Bulking without squats and deadlifts

DannehBoyy

Hi. A few days ago i started to bulk, and i am completely new to it. My problem is that my gym does not have straight bars to do deadlifts and squats. I am going to move to a different gym but i still have around 7 months left of my membership at the current gym i go to. Anyway, without the straight bars to deadlift and squat with is there any chance that i can build more muscle mass? I am around 6ft 3, weigh 180lbs and have been lifting for around 2 years. But people keep on saying that i look skinny now that I've lost weight, so i really want to build some more muscle but am scared that without these two exercises i am just going to put on the fat that i lost in the first place.

cwoyto123

Find a new gym.

Squats are a must, deadlifts are right behind them imo.

Don't deadlift unless you have perfect form.

DannehBoyy

You think that i shouldn't bulk before i find a new gym then?

Kr1ptonite

Just keep lifting heavy and eating, enough food, Of course you can put on good muscle without those two exercises, but when you can get to a new gym, I recommend you do them as they are great exercises, and help build a great body. Do what you can till then.

DannehBoyy

Just keep lifting heavy and eating, enough food, Of course you can put on good muscle without those two exercises, but when you can get to a new gym, I recommend you do them as they are great exercises, and help build a great body. Do what you can till then.

I'm happy to hear that dude. Really wanna start to bulk lol. Would temporarily replacing them with leg press, box jumps and shoulder shrugs be beneficial?

neandermagnon

you have to do squats and deadlifts


otherwise:





also bear in mind:

MityMax96

Do what you can where you are at now, and go as heavy as you can.

But as said before, Squats and Dead Lifts are HUGE.

Big reason is that squats obviously work the legs, which is the biggest muscle group on a person.....
So the release of Growth Hormone is greater when your legs are really worked.
Which is what you want.

But I feel your pain....I am 6'1" and currently come in at ~168
And I feel small

navyrigger46

Time for a new gym, squats and deads are irreplaceable, you can get by without them if you must, but why would you want to?

Rigger

neandermagnon

Just keep lifting heavy and eating, enough food, Of course you can put on good muscle without those two exercises, but when you can get to a new gym, I recommend you do them as they are great exercises, and help build a great body. Do what you can till then.

I'm happy to hear that dude. Really wanna start to bulk lol. Would temporarily replacing them with leg press, box jumps and shoulder shrugs be beneficial?

anything is better than nothing.... also pistol squats with whatever weights your gym has. bear in mind when you go from the leg press to barbell squats you'll find you can't lift as much weight, because the stabilising muscles don't get worked with machines. However in the temporary absence of barbells, the leg press will still give your legs a good workout.

barbell squats > leg press > no leg day

DannehBoyy

you have to do squats and deadlifts


otherwise:





also bear in mind:

In all fairness, if i looked like the second picture, i'd be happy coz i don't wear shorts haha

chrisdavey

I LOVE squats and deads and have used them through all my lifting until now but they aren't actually necessary for bulking. Muscles are dumb pieces of meat. They don't know if you are squatting or pushing a leg press machine. There are plenty of benefits of free weights over machines like efficiency (squat to depth is basically leg press, leg ext and hamstring curl) but you can still bulk without them.

I'm now injured, can't squat or deadlift so utilising a whole heap of other exercises in place. Legs are trained with Bulgarian split squats, pistol squat (holding trx strap for balance), leg press, leg ext and hamstring curl. Got to do what you got to do.

This is a bulgarian split squat if you don't know. http://youtu.be/piRdiGiC6Gw

DannehBoyy

Thanks for the advice everyone. Think i'll just try and put on a few pounds, lift heavy and see how it goes from there. Or maybe find a non membership gym that i can go to once a week and get the squats and deadlifts in.

DannehBoyy

I LOVE squats and deads and have used them through all my lifting until now but they aren't actually necessary for bulking. Muscles are dumb pieces of meat. They don't know if you are squatting or pushing a leg press machine. There are plenty of benefits of free weights over machines like efficiency (squat to depth is basically leg press, leg ext and hamstring curl) but you can still bulk without them.

I'm now injured, can't squat or deadlift so utilising a whole heap of other exercises in place. Legs are trained with Bulgarian split squats, pistol squat (holding trx strap for balance), leg press, leg ext and hamstring curl. Got to do what you got to do.

This is a bulgarian split squat if you don't know. http://youtu.be/piRdiGiC6Gw

Gonna have to try those bulgarian split squats. They look really good. Thanks bro

P.s Subbed your YT channel

Kr1ptonite

Just keep lifting heavy and eating, enough food, Of course you can put on good muscle without those two exercises, but when you can get to a new gym, I recommend you do them as they are great exercises, and help build a great body. Do what you can till then.

I'm happy to hear that dude. Really wanna start to bulk lol. Would temporarily replacing them with leg press, box jumps and shoulder shrugs be beneficial?

Yeah leg press Even add some lunges. Etc.

cwoyto123

You've been given very good advice.

Keep bulking, lifting hard. Keep looking for a new gym WHILE going to your current gym and busting *kitten*.

We're all going to make it.

RECowgill

Yeah I was confused by the topic of this thread. Although I love squats and deadlifts, I don't see what they have to do with bulking. You can bulk with any kind of sufficient resistance training, provided the diet is there.

But yaknow, squat and deadlift anyway.

allbarrett

Goblet squats, and lunges with dumbells are also good. Don't put leg day off for 7 months, do what you can until your membership runs out at the current place. Best of luck.

DannehBoyy

Thanks guys, I'l take a look at some of the dumbbell exercises that i can find

waldo56

I do just fine, my legs grow just fine, I've never touched a barbell in my life and don't go to the gym.

For legs I do:
DB weighted pistol squats
Natural Hamstring Curls
Bodyweight single leg squats (tuck squats/shrimp squats)
DB weighted step ups

I've done hill sprints in the past, but its been a while. But they work great.

LolBroScience

They're not 100% necessary, but they're probably the two exercises with the most bang for your buck so to speak. There are work around exercises with a variety of other exercises that will still allow you the ability to add size. Good suggestions above...

I really like Bulgarian split squats.

DeadliftAddict

Just keep lifting heavy and eating, enough food, Of course you can put on good muscle without those two exercises, but when you can get to a new gym, I recommend you do them as they are great exercises, and help build a great body. Do what you can till then.

This would be correct. They are not 100% needed. But there is no reason to not do them if you can. You can still grow muscle without them. They are just two of the best things to do if your body allows. Good luck.

jdad1

I can't put the weight for squats on my neck due to a neck injury. (Doctor recomendations) So i do Dumbbell squats as heavy as i can as a replacement. Do not skip legs man!

parkscs

They're good exercises but they aren't mandatory and frankly some people seem a bit too fanatical about them in my humble opinion. If the only gym you're going to go to only has leg press and isolation machines, you're still better off doing legs with those machines than not at all, and you can still see a lot of hypertrophy from doing so. Tons of people have built great physiques without ever doing a barbell squat or a deadlift.

Are machines better than doing squats? Probably not. But is it better than not working legs at all? Infinitely so.

waldo56

DB weighted step ups are very easy to perform with good form (stuff like a pistol takes time to learn and time to develop balance). Hold some DB's on your shoulders, and use a bench (tallest one possible) to step up on. Lift your back toes and only let your heel touch to minimize the assistance you get from the back leg. Step ups work the whole leg, but really hit the posterior chain well.

Step ups and some sort of single leg squat makes a good basic leg program that can take you far.

Galatea_Stone

Do what you can with the equipment you have.

Machines:

Leg Press
Leg Extension
Leg Curl

Go heavy on the machines.

Dumbbells:

Step-ups
Lunges
Pistol Squats
Bulgarian split squats
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

Obviously, squats and deadlifts are preferred, but if you can't get your hands on a bar, use what you have. The only thing you CAN'T do is skip leg day.

vjohn04

Goblet squats and RDLs with dumbbells got me quite a ways....

bulgarian split squats are a good suggestion

JoRocka

body weight- as Waldo said can be very challenging and easily modifiable.
DB's are a great resource as well for squatting and DLing.

martinel2099

I'm not currently dead lifting or doing squats but I'm doing the below for my legs / lower body, am I doing good?

Leg press
Leg Extension
Leg Curl
Hip Adductor
Hip Abductor

I also throw in back and core exercise

Back Extension
Torso Rotation
Ab crunches

Holly_Roman_Empire

you have to do squats and deadlifts


otherwise:

The guy in this picture was a military veteran recovering from paralyzing injuries. He had just re-learned to walk. I wish people would stop using it to make fun of his legs.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

DannehBoyy

Thanks for the help everybody. You have all given me great advice. I tried some Bulgarian split squats today and my legs are now killing me! which is good. I really enjoyed doing them too. Gonna try and learn some of the others