 

[bbkingpin]

Sorry - got side tracked I guess.... I was wondering about squatting 275'ish for reps - and wondering how many reps you were comfortable with, but after reading blueta2's posts I would rethink traing legs I guess - that is the saddest thing I have ever typed on EF.

On a more positive note I train in the same gym as Lee Priest. I have never seen bigger legs, longer yes, but not bigger. He uses low weights and works out in the 25-30 rep range. Never seen him squat much weight, but he kills the reps and the form & speed are beautiful.

You think I should try to squat 225 as many reps as possible?
That might not be a bad idea. The clicking does not happen with 225. The extra weight of 315 makes a big difference. Maybe preexhaustion with leg extensions and leg curls followed by 225 for as many reps as possible would be the best bet.
I think the conservative approach of blueta is exactly what I am trying to get away from. PPl telling me life as I know it has to change and I should become more like an old man. Especially after looking up the only 4 threads she ever created and one is asking how to get motivated to go to the gym after work. So for an able bodied person who can't get motivated to train to tell me to just not train legs, I think I will seek a more motivated person for an opinion, someone with a "can do" attitude.
Here's a pic of my upper half I took the same time as the picture of my quads:
http://img115.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00091ff.jpg
Bodyfat was probably 5% at the time.

 

[blueta2]

I think the conservative approach of blueta is exactly what I am trying to get away from. PPl telling me life as I know it has to change and I should become more like an old man. Especially after looking up the only 4 threads she ever created and one is asking how to get motivated to go to the gym after work. So for an able bodied person who can't get motivated to train to tell me to just not train legs, I think I will seek a more motivated person for an opinion, someone with a "can do" attitude.

ekkkkkk, so sorry, but I think you wanted to hear that u can work out. You don't want to hear the truth so you'll listen to what you really wanted to do in the first place which is to continue working out.
Yes I have a medical background, My lack of motivation a few weeks ago does not represent my fitness regime.
I did not offer my opinion, I simply made an educated suggestion.
Good luck with the hip.....just go easy on it

 

[stevius]

Stick to heavy deadlifts, GM's, SLDL's, GHR's etc. Leg extensions also might a good idea but don't they put sideways (as opposed to downward) shearing forces on the knees?

If you must do squats you could try altering your stance.

 

[Madcow2]

You think I should try to squat 225 as many reps as possible?
That might not be a bad idea. The clicking does not happen with 225. The extra weight of 315 makes a big difference. Maybe preexhaustion with leg extensions and leg curls followed by 225 for as many reps as possible would be the best bet.
I think the conservative approach of blueta is exactly what I am trying to get away from. PPl telling me life as I know it has to change and I should become more like an old man. Especially after looking up the only 4 threads she ever created and one is asking how to get motivated to go to the gym after work. So for an able bodied person who can't get motivated to train to tell me to just not train legs, I think I will seek a more motivated person for an opinion, someone with a "can do" attitude.
Here's a pic of my upper half I took the same time as the picture of my quads:
http://img115.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00091ff.jpg
Bodyfat was probably 5% at the time.

I am going to give you some logic on how squatting lighter may help or alleviate the issue or provide a workaround. I am not saying it is in your interest to continue or do this.

If 315 is troublesome but 275 is not - obviously at the limits of your current strength (or a given % of 1RM) a lot of the load is going to your hip and causing an issue. Rather than push with 315, increase your capacity with 275 and that magic "315" barrier might well move up to 335. Then you train with 285-295 and do the same thing.

That sounds real nice, but you need to get good advice and take a long hard look and weigh your options. If this is purely for aesthetics and feeling good about yourself...think long and hard.

 

[bbkingpin]

ekkkkkk, so sorry, but I think you wanted to hear that u can work out. You don't want to hear the truth so you'll listen to what you really wanted to do in the first place which is to continue working out.
Yes I have a medical background, My lack of motivation a few weeks ago does not represent my fitness regime.
I did not offer my opinion, I simply made an educated suggestion.
Good luck with the hip.....just go easy on it

Well I want to be able to live a full life. If it means 10-15 good years on a prosthetic hip, I'd rather have that than to have to shelve things that really make me happy just to put off the surgery. Maybe you are right. I just made an appt with the leading surgeon for minimally invasive hip replacement surgery so I will get his opinion in one month, hopefully. Thanks for your input.

 

[abarlament]

If you can do deadlifts ok, try doing BB hack squats. Good on the quads, and you won't use as much weight as squats, give em a try?

 

[anotherbutters]

Can you front squat heavy without hip problems?

 

[stevius]

Maybe preexhaustion with leg extensions and leg curls followed by 225 for as many reps as possible would be the best bet.

That's a great idea, but aren't deadlifts equally good or better for quad development? My hips don't work so good with big loads either. They are the first muscles to give while training for reps. So if you're after pure quad development, that's the ticket.

Alternative to heavy squats: lighter squats.

 

[bbkingpin]

That's a great idea, but aren't deadlifts equally good or better for quad development? My hips don't work so good with big loads either. They are the first muscles to give while training for reps. So if you're after pure quad development, that's the ticket.

Alternative to heavy squats: lighter squats.

I thought deadlifts were for lower back and hamstrings. I could do them for hamstrings.

 

[fortunatesun]

I like the high rep idea best but front squats as AB mentioned and also Zercher squats could also work as they take weight off your back. I admit they're not too popular with bodybuilders but many old school types at least claimed to have used them with success.
What I most agree with is medical consultation. I was going to post before but I kept flashing back to a visit I had with the orthopedic specialist earlier this year. There were illustrated charts on the wall showing what happens during advanced osteoperosis. It's not a pretty sight.

 

[fortunatesun]

This arrived in the lastest elitefts newsletter. Not alot of specific training strategy but maybe some useful advice.

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=44668&tid=42

HTH