anybody here squating heavy without a rack?

Options
245

Replies

  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    Options
    Fwiw, OP....

    I, too, don't have a Squat rack. I'd been told I should. I ignored it. I've been lifting like this for a year. ... Three weeks ago, I got overconfident and threw too much on the bar. Went to Squat. My legs caved. I had no spotter in my garage. I had never failed a Squat before, didn't know how to get it off my back. Had to throw my whole body to dump the weights and I'm now out from a back injury. GET A SQUAT RACK! Make one, buy one, have one. I fully regret not having one
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    Options
    I guess you don't know until what the big deal is until you have a bad experience failing forward and I do have that experience. It's not fun and can even be scary in a power cage. Stuff happens.
  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
    Options
    Yeah, if you insist on no rack, then make sure you have a lifting partner or at least someone within shouting distance. I lift at a gym because even if I had the cash/space for my own equipment, I would not feel safe lifting by myself. (I live with my grandma and my aunt who has a bad back).

    I got trapped under the weights when I failed a bench press and was very happy that I was at a gym and someone could get the weight off me.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    Options
    I like safety equipment. I even use the "safe" on my rifle.

    I use a squat rack.
  • xxEAGLExx
    xxEAGLExx Posts: 22
    Options
    Don't do heavy barbell squats without a rack.

    Best not to even do heavy barbell squats.. Try single leg squats or pistol squats.
  • xxEAGLExx
    xxEAGLExx Posts: 22
    Options
    There is nothing on earth to suggest that making your spine the “middle man” between a multi-hundred pound barbell, and your legs, is a particularly good, or even safe idea.

    Why apply resistance so far from the intended muscle group? A barbell squat is the equivalent of loading your triceps through your feet, upside down against a wall.

    There are plenty of alternatives to a barbell squat if you do a little research.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    Options
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    There is nothing on earth to suggest that making your spine the “middle man” between a multi-hundred pound barbell, and your legs, is a particularly good, or even safe idea.

    ... other than thousands of lifters who have done it. The spinal erectors aren't a middle man, they're part of the moment arm between the hips and the bar.
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    Why apply resistance so far from the intended muscle group? A barbell squat is the equivalent of loading your triceps through your feet, upside down against a wall.

    It's pretty clear you know nothing about kinesiology.
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    There are plenty of alternatives to a barbell squat if you do a little research.

    And no single exercise works the entire posterior chain with the efficiency of a properly-performed barbell squat.
  • xxEAGLExx
    xxEAGLExx Posts: 22
    Options
    The injury rate of doing squats over your lifetime is nearly 100%.

    I was lucky to recover without too much problems from my back injury, one of my friends has to wear an ankle brace for the rest of their lives. But if you want to risk your ability to walk over what you feel is the most "efficient" exercise then go ahead.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    Options
    I would get a cage if you possibly can. At some point, you will fail a squat and being able to dump the bar when you need to is such a nice feeling.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    Options
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    The injury rate of doing squats over your lifetime is nearly 100%.

    Care to cite a source or are you going to continue talking out of your *kitten*?
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    I was lucky to recover without too much problems from my back injury, one of my friends has to wear an ankle brace for the rest of their lives. But if you want to risk your ability to walk over what you feel is the most "efficient" exercise then go ahead.

    "The injuries typical of elite weightlifters are primarily overuse injuries, not traumatic injuries compromising joint integrity. These injury pattems and rates are similar to those reported for other sports and activities." --Injury Rates and Profiles of Elite Competitive Weightlifters, 1999

    Aside from that, read http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Safety.html - you're simply wrong on a grand scale.
  • xxEAGLExx
    xxEAGLExx Posts: 22
    edited October 2014
    Options
    Sorry.. the source is called life experience.. Some of us have actually experienced things outside of a book. Do whatever you want, I only stated my opinion.

    BTW.. I never mentioned traumatic injuries.. just injuries.. that includes overuse.
  • Screwedntattooed
    Screwedntattooed Posts: 238 Member
    Options
    Any way you look at it eventually you will need a rack if you are to fully progress and safely
  • xxEAGLExx
    xxEAGLExx Posts: 22
    Options
    Screwedntattooed wrote: »
    Any way you look at it eventually you will need a rack if you are to fully progress and safely

    Agree 100%. There is a reason that the squat rack was invented.

  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    Options
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    Sorry.. the source is called life experience.. Some of us have actually experienced things outside of a book.

    Badly, apparently. I see. n=1 solutions are the same as n=many solutions.
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    Do whatever you want, I only stated my opinion.

    Opinions that run utterly counter to factual information.
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    BTW.. I never mentioned traumatic injuries.. just injuries.. that includes overuse.

    By that definition - injury of any kind - life is dangerous.

    Ban it.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    edited October 2014
    Options
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    How about some information to support all of your claims?

    You mean other than the links I put above? A least I'm quoting my sources, whereas you're lifting text straight from this site without attribution. Nice going.

    "[The barbell squat] is a functional and safe exercise that is obviously transferable to many movements in sports and life. " -- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22373894
    "Progressive resistance, whole body long-axis rotational training may improve performance during sports movements that require quick, integrated trunk-lower extremity function." --http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23643048

    An opinion piece, since you love opinion so much. http://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/safetysquat.pdf

    Between the previous citations and these three, that should be enough to get you going.
  • xxEAGLExx
    xxEAGLExx Posts: 22
    edited October 2014
    Options
    Ask anyone who has suffered a back injury what they think about squats.

    A lot of people think they're invincible until something happens to them.

    Early in a military career soldiers are all for getting in a fight, but ask a veteran what they think of war and you'll get a different story. Life experience changes people's perspective on many things.

    As for statistics.. well those don't always tell the truth. My dad suffered respiratory failure leading to a heart attack from COPD.. the death certificate stated that the death wasn't related to smoking even though it certainly was. But those reported statistics don't reflect the truth.

    I didn't offer my number to fight! Just figured if you were going to continually debate all my points it would be best accomplished without filling up this forum with unrelated material. But you didn't call and hid behind your keyboard.

    What I'm getting at is that you can't base everything off of statistics, or any one persons opinion. People are going to do what they want regardless of the consequences, but I would recommend people research the pros and cons of an activity so they can make an informed decision. After all it is the individuals decision. Attacking people with a different opinion doesn't help.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    Options
    I did for a long time. I lift at home. I had a squat stand, but not a rack. I know how to bail on a lift, and I never pushed to a point where I even thought I might fail the lift.

    That being said, it's not the best idea. I have a rack now. I've yet to fail a squat in it, but it's saved my neck benching a few times. Worth every penny.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    Options
    xxEAGLExx wrote: »
    Ask anyone who has suffered a back injury what they think about squats.
    I hurt my back in a car accident. I've double the amount of weight I squat this summer while rehabbing a knee injury.

    So, I have life experience, squats are amazing. Boom. Done. My n=1 just sank your battleship's n=1.

    I understand the squat hate though, requires caring about form and putting in effort. That's difficult for a lot of people.
  • xxEAGLExx
    xxEAGLExx Posts: 22
    edited October 2014
    Options
    Lee Haney, 8 time Mr. Olympia, did light squats and never used more than 225lb. He felt there was no real point to heavy squats. If an 8X Mr. Olympia didn't need them, then I think I'll be fine without them.

    You can read a good interview he did about training here.

    Remember this thread is about heavy squats.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    Options
    225 isn't heavy.

    He's also a BB on heavy gear. So... your "proof" isn't relevant to like 99% of the people on MFP. If there is a bodybuilder here hitting the anabolics hard, they might be interested in Mr. Haney.

Categories