5x5 Stronglifts - what do you do when the squat rack is taken at the gym?

abbynormalartist

I've been following the 5x5 StrongLifts program for about a month now. About half the time I go to the gym the one and only squat rack is in use by someone lifting MUCH bigger plates than me, and taking pretty long time to do it (since my workouts are still pretty short at around half an hour).

What do you do when the squat rack is taken?

I can do rows, dead lifts and bench press with just a barbell and bench but I don't know how to do squats and overhead press without a rack. I've tried doing squats on the smith machine but it hurts my knees in a way that a simple barbell doesn't. My husband said I should ask if I can "work in" but I'm a little embarrassed to do that since I'd be wrestling off multiple 45lb plates just to overhead press the bar 5 times. I'm trying to avoid machines because I can feel the difference in my muscles when I use free weights, but when the squat rack is taken I'm not sure what else to do.

stanmann571

abbynormalartist wrote: »

I've been following the 5x5 StrongLifts program for about a month now. About half the time I go to the gym the one and only squat rack is in use by someone lifting MUCH bigger plates than me, and taking pretty long time to do it (since my workouts are still pretty short at around half an hour).

What do you do when the squat rack is taken?

I can do rows, dead lifts and bench press with just a barbell and bench but I don't know how to do squats and overhead press without a rack. I've tried doing squats on the smith machine but it hurts my knees in a way that a simple barbell doesn't. My husband said I should ask if I can "work in" but I'm a little embarrassed to do that since I'd be wrestling off multiple 45lb plates just to overhead press the bar 5 times. I'm trying to avoid machines because I can feel the difference in my muscles when I use free weights, but when the squat rack is taken I'm not sure what else to do.

Ultimately, the solution is to ask to work in.

Or figure out what off peak time is and go then.

H_Ock12

You can do a power clean to get the bar up to position and do OHP from there. You can also use dumbbells for OHP. If there's another bar, get creative with locations to rest the bar...I've balanced it on machines, shelving units, other racks...anything sturdy enough to hold the weight and give you room to get under the bar and set up.

stanmann571

MotherOfSharpei wrote: »

You can do a power clean to get the bar up to position and do OHP from there. You can also use dumbbells for OHP. If there's another bar, get creative with locations to rest the bar...I've balanced it on machines, shelving units, other racks...anything sturdy enough to hold the weight and give you room to get under the bar and set up.

If you're short enough, you can use the Bench press or incline BP for squats...

For the OHP, you could probably fake it with the cable machine.

StealthHealth

Either:

• wait (with or without a hard stare)
• work in

I would not recommend replacing squats with anything else to be honest (even goblet or DB squats and certainly not leg press or smith machine).

For OHP as @MotherOfSharpei recommends - If you can you could clean the bar up (and if you've got bumper plates drop it down after lift to reduce chance of shoulder injury)

quiksylver296

I also just clean the OHP's, and then wait for the squat rack for squats. I will usually go ask the person how long they think they will be, so I can plan appropriately. Added benefit, it alerts them that someone is waiting for the rack and they may work a bit quicker than they would have otherwise.

RavenLibra

Ask how long they are going to be, then ask if they might give you a shout when they are done...depending on the time... you can wait patiently or do some warm ups, cardio stretching etc... load the warm up upgrade from StrongLifts... an average lift session should be at least 45 minutes... forget how much someone else is lifting... it distracts you from your goals... no one is going to chuck a plate af you for asking how long? I had some meathead sneer at me when I told him I had 7 sets to go... that's their issue not mine

Italiana_xx79

Does your gym have the smith machine? If not, you can always do clean and jerk for front weighted squats that way you don't have to bring it over your head. Or if that is too heavy for you, you can use 50+ dumbbells on each side. I just started at a new gym and this was one of my criteria's when finding a gym, it had to have multiple squat racks.

cwolfman13

For OHP you could just clean the barbell and OHP from there. As far as the squat rack goes, I'd just ask how many more sets, etc...if it's going to be awhile I'd go do one of the other exercises and have them give me a holler when they're done.

This is one of the reasons I prefer more flexible programming and dislike rigid programs that call for one specific movement.

richardgavel

I wait. At times I have done my 2 rounds of empty bar warm-up with any bar on an open station. I usually have to wait 5 min but yesterday it was almost 20 because I went later than normal and there were 4 people waiting as well (and we have 4 racks!).

TR0berts

cwolfman13 wrote: »

For OHP you could just clean the barbell and OHP from there. As far as the squat rack goes, I'd just ask how many more sets, etc...if it's going to be awhile I'd go do one of the other exercises and have them give me a holler when they're done.

This is one of the reasons I prefer more flexible programming and dislike rigid programs that call for one specific movement.

Yeah, this. Do your bench or rows first. It may not be ideal, as your order of fatigue (that's the phrase that came to mind first and now I can't get it out of my head - hopefully you'll know what I mean) will be different, but you should be able - unless you're near failure on weight for squats - to get your session done in a reasonable amount of time.

CSARdiver

As many others have stated I strike up a conversation when they are between sets and ask how much they have left and if I can work in.

You can always use dumbbells. Actually a lot of positives to using these in perfecting form.

At my main gym we have three racks and clearly marked by weight capacity, so those pushing limits have a designated rack nicknamed the power cage. Always fun when someone pushes a personal boundary and a crowd usually gathers to root them on.

We have a Smith machine at work and I use it with lighter weights. It's a bit weird to do and messes with your form, but it's something I've learned to live with. I get down on knees to do OHP on the Smith.

stealthq

CSARdiver wrote: »

As many others have stated I strike up a conversation when they are between sets and ask how much they have left and if I can work in.

You can always use dumbbells. Actually a lot of positives to using these in perfecting form.

At my main gym we have three racks and clearly marked by weight capacity, so those pushing limits have a designated rack nicknamed the power cage. Always fun when someone pushes a personal boundary and a crowd usually gathers to root them on.

We have a Smith machine at work and I use it with lighter weights. It's a bit weird to do and messes with your form, but it's something I've learned to live with. I get down on knees to do OHP on the Smith.

This is what I do for OHP if a squat rack isn't available.

For squats, I either ask to work in, or go find the heaviest dumbbell or kettlebell in the gym that I can lift and do goblet squats. It works for me because we have single dumbbells that go up to 200lbs, and my back squat and goblet squat is very definitely below that.

ritzvin

What I did:
[1] If no excess queu, change order of workout
[2] Change gym times if possible (I started taking a 1-hr afternoon break twice a week and just staying later at work those days. Note- the old gym was bad even at 9:30pm, quite a few are also really busy in the hours before work).
[3] Change gyms. (Luckily the block around the corner to where I work has 3 gyms on it - checked them out in the 6pm-7pm time slot on both days -- both were way less busy --and had better equipment of the items I use).

Squats:
In a pinch, I have set up the short bar on one of the bicep isolation booth things and crouched underneath it. It's really awkward though (and I'm probably shorter than you).

OHP:
I have to use the preceding for OHP anyway - can still only OHP 8 reps of 40 lb. (The book Starting Strength has some good tips on cleaning the bar).
Or sub out for dumbbells (you may have to go a bit lighter if one arm is particularly weaker; also harder to add fractional weight)

T0M_K

this very question is the reason i dropped the gym membership and bought my own rack. it just did not work out.

Carillon_Campanello

This is the ONLY answer when the squat rack is not available.

PWRLFTR1

I was the same way when I first started at my gym, I was hesitant to go up to some dude squatting/deadlifting multiple plates, but I finally got over that. If the person is doing heavy weights, they are probably taking long breaks, hopefully they will allow you to work in during the breaks. 5x5 should be done with a real barbell, not dumbbells and definitely not a smith machine? Good luck, when I got over my "shyness", I was able to make some really good friends who are very knowledgeable and helped me progress with my lifting.

ngoziish

If they have Linear leg press machine try that and alternate with lunges to get the effect. Lunges with 5 or 10lb dumbbells. The key is being creative understanding what types of exercises will still work those muscle groups you intend to work on if someone is using the machine or weights you need. Find alternative to get the same results.

canadianlbs

StealthHealth wrote: »

Either:

• wait (with or without a hard stare)
• work in

i take the middle path, which is to wait for an organic moment to ask the current user if someone else already has the rack after them. if yes then i think up something totally different to do, and if no then naturally i'm on deck to be next when they're done.

depends on your gym's culture too, but this is the way it seems to be universally done in 'my' spaces. i don't think i've ever had the current user NOT understand the purpose and work with me by letting me know either how many sets they still have, or how many more minutes they'll be. i find working in awkward and usually decline, although many people do offer it as an option as well.

iamhylian

Leg press.

coralred1965

Yeah I can relate to this. My gym also has only one squat rack and I've only just started out. Most of the men leave the Olympic bar full of weights on a high setting on the rack and there's no way I can even get the weights off. I asked a guy to remove them for me and he just looked at me as if to say this is for the big boys.
In the end I found someone to get them off and changed the bar to a smaller one.
This also happens on the bench press, but at least that's lower to reach. The clips wouldn't come off and I asked another guy who couldn't remove them either.
I've gone out and bought my own squat rack, barbell, weights and bench so I can do those at home. And now mainly just use the machines at the gym.
I've only just joined this gym and I'm not impressed!

CJ_Holmes

Don't forget to ask your gym to get with the times and get more squat racks! If enough people ask, they may invest in some additional equipment.

inertiastrength

I ask them how many sets they have left then I do some cardio until they're done. I usually tell them where I'll be and ask them to come grab me before deloading the weights so no one snipes it. Never had an issue.

Timorous_Beastie

I lift at home with no squat rack, clean for OHP, and do hack squats instead of back squats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64PFHtq5XO8

skymningen

For everyone struggling with people leaving the heavy plates on: Tell the trainers. The should at least help you to remove them and they also should start telling those people about basic gym rules.

inertiastrength

skymningen wrote: »

For everyone struggling with people leaving the heavy plates on: Tell the trainers. The should at least help you to remove them and they also should start telling those people about basic gym rules.

I hate when people do this. Not only is it a PITA but I don't know if you're still USING it... the signal that it's okay to begin using equipment is an EMPTY BAR people haha

csuhar

For the squats, an option could be to do Zercher squats from the floor. It's basically a front-squat with the bar held in your elbows that you can bring into position in stages without needing a rack.

The challenge is that you'd likely have to reduce the weight you're using due to the different muscles involved.

cs2thecox

Definitely clean for OHP. I've started with the bar on the end of a bench press bench before, just to avoid having to bend all the way down to the floor when I only have tiny plates on it! You don't rack it between reps anyway, and if you can OHP the weight 5 times, you can clean it once, right?

Waiting for squats is probably the best option really.
Change up the order of your workout if you have to, ask as soon as you get in to the gym if they're all busy so you can at least get on with something else while you wait, and maybe even jump in as soon as it's free, even if you haven't done all 5 sets of whatever else you were working on instead.
Dumbells are ok in a pinch, but find my grip strength isn't always enough to use as much weight as I would to squat.
Smith machines... well... better than nothing? Maybe? But the entirely linear motion is unnatural. If it hurts your knees, don't do it.

ritzvin

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

skymningen wrote: »

For everyone struggling with people leaving the heavy plates on: Tell the trainers. The should at least help you to remove them and they also should start telling those people about basic gym rules.

I hate when people do this. Not only is it a PITA but I don't know if you're still USING it... the signal that it's okay to begin using equipment is an EMPTY BAR people haha

Yes! Although there was the week I finally moved up to OHP-ing the empty (full-sized) barbell...I had to watch it like a hawk during my rest period sit-ups (on the floor to the side of the rack) and call out "I have x sets left" whenever some poor sod approached.

When touring potential gyms, whether they strongly enforced re-racking went down on the list as a major pro or con.

amyinthetardis1231

If you can't clean the bar for OHP, you can also sit backwards on a bench for bench press and do seated OHP.

skymningen

What can I do if my gym only has one bench press rack and I would have to move that to do bench presses, as it is used as a "storage rack" for all of the barbells people regularly use. And of course one of them is full of weights that at my stage just getting off and putting away would be a workout in itself?
I am training alone, so no one is spotting me and I am a beginner. I am quite scared of doing bench presses without a "safety rack". What if I lose strength and it crashes down on me because I can't put it away?