SO Tired of SQUATS

[Last]

I've done EVERY kind of squat that I know of(sumo, narrow, box sqts, single leg sqts., blah blah blah) and now after almost 3 years of weight training I'm finally getting tired of working out Anyone has any variety of NON-machine leg workouts in mind to share with me? Or a deadlift variety? HELP before I just quit workin out because of boredom

 

[Protobuilder]

Sounds to me like maybe you're just overreaching/getting close to overtraining. If yo'uve been a dedicated squatter for 3 years but are starting to get bored, think about the last time you had a break.. . .When was the last time you took a week or two off, completely, from training? As in, NO training whatsoever?

If you're like most people, it's been awhile. You may just try a break and see if you don't itch to get back to the gym. Or maybe it's time to go a diff't direction for a cycle or two . . what have your workouts typically looked like over the past year or so?

 

[Last]

About probably 5 months ago I took a week off... But I feel like I don't really "earn" a complete week off working out anyway because these last couple of months, I usually just train 2-3x a week (Because of schoolwork, you know animation takes YEARS to do?) A day for upper body & abs, a day for calves, and a day for thighs and butt.
I try to vary my workouts... A couple of months ago, I would do the same workout(or routine) for my legs for 5-7 weeks. Now I find I have to switch routines constantly---only after 3 weeks (or sometimes even after 1-2 weeks!) because of boredom! Now I found a new kind of workout for my leg (single sqts with a narrow stance, with my non-workin leg supported by a stepper) But what's going to happen after I get bored of this one and I just run out of different creative varieties?

 

[Last]

If only I were ultra rich, I'd get a club membership to the gym or something.

 

[BiggT]

If it isn't CNS burnout or physical burnout, my advice would be to stop being so freaking A.D.D and pick one type of free weight squat and train it progressively and get really good at it. The progress and the challenge of adding weight to the bar should keep you motivated, if you're actually progressing and getting good at something, rather than changing things constantly, you might get a newfound drive and focus for training.

 

[Protobuilder]

I honestly don’t know what to tell you. I kind of like doing the same thing over and over and over. LoL Consistency. I like using one thing and getting better and better at it. I don’t like moving targets. Frankly, I think you’re going to need to decide how much you really want it, and then bear down, focus, and work at it without jumping back and forth all the time. Maybe pick three good leg movements, and rotate them, doing one on Monday, one on Wednesday, and one on Friday (or w/e days you lift on). Each time the lift rolls back around, try adding more weight than you did last time, or try adding more reps, or add another set, etc. so you’re constantly getting stronger at the lift. After you’ve worked on those 3 lifts for 6-8 weeks or something, try 3 new lifts. I don’t know if that’s a “great” way to do it, but it might be a compromise between what’s “best” and what you’ll actually stick with.

 

[Last]

If it isn't CNS burnout or physical burnout, my advice would be to stop being so freaking A.D.D and pick one type of free weight squat and train it progressively and get really good at it. The progress and the challenge of adding weight to the bar should keep you motivated, if you're actually progressing and getting good at something, rather than changing things constantly, you might get a newfound drive and focus for training.

What's A.D.D stand for?

Yep that must be one of the reasons why I am getting tired of workin out...I couldn't get pass my sticking point... How do you do it? When I reach the heaviest weight I can do for a certain exercise, I just go on to the next

 

[Last]

Okay now that I think about it, ACTUALLY, I started weight training 2002! So, I've been lifting for about 5 years

 

[Last]

I honestly don’t know what to tell you. I kind of like doing the same thing over and over and over. LoL Consistency. I like using one thing and getting better and better at it. I don’t like moving targets. Frankly, I think you’re going to need to decide how much you really want it, and then bear down, focus, and work at it without jumping back and forth all the time. Maybe pick three good leg movements, and rotate them, doing one on Monday, one on Wednesday, and one on Friday (or w/e days you lift on). Each time the lift rolls back around, try adding more weight than you did last time, or try adding more reps, or add another set, etc. so you’re constantly getting stronger at the lift. After you’ve worked on those 3 lifts for 6-8 weeks or something, try 3 new lifts. I don’t know if that’s a “great” way to do it, but it might be a compromise between what’s “best” and what you’ll actually stick with.

I usually don't like moving targets either.. I like to stick to one exercise till I really build my strenght for that body part

 

[Protobuilder]

Yep that must be one of the reasons why I am getting tired of workin out...I couldn't get pass my sticking point... How do you do it? When I reach the heaviest weight I can do for a certain exercise, I just go on to the next

Now we're getting somewhere . . .

BiggT touched on this above. Actually, he flat out said it. LoL I touched on it too. You move past your heaviest weight by training progressively. You pick a good exercise, and you work on getting stronger at it over a period of time. You can (1) add weight to the bar, (2) do more reps than last time, and/or (3) do more sets than you did last time. Those methods can be combined but (1) is a GREAT way to go.

You'll want to start light. Lighter than you're used to. It should be "easy." And next time, you add just a little bit more. And keep doing that. If you're training the lift 2-3 times a week, you'll eventually hit your old sticking point and should be able to gut past it. That process described above should take maybe 4-6 weeks.

Check out the training vault sticky above. Check out the link to Mark Rippetoe's routine.

 

[iggy]

I like challenges. Squat, Deadlift, and Bench Press you can always improve. Everyone has a stick point in which they can't make any gains for awhile.
Try experimenting with Hang Cleans, Power Cleans, Front Squats, and Snatches. Cleans are so fun I sometimes think i could do them all day. Change your workout and don't do the same thing twice a week. If you're still stuck, try taking a week off.
Always works for me.

 

[BiggT]

Last, ADD is attention deficit disorder, like not being able to concentrate on something for too long, lol, I was kind of being half-serious.....but listen to the advice you got here.

 

[solarclimax]

I've done EVERY kind of squat that I know of(sumo, narrow, box sqts, single leg sqts., blah blah blah) and now after almost 3 years of weight training I'm finally getting tired of working out Anyone has any variety of NON-machine leg workouts in mind to share with me? Or a deadlift variety? HELP before I just quit workin out because of boredom

Keep back squats but do overhead squats for the first couple of sets, whilst trying to add weight to the bar, on back squats.

 

[Forced Negative]

I feel you on squats, I gave up doing them for now because they would deplete my energy too fast. Deadlifts do it sometimes but I didn't want to drop both exercises. I kind of make up by leg pressing, barbell lunges, extensions and curls. When I get to a real gym I might use those sliding racks.

 

[fortunatesun]

To get past a sticking point need need the ability to determine why you are stuck. Then you do specialized.,or 'assistance' work to correct the problem.
Weak posterior chain? Start doing those GMs, RDLs, glute-ham raises, etc.
Have trouble driving back up? Box squats, chains or bands do the trick
Starting strength- Pause squats

This is where powerlifting is of use to the other disciplines. They have training broken down to all the useful aspects for getting past your plateau by analyzing your weak point and working to improve it.

On the other hand, if you want to try something totally different, I'd like to recommend step-ups: Bulgarian Leg Training Secrets

This is something I have on my radar for the near-future. I'm hoping you can do the test-drive and give me some feedback.

 

[Extra_Strong]

If it isn't CNS burnout or physical burnout, my advice would be to stop being so freaking A.D.D and pick one type of free weight squat and train it progressively and get really good at it. The progress and the challenge of adding weight to the bar should keep you motivated, if you're actually progressing and getting good at something, rather than changing things constantly, you might get a newfound drive and focus for training.

I am with big T on this one. find a goal. work till you reach it. the end.

 

[Wulfgar]

Front squats
hardly anyone does these anymore...they are unreal for quad development