How to Squat Safely When You’re Alone
Dec 4th, 2007 by Mehdi Tags: Exercise, Front Squat, Squat, Strength Training, Weight Lifting
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Karl asked in StrongLifts.com Forum:
“My Squat Rack is not a Power Rack: the safety bars are fixed. Can’t move anything there. I checked ways how to drop the weight with an empty bar, finding out that the Squat Rack was not actually meant for tall people.
There was a guy who was close of being a midget and his depth during the Squat was limited by the safety bars. You should do an article on how to drop the weight safely from any position of the Squat. “
Power Rack vs. Squat Rack
Power Rack. The safest way to Squat when you’re alone is using the safety pins inside a Power Rack. When you can’t Squat the weight up, lower yourself until the bar hits the safety pins.
Put the safety pins low enough so you can break parallel without hitting the pins. But not too low to avoid bouncing on your knees in case you miss the lift.
- Take an empty barbell
- Squat as deep as you normally do (hips lower than knees)
- Remember the bar height in the bottom position (count the pin holes)
- Squat back up, rack the weight in the uprights
- Put the safety pins at the height you just remembered
- Start your Squat workout
Here’s a video of myself failing miserably on a 130kg Front Squat. I get stuck at parallel, which is the hardest part on Squats & Front Squats. I lower myself back, dropping the bar on the safety pins.
Squat Racks. The problem with Squat Racks as Karl points out, is that the pins will be too low for tall people, impairing Squat safety. While for small people they will be too high, limiting Squat depth. Solutions:
- Start Light, Add Weight Gradually. Get used to lifting heavier weights. This builds a feeling for the weight: you’ll know what you can & can’t handle. Example: if you just Squatted 100kg for 5 reps, you can do at least 1 rep with 102,5kg. But how many reps could you do with 150kg if you can do 5 reps with 100kg? None. I know because I’m experienced. You’ll build the same experience by starting light & adding weight gradually. This is knowing yourself.
- Take Calculated Risks. If you can do 5 reps with 100kg, you can do at least 1 rep with 102.5kg. Maybe 2, maybe 5. If your legs tremble & your arms go numb, chances are you’ll fail on the next rep. Better is to stop. Else try 5 reps by waiting longer between reps & taking a big breath.
- Ask Someone to Spot. Have someone put his arms ready around your chest. If you miss the lift, he’ll help you on the way up by Squatting with you. This is what I did in the 5 years I trained in a commercial gym which had only a Squat Rack. Make sure your spotter knows what he’s doing. My spotter was the guy I trained with for 3 years.
Spotting the Squat. Image credit: Critical Bench
Whatever you do: stay away from the smith machine. Always Squat with free weights. Safest solution is the Power Rack. Other solutions: try them, but use your head. It’s your responsibility if something goes wrong.
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Best is definitely to have a power rack. I wouldn’t sign up at a gym without one, and it’s worth the investment for a home gym. But if you don’t have one, this article gives good advice about knowing your limits. I’m never had an accident while lifting because I have a phobia of doing a very heavy set and getting stuck at the bottom with no way out, especially on a front squat. It’s a scary thought.
I agree with Jason, never sign up at a gym that doesn’t have a power rack. Bad thing is, you still have to worry about some numbnuts taking up the power rack to do curls.
in case of a front squat weight can be dumped by letting the elbow drop and falling back.. if using bumper plates.
@Jason & Krets
If you can choose between a gym with a Squat Rack & Power Rack, yes definitely go for the Power Rack. Sometimes you don’t have that choice. My only choices were always either a gym with a Squat Rack or a gym with a smith machine. I only had access to a Power Rack when I bought my home gym.
@Harsh
Indeed if you have bumper plates & outside uprights/squat stands
My gym has both a squat rack and a power rack. Believe it or not, I’ve seen both being used for curls AT THE SAME TIME!
Lol
Most of the time it was on a decline bench press (reversing the uprights), that way my training partner could “spot” 
I used to do straight bar biceps curls in the Squat Rack too
I personally think the best, is to have a place where you can just dump the weights. I always do my PR’s in a gym where I can dump the weights, simply because it gives a psychology thing. I feel it’s safer if I can just dump the weights on the floor.
With a power rack, I still feel a bit of fear, of bending the bars albeit the fact that I don’t even squat that much for fear of such a thing happening anyway.
Bumper plates+rubber floors FTW!
hey, just dropped by to say thanks! I benefited alot from your book. thank you!
@Kirksman
Yelling training partner FTW! So you just finish those reps without missing them.
@Raymond
Thanks a lot man. Hope you enjoy the eBook, thanks for subscribing!
Thanks for the post Mehdi!
I have to say though, that the way the guy spots in the picture looks awkward (I think even Rippetoe writes something about that if I remember correctly). Imagining someone grabbing my nipples while I am squatting heavy always makes me envision both my and my spotter’s death. I’d prefer to have someone just push up the bar a little bit. But making small steps, in my opinion, is the best way to squat safely.
Once I move into a bigger place I’ll just build myself that homemade power-rack you had in your 10 post thing. If it works it is the best self-made piece of equipment for sure.
Cheers.
I squat at home, alone, no spotters around.
For this reason, I’ve shied away from actually discovering my true 1RM’s. The closest I’ve come to disaster is getting trapped during my bench presses lol. I live on the 2nd floor of an apartment and the man downstairs is sensitive to allll noises. I don’t wanna spend money on a gym and I don’t really dig the atmosphere in those places anyways. I will continue lifting alone and avoiding hitting 1RM territory.
@Karl
You’re welcome. Thanks for giving me the idea. Here’s the link to the home made power rack for the other readers.
@David
Check the article on how to bench press safely when alone. And I agree that you don’t have to do 1RMs. Doing 3RMs or 5RMs works too. Progress is progress. If you get stronger on your 5RM, your 1RM also increases.