Alternatives to squatting with a rack?

[thegmanifesto]

Dumbbell squats are not very good unless the rep range exceeds 20 and the total weight (carried?) is at least 150 pounds. It's not possible to load enough weight otherwise to make it worthwhile.
If you use one dumbbell (or two, I guess) to help stabilize while you do pistol squats, however, that's worthwhile.

What do you recommend? One or two?

 

[JayMillz]

overhead stair climbs like this

this is the truth!

 

[Hades]

Dumbbell squats are not very good unless the rep range exceeds 20 and the total weight (carried?) is at least 150 pounds. It's not possible to load enough weight otherwise to make it worthwhile.
If you use one dumbbell (or two, I guess) to help stabilize while you do pistol squats, however, that's worthwhile.

What do you recommend? One or two?

I take it you are familiar with kettlebells and the pistol squat? The clean, etc.

What you can do is hold one dumbbell (or kettlebell) in the clean position, and keep switching the dumbbell from one side to the other depending on which single leg you are squatting down on.

You can also hold two dumbbells or kettlebells in the clean position on either side, this seems to help balance in the same way. I also knew a guy who would clutch a 45 pound plate to his chest, same principle. It boils down to preference and individual body mechanics to some degree, everybody has to experiment to find what works.

Other people hold a KB or dumbbell directly in front of them, like a handgun. I use this method and find it to be most effective for balance.

The first two methods (imo) are for more advanced pistol squatters, since you can theoretically hold 200 pounds in the double-dumbbell clean position without too much trouble. The third method is limited somewhat, most people would have trouble holding more than fifty or sixty pounds out in front of them for very long.

 

[bhawthorne]

Here are 5 different routines from MadBarz (1 beginner, 3 medium, 2 hard).

There should be more than enough exercises in here to give you an idea. Another exercise not mentioned in these routines is skater squats: [video=vimeo]http://vimeo.com/48931275[/MEDIA] ...48/711d736c1d6bb615cb2025dc33816b1f.jpg[/img]

 

[Aliblahba]

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Hades, I found you a t-shirt:


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