The 7 Best Squat Alternatives To Put Mass On Your Legs

The barbell squat is arguably the perfect train for constructing energy and mass, however they don’t seem to be the simplest. The barbell squat will be troublesome for individuals for varied causes, together with core stability points, lack of mobility, muscle imbalances, and joint or muscle accidents. Fortunately, there are a number of alternate options to the squat that can be utilized to focus on the identical muscle tissues. On this article, we are going to train you the seven greatest squat alternate options and tips about utilizing them. 

Desk of Contents

• 7 Greatest Squat Options

1. Leg Press
2. Hack Squat
3. Bulgarian Break up Squat
4. Goblet Squat
5. Leg Curl
6. Step-Ups
7. Romanian Deadlift

What Are Barbell Squats?

Muscle tissue Labored By The Squat and Advantages

Programming Ideas

FAQs

7 Greatest Squat Options

When in search of the perfect squat alternate options, we search for workouts which have the same vary of movement and goal the identical muscle teams because the squat. Beneath are the seven greatest squat alternate options.

1. Leg Press

The leg press is the preferred leg train and squat different, probably as a result of it is extremely simple to make use of. Except for the soundness of a machine, the largest distinction between barbell back squats and leg presses is the seated place in comparison with standing upright. 

1. Rack the specified weights and modify the seat within the Leg Press Machine.

2. Place your toes on the platform roughly shoulder-width aside. Your knees ought to be aligned with the toes. Maintain your legs barely bent on the prime place. Foot placement can change the muscle tissues focused.

• Vast stance to emphasise glutes, hamstrings, and adductors
• Slim stance to emphasise vastus lateralis (outer quad) and vastus medialis (internal quad). 
• Low foot placement to emphasise hamstrings and glutes. That is nice for constructing energy within the posterior chain. 
• Excessive foot placement to emphasise glutes, hamstrings, and adductors. This method makes use of extra hip extension and provides a better stretch, particularly the glutes. 

Push the load ahead along with your legs, then unhook the protection latch so you are able to do a full vary of movement press. 

Slowly decrease the load till it approaches your knees at a 90-degree angle or barely beneath, simply earlier than your chest. 

Push the load again up the machine into the beginning place. Keep away from absolutely extending your legs and locking out your knees to forestall damage. 

Repeat for desired reps.

Leg presses are among the many greatest decrease physique workouts, primarily working the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. They work the calves to a lesser extent.

If you wish to add a leg press to your private home health club, take a look at our favourite picks for greatest Leg Press Machines.

2. Hack Squat

Hack squats are a wonderful squat different, however they require a machine, so they don’t seem to be as accessible. They mix the leg press and again squat, because the higher physique is in an upright place (like again squats) however with the soundness of a machine (just like the leg press). Hack squats use a sliding platform with a backrest to maintain your physique steady whereas making a movement just like the squat. 

1. Regulate the hack squatting machine to your top in order that your shoulders are firmly towards the shoulder pads, again flat towards the backrest, knees barely bent, and toes shoulder-width aside on the platform. 
2. Seize the handles with an overhand grip to set your physique into the beginning place. 
3. Unhook the protection latch to permit the platform to slip up and down. You could have to barely elevate the load to unhook the latch. 
4. Slowly decrease your physique by bending your knees and retaining your again flat towards the seat. Drop down till your thighs are parallel to the bottom, or barely decrease if attainable. Make certain your knees keep in a straight line along with your toes, not bending inward. 
5. Explode via your heels to increase the hips and knees to return to the beginning place. Deal with utilizing the decrease physique to push upward reasonably than momentum or pulling with the handles. 
6. Repeat for desired reps.

Hack squats primarily goal the quads, hamstrings, and glutes; secondary muscle tissues embody the calves and the core for stability.

3. Bulgarian Break up Squat

Bulgarian split squats are a single-leg train that targets the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core for stability. You solely want a bench or elevated floor and the specified weights (physique weight works, too!). 

1. Stand going through away from a bench/elevated floor, roughly two toes away, along with your toes hip-width aside.
2. Place your left foot one step in entrance of you whereas extending your proper foot on the bench behind you in order that the highest of your foot is going through down. 
3. Make certain your physique is not too removed from the bench. As you decrease your physique, your knee of the entrance leg (left leg right here) ought to be immediately above the ankle. 
4. Like different squats, maintain your chest up, shoulders again, and backbone impartial. Have interaction the core to stabilize the physique.
5. Slowly decrease your physique by bending the left knee (entrance leg) whereas the again leg stays straight. Your hips ought to transfer straight down reasonably than going ahead.
6. Decrease your physique till your knee varieties a 90-degree angle so your thigh is parallel to the bottom. Guarantee your knee on the entrance leg doesn’t transfer previous your toes.
7. Push upward via your heel to return to the beginning place. 
8. Repeat for desired reps, then swap legs. 

Be happy to start out this train with simply your physique weight till you’re comfy with the motion. Since you’re solely utilizing one leg, it requires extra stability and core stability than common squats. Bulgarian break up squats are nice for individuals with again ache as a result of they place much less stress on the cervical backbone in comparison with barbell squats. As all the time, concentrate on sustaining correct kind, retaining your weight mid-foot, and activating your core.

4. Goblet Squat

Goblet squats are a wonderful train and squat different, particularly for newcomers or those that wrestle to squat. You need to use a dumbbell, kettlebell, or drugs ball. 

1. Seize the load and maintain it, both by the deal with of a kettlebell or a dumbbell by its sides, in entrance of your chest, along with your toes shoulder-width aside.
2. Be sure you maintain your chest up, shoulders again, and eyes straight forward, as you’ll with an everyday squat. 
3. Slowly bend your knees and push your hips again as you get right into a squatted place as in case you had been sitting in a chair. Maintain your chest up and a impartial backbone. 
4. Decrease your physique till your elbows hit your knees. Attempt to decrease into as deep a squat as you possibly can. Make certain your knees keep in step with your toes to forestall them from collapsing inward. 
5. Explode via your heels in a managed however highly effective method, extending your hips and knees on the identical time to boost your physique to the beginning place. 
6. Repeat for desired reps. Preserve a impartial backbone and maintain your core tight all through the raise. 

Goblet squats primarily work the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, decrease again, and core for stability. It additionally barely engages the shoulders and higher again and traps from holding the load. To study extra, take a look at our article The Ultimate Guide To Goblet Squats.

5. Leg Curl

Leg curls are one other lower-body train that can be utilized along with different squat variations. Leg curls and their alternatives particularly goal the hamstrings, so they need to be used with different lower-body workouts for a whole exercise.

1. Regulate the leg curl machine to your top in order that while you’re mendacity flat, face down, your ankles match beneath the padded machine roll/lever. Your knees ought to be on the fringe of the padding so that they have a full vary of movement.
2. Seize the handles and have interaction your core to stabilize your physique, retaining your head on the aircraft along with your backbone.
3. Bend your knees straight backward and contract the hamstrings to boost the load so far as attainable with out arching your again. 
4. After bringing the load to the highest level, slowly decrease it again all the way down to the beginning place in a managed method. Maintain your knees barely bent at reset reasonably than locking out your knees. 
5. Repeat for desired reps. 

Leg curls primarily work the hamstrings, with the calves as a secondary muscle. These ought to be carried out later in a exercise, after a extra compound motion.

6. Step-Ups

Step-ups are an important different which can be fairly simple and does not require any particular gear. You solely want a field, bench, or elevated floor. 

1. Stand tall in entrance of a field or bench along with your toes hip-width aside. Make certain to start out with a low field and regularly work your manner up.
2. Maintain your chest up, shoulder blades again, and a impartial backbone.
3. Raise your left leg onto the field. Make certain your complete left foot is firmly on the field within the heart. 
4. Lean ahead barely to shift your weight, then push via the mid-foot on the left foot to raise your physique up onto the platform. 

5. Stand tall on prime of the field to achieve the highest place. 

• For further burn, attempt elevating the alternative knee into the air whereas on the field,

Slowly decrease your left leg again down, returning to the beginning place.

Repeat for all reps earlier than switching legs. 

Due to the upward movement, step-ups primarily goal the quads, however additionally they work the hamstrings and glutes. They work the core for stability and the calves to a lesser extent. These must also be carried out later within the exercise, after compound actions.

7. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) work the posterior chain, which is the muscle teams on the again of the physique out of your higher again all the way down to the calves. This consists of the hamstrings, glutes, and decrease again.

1. Stand tall along with your toes hip-width aside.

• Dumbbells will be held on the sides with straight arms.
• Barbells ought to be held overhand (knuckles out), near the shins.

Begin the raise with a hip hinge, and knees bent barely whereas sustaining a impartial backbone.

Slowly transfer your hips again and transfer the load down slightly below knee stage. Deal with the hamstring contraction. 

Squeeze your glutes and transfer your hips ahead to return to the beginning place.

Stand tall to verify your hips are absolutely prolonged in an upright place.

Repeat for reps. 

RDLs use the hip hinge to maneuver the load, whereas squats bend the hips and knees. RDLs primarily work the hamstrings and glutes. Additionally they work the decrease again, core, and erector spinae. 

Different nice squat alternate options embody:

• Entrance squat: Almost identical to back squats, however reasonably than the bar resting on traps, it’s held in entrance of the shoulders.
• Lunges: Lunges are very versatile, as they are often completed in place or strolling, and with or with out weights,
• Zercher squat: Zercher squats are an excessive different the place you maintain the barbell within the crease of your arms the place your elbows bend.

What Are Barbell Squats?

The barbell again squat is among the greatest energy coaching workouts for constructing lean muscle mass, as it really works your entire decrease physique and components of the higher physique.

With the load hooked on a squat rack, the person locations the bar throughout their again after which lowers it right into a seated place. You then explode via the heels to raise the load and return to the rack place. 

Squatting is nice for each males’s and girls’s well being, as it may well enhance each day life circumstances. Nevertheless, the draw back is that it may be troublesome for many individuals, which leads them to hunt squat alternate options.

Muscle tissue Labored By The Squat and Advantages

Squats primarily construct decrease physique energy, however they work your entire physique. They’re among the best workouts for constructing core energy and stability, as they require stability to carry the load. 

Main Muscle tissue Labored:

• Quadriceps (entrance higher leg)
• Hamstrings (again higher leg)
• Gluteus maximus (buttocks)
• Erector spinae (decrease again)
• Adductors (internal thigh)
• Calves

Secondary Muscle tissue Labored:

• Core (abs and obliques)
• Rhomboids, trapezius, rear deltoids (higher again)

• Stabilizer muscle tissues

• Tensor fasciae latae (TFL): muscle on the hip to assist stabilize hip and knee joints
• Anterior tibialis: shin muscle tissues (entrance shin) to assist stabilize the ankles
• Rectus femoris: a part of the quadriceps that helps hip flexion

In addition to the plain of gaining muscle, squats have a number of different advantages, together with:

• Improved bone density
• Elevated testosterone and development hormone ranges
• Improved joint well being
• Burns energy and fats
• Elevated metabolic charge
• Improved stability and posture 
• Improved flexibility and mobility

For extra info, take a look at our article, Squats Guide: How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits, and 15 Variations. To study extra in regards to the relationship between squats and testosterone, take a look at our article, Do Squats Increase Testosterone? What Science Says.

Programming Ideas

On this part, we are going to talk about a number of suggestions for maximizing your good points and making your exercises extra environment friendly. 

1. Free Weights > Machines

It relies on the train, however it is best to all the time try to do an train utilizing free weights. Free weights permit for a better vary of movement and, due to this fact, better muscle activation. Free weights require core energy and stability, particularly for squats, whereas machines take that side out. Free-weight squats or squat alternate options activate essential stabilizer muscle tissues within the core and decrease again that machines cannot work. It is extremely essential to construct the stabilizer muscle tissues as a result of they assist the physique preserve correct kind, particularly for heavy squats. 

One research in contrast the distinction in hormonal response, significantly post-workout, of the barbell squat to the leg press. After performing six units of ten reps, the squat group had important testosterone and development hormone will increase in comparison with the leg press group. They concluded that free-weight workouts just like the barbell squat trigger a better hormonal response to resistance coaching than machines.¹

2. Carry out First In Exercise 

You need to all the time begin your exercises with compound workouts (squat, bench press, deadlift) first and isolation workouts second. Research have proven that doing massive muscle teams first and progressing to smaller muscle teams leads to the best anabolic response.² For compound workouts just like the leg press or deadlifts, it is best to carry out 10-12 reps. It’s essential do excessive reps when coaching legs as a result of the legs have better muscle endurance from supporting us all day. 

3. Take A Deep Breath

Correct squat kind requires the person to take a deep breath on the prime of the squat in a standing place and maintain it all through, exhaling as you come to the beginning place. The thought is to breathe as deep as attainable into the abdomen to create strain, which helps to stabilize the core and defend the backbone. That is particularly essential for people who practice heavy with fewer reps. 

4. Hear To Your Physique

Until you are an expert athlete, there is not any purpose to push your physique to a harmful level. There may be nothing unsuitable with utilizing a Smith Machine or different alternate options to the common squat. There are many safer, extra comfy choices, so do not feel obligated to do barbell squats.

FAQs

What’s the perfect squat different to do when you have a foul again or again ache?

Bulgarian squats, leg curls, step ups, and the leg press machine are the perfect decrease physique workouts when you have a foul again. 

Is there a squat substitute to do when you have dangerous knees?

In case you have knee ache, the perfect leg workouts are leg presses, leg curls, step-ups, and Romanian Deadlifts. 

Is there a squat different to focus on the glutes?

The very best squat alternate options to construct the glutes are any kind of deadlift (RDLs particularly), step ups, lunges, and a excessive or large foot place on the leg press machine.

Outro

Barbell squats, together with the deadlift, are among the best core and leg workouts you are able to do for constructing energy. Train science reveals that squats have better muscle activation since they aim so many muscle tissues, which results in a better enhance in testosterone and development. Squats are additionally one of the vital troublesome workouts, however fortunately, there are a number of squat alternate options that work the identical muscle tissues. The very best alternate options to squats embody the leg press, hack squat, goblet squat, leg curls, step-ups, deadlift variations, and Bulgarian break up squats. 

To maximize muscle development, do the compound workouts first within the exercise, ideally not less than ten reps. Keep in mind to concentrate on respiratory and sustaining correct kind for all workouts, as kind is extra essential than weight. Be sure you embody a number of workouts per exercise to hit all elements of the leg muscle and watch your trunks develop!

References

1. Shaner, Aaron A., et al. “The Acute Hormonal Response to Free Weight and Machine Weight Resistance Train.” Journal of Power and Conditioning Analysis, vol. 28, no. 4, Apr. 2014, https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000000317.
2. Sheikholeslami-Vatani, Dariush, et al. “Comparability of the Results of Resistance Train Orders on Variety of Repetitions, Serum IGF-1, Testosterone and Cortisol Ranges in Regular-Weight and Overweight Males.” Asian Journal of Sports activities Medication, vol. 7, no. 1, 1 Mar. 2016, https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.30503.