Squat Options at Planet Fitness

ehimass

For the reasons that my wife (who likes planet fitness) and I share a car and we are poor, I have to work out here. I had a squat rack at my old home gym, but we had to move across the country and couldn't bring it, now live in small upper floor apartment where a home gym can't happen for noise.

I'm not a great weightlifter (6'0 210 lbs). I was doing about 120 pound barbell squats for 10 reps before we moved.

I would like to find something close to this exercise at P. Fitnees. Am I better off using the Smith machine or the dumbbells (the dumbbells go up to 80 pounds ea)? Yes I know about the smith machine and how much bodybuilders hate it, however you can load as much weight as you want on it. Planet fitness doesn't have barbells over 65 pounnds.

So far I have tried the dumbells and smith. I prefer to do dumbell squats with the weight on my shoulders but the large round design of the P.F. dumbells makes it impossible to rest them there, they will just roll off my shoulders with weights over 50 pounds. I then tried to do dumbell squats with arms hanging at sides, which was OK I guess, but it felt like my arms were getting pulled out of their sockets using 55's for 10 reps. I would consider goblet squats but as I said, the dumbbells only go up to 80.

Next I tried the smith machine with about 120 pounds. It was really awkward, and felt like I was using my calves a lot. I was concentrating on not having my knees past my toes.

Thanks for the advice. The dumbbells are fine for the rest of my weight routine, it's just the squats that I'm having trouble replacing.

leanjogreen18

Never mind I suggest goblet but reread the limit on the dB.

Charlietr1

Smith machine is fine. This gives some helpful hints to get the most out of it:
https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/smith-machine-squat
Dumbbell squats are fine, likewise goblet. Depending on goals/limitations, split squats, lunges, Bulgarian split squats, pistol squats and a bunch of others might be useful too.

Chieflrg

What are your goals?

cwolfman13

Without a squat rack I would use dumbbells and mix in goblet squats, step ups, lunges, bulgarian split squats and the like. I still do back squats and front squats, but since my goals are namely aesthetic and not necessarily squatting a gazillion Lbs, I mix in a lot of those different movements which helps keep things more diverse and interesting.

I'm personally not a fan of the smith machine.

CSARdiver

I'm not a fan of the Smith, but it works in a pinch. I have one at my worksite and use this. You have to adjust your angle a bit to focus on specific muscles. There are a number of YouTube videos that show this and you can adjust yourself with the angle with lower weight first, then increase safely.

hesn92

I am planning on joining planet fitness as well. I am not so concerned about going super heavy so I'm planning on just sticking with goblet squats, lunges, bulgarian split squats etc. You can also do the leg press machine? I've never used that so I don't really know.

StargazerB

How about giving single leg squats a try?

ehimass

Chieflrg wrote: »

What are your goals?

180 and 15% or less body fat. Currently 210 and estimating ~ 20-25% b.f.

Thanks for all the replies, I will look into all these exercises plus maybe try the smith machine again. Mine does indeed have the leg press machine as well.

Cherimoose

Since your goals don't require extremely heavy lifting, the 80 lb dumbbells are perfect for maintaining muscle. I would do: dumbbell squats (arms hanging between thighs), goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts for your back half, and lunges, split squats, or step-ups for lateral stability. That way you'll have some functional lifting ability for outside the gym.. something machines are inferior at.