Squatting with no rack-using a bench?

[Thadon]

I think i'm gonna squat without a rack, and without a spotter..I'm gonna use my bench to load the wait and get it on my shoulders, so I guess that could be considered a rack.

DO you think it's safe? I'll wear a weight belt.
How much weight do you think I should do, I know I shouldn't max with no spotter and no power rack. My max is 320, so what should I do?

 

[EAST_COAST_BODYBUILDER]

Have you ever been squatting, and not been able to complete a rep and went all the way to the bottom, Its not fun even if you are in a saftey rack in my opinion. How do you think you will get out from under a loaded bar if you get stuck, or what if you get a sharp pain and need to sit it down quickly. What i'm saying is I would do whats the safest, why risk injuring yourself? Use a squat rack or a cage. TRAIN HARD AND BE SAFE.

EAST_COAST_BODYBUILER

 

[Gladiola]

do whats the safest, why risk injuring yourself?

I agree - not worth a risk. The sheer knowledge in your mind that you CAN NOT FAIL (i.e. you can't get to the point of muscle failure where you can't get up again) will stop you from pushing yourself as hard as you possibly could.

I recently started working out with a partner & we do free squats - but we have a rack that's high so we don't have to bend down to get the weight onto our upper backs.

4th set I was close to failure & he was standing near me. What a feeling of relief to see him come up behind me - ready to help lift that bar if my legs said NO MORE. I think he did help a little - but only a little on those last 2 reps.

I can't imagine having experienced that fear of being squashed if he were not there. Not worth it - just not worth it. One wrong twist & the damage you could do to your lower back - or anywhere else....

 

[Thadon]

Ok, well...I don't have money or space for a rack now and no time or money to the gym either so what lifts can I do to replace squats? I'm sure i'll have to do more since squats is one helluva compound movement.

 

[Gladiola]

ahhh... in that case - I didn't realize you didn't have a choice. I guess than it is worth it if you don't have any other options - is there any way you can have another person around to help spot you?

 

[Thadon]

My friends are all little scronny kids, there is no way they could spot me on a 320LB squat, they'd probably screw me up and hurt both of us.

I've zearchers are like squats but they're safe with no spotter..Anyone know how to do them?

 

[needsize]

I used to have to do that years ago as well, so I hear your pain... What I did back then was do the squats out of the bench, but I would use a weight that I knew I could get a certain weight on for reps, and go until the muscles were taxed, but not push to failure. After my sets of squats, I would do front squats till failure, at this point you're using much les weight and you can easily push your quads to failure.
Any squats are better than no squats!!

 

[Thadon]

I'm gonna do hack squats instead; My bench is just way too low.

How's this split?

Monday:
Bench Press - CHEST
Flys - CHEST
Military Press - SHOULDERS
Laterals - SHOULDERS
Tricep Pushdown - TRICEPS
Tricep Kickback - TRICEPS
Barbell Curl - BICEPS
Concentration Dumbbell Curl - BICEPS

Tuesday:
Hacksquats - THIGHS
Deadlift - BACK
Leg Extension - THIGHS
Leg Curl – LEG BICEP
Chins - BACK
Pulldown - BACK
abs: Crunches & reverse crunches

Thursday:
Incline Bench Press - CHEST
Incline Flys - CHEST
Military Dumbbell Press - SHOULDERS
Bent Over Laterals - SHOULDERS
Tricep Press - TRICEPS
Tricep Kickback - TRICEPS
Barbell Curl - BICEPS
Incline Dumbbell Curl - BICEPS

Friday:
Hack Squat - THIGHS
Leg Extension - THIGHS
Leg Curl – LEG BICEP
Bent Over Rows - BACK
Shrugs - TRAPS
Chins - BACK
Abs: Crunches, reverse crunches

Warm up set, then 4 sets of 8 for each?

 

[b fold the truth]

I use 2 55 gallon drums for squat racks. West side works well...doing 8 sets of 2 with 50-65% of 1RM.

B True

 

[Arioch]

If you could manage a decent clean, you can do front squats as well.