When you can't get a squat rack

jordanlell

What do you do? The gym at my university has 6 racks (although I think they're technically power racks), and usually a wait to get on them. This morning all of them were in use, and I asked around and no one was anywhere near done, or it had already been claimed by someone else after them. I really didn't have time to wait that long, so no squats or deadlifts for me today. I tried to find alternatives, but I'm not sure what I could do that would give me comparable benefits.

I'm sure I am not the only one who has run into this problem, so I'm wondering if anyone has some alternate routine that they do in this instance. Thoughts?

kelly_e_montana

Well you can still do deadlifts with no rack. I never use a rack for deadlifts. You can also work on some assistance work for deadlifts like glute ham raises and good mornings. For squats, you can also do front squats if it's a weight you can clean to the front rack position. You just drop the weight off the front if it's too heavy so you don't need the safety bar really. You will just have a loud thunk. It will give you more focus on the quads tho. Maybe work on some pistols and goblet squats with kettlebells? It's nice to work on your stability every once in a while anyway.

If you're using a weight that's light for you and you don't feel like hitting failure is an issue, my suggestion is to clean and press it up and then put it on your back.

jordanlell

Well you can still do deadlifts with no rack. I never use a rack for deadlifts. You can also work on some assistance work for deadlifts like glute ham raises and good mornings. For squats, you can also do front squats if it's a weight you can clean to the front rack position. You just drop the weight off the front if it's too heavy so you don't need the safety bar really. You will just have a loud thunk. It will give you more focus on the quads tho. Maybe work on some pistols and goblet squats with kettlebells? It's nice to work on your stability every once in a while anyway.

If you're using a weight that's light for you and you don't feel like hitting failure is an issue, my suggestion is to clean and press it up and then put it on your back.

I haven't tried pistol squats in a long time, I didn't even think of that! I have always used the rack for deadlifts because of the other barbells tend to sit too low to the ground. I did some goblet squats, but I can't lift my normal squat weight over my head so the clean and press is out of the question. And there is a strict no-dropping-weights rule at the gym.

kelly_e_montana

Well you can still do deadlifts with no rack. I never use a rack for deadlifts. You can also work on some assistance work for deadlifts like glute ham raises and good mornings. For squats, you can also do front squats if it's a weight you can clean to the front rack position. You just drop the weight off the front if it's too heavy so you don't need the safety bar really. You will just have a loud thunk. It will give you more focus on the quads tho. Maybe work on some pistols and goblet squats with kettlebells? It's nice to work on your stability every once in a while anyway.

If you're using a weight that's light for you and you don't feel like hitting failure is an issue, my suggestion is to clean and press it up and then put it on your back.

I haven't tried pistol squats in a long time, I didn't even think of that! I have always used the rack for deadlifts because of the other barbells tend to sit too low to the ground. I did some goblet squats, but I can't lift my normal squat weight over my head so the clean and press is out of the question. And there is a strict no-dropping-weights rule at the gym.

I guess I don't understand what you mean about deadlifts sitting too low. It's lifting something from the ground. That's the point. ???

The other thing is, yes, many gyms have a no dropping rule and I'm not encouraging your dropping the weight. But if you have to drop in a lift, you have to drop. Period.

kelly_e_montana

If you want your barbell to sit higher for DL's, stack it on plates or steps.

electricllady

I would do goblet squats going as heavy as I can with a dumbbell, lunges (front and side) holding a plate, extensions, curls, and kickbacks. Gonna be kinda high volume but I call that a leg workout!!!

DavPul

Ask to work in?

fionarama

if you have someone strong to spot you, you can still do some reasonable weight squats with bar bells, if you have ones that go up to 40 kgs or so? do more reps instead?

jofjltncb6

Ask to work in?

If you follow this advice, closely monitor their facial expressions throughout the entire conversation and report back to the MFP forums with anything that could possibly interpreted as less-than-thrilled. (It's like an MFP tradition.)

JoRocka

Ask to work in?

get out of here with that logic.
That's just not allowed.

My preferred method is to show up before they do and snipe the rack. Get the upper hand.
otherwise- occupy yourself till one frees up- or do something else
or come at a different time.
or you know Ask to work in

No_Finish_Line

ask to work in is a good idea, but if all six squat racks are consistently full when you go there, you must be going at one of the busiest times of day.

If it were me, i'd try to go at a different time on leg day.

No_Finish_Line

i thought the deadlift comment was interesting too.

i've done nearly 0 deadlifting throughout all the resistance trainning i've done, but i did used to do clean and press a lot way back in the day.

even tho it was less weight, i remember doing them with 25s on the bar (vs 45s) was just plain yucky lol

JoRocka

also
jefferson squats
zercher squats
bulgarian split squat
front squat
DB squats
goblet squats
pistol squats
shrimp squats
pause squats (with a lighter weight- still work you hard)
box squats

all do-able w/o a rack.