Comments on: How to Squat Safely When You’re Alone http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/ Build Muscle & Lose Fat Through Strength Training Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:24:18 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10464 Mehdi Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:13:39 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10464 @Karl You're welcome. Thanks for giving me the idea. Here's the link to the <a href="http://www.joeskopec.com/scaffold.html" rel="nofollow">home made power rack</a> for the other readers. @David Check the article on how to <a href="http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-safely-when-youre-alone/" rel="nofollow">bench press safely when alone</a>. 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. @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.

]]> By: David A. http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10460 David A. Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:15:25 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10460 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. 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.

]]> By: karl http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10349 karl Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:29:10 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10349 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. 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.

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10334 Mehdi Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:19:36 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10334 @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! @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!

]]> By: raymond http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10331 raymond Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:41:31 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10331 hey, just dropped by to say thanks! I benefited alot from your book. thank you! hey, just dropped by to say thanks! I benefited alot from your book. thank you!

]]> By: kirksman http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10329 kirksman Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:06:59 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10329 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! 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!

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10325 Mehdi Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:00:20 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10325 Lol :) I used to do straight bar biceps curls in the Squat Rack too :-) Most of the time it was on a decline bench press (reversing the uprights), that way my training partner could "spot" :-) Lol :)
I used to do straight bar biceps curls in the Squat Rack too :-) Most of the time it was on a decline bench press (reversing the uprights), that way my training partner could “spot” :-)

]]> By: krets http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10321 krets Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:57:54 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10321 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! 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!

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10317 Mehdi Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:34:29 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10317 @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 :) @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 :)

]]> By: Harsh http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10315 Harsh Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:18:11 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-safely-when-youre-alone/#comment-10315 in case of a front squat weight can be dumped by letting the elbow drop and falling back.. if using bumper plates. in case of a front squat weight can be dumped by letting the elbow drop and falling back.. if using bumper plates.

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