I'm really having problems putting on enough weight when it comes to squats/lunges. There's no backrack at our gym and I simply don't have enough upper body strength to get a bar with the amount of weight i need over my head. At the moment I'm using two dumbells with 18kg each (so a total of 80lbs) + adding weight underneath my heals to try and make it harder but squats are still too easy. We do have dumbells that you can add weight yourself but those 18kg are hard enough for me to hold on to!!

Today I was doing lunges and I strapped on 8kg to my waist with strap on weights and then held 14kg in each hand (i'm doing the NROLW and lunges come right after a lot of shoulder work so I can't handle the 18's then) and even with the extra 8kg I didn't feel a difference. Now, we have strap on weights that would go up to 16kg around my waist that I'll try next time but still that's only a panacea.

I'd really like to hire a trainer (and I found the perfect guy who could definitely lift the bar+weights up to my shoulders because I've seen him do it for others) but that won't happen for another couple of a months.

Any ideas on how to make squats/lunges more difficult with the limited amount of weight?

Find a different gym! A gym with no squat rack?? Really ?

Not going to happen... this one is in our apt building so it's for free and way too convenient. It's crazy because it has absolutely everything else I could possible need just no backrack! ugh!

Mel, that made me LOL. I had read running's post yesterday and came up with nothing. I was excited to see someone had a response to her today...and then I read yours. So true!

Running, maybe you can find a Smith machine or something on Ebay or garage sale and get your neighbors and the management to split the cost. I recommend the smith machine because it's safer to use if working out alone.

Hmm... maybe? It would be pretty complicated, though, because the apt complex is rather large so it's share by a large number of people (and we're only renters here whereas most everyone else owns). I'd have to talk to the management. Plus there's an issue of both the gym and cardio room already being packed. If we were able to get one it wouldn't be for awhile, though.

Any suggestions in the meantime? It looks like I might just have to wait until I can afford a trainer... that's what it seems like everyone else does.

Actually, I'd disagree. I think a squat rack is safer especially on the joints since it follows a more natural movement. I've been doing barbells for the past year without any real type of rack but I also worked with a trainer to get me there. I think Mel could probably speak better than I can on the dangers of the smith machine.

Not sure what type of barbells the gym has. The one I'm going to (and quitting soon for other reasons), does have little shelves that attach to their rack system so that you can get a bar at a height to put it on your back. But I'm guessing where you workout, there isn't any place where you could attach such little shelves. This is what they look like.


Another option: How about a front squat.

Also... there is this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qls96q4Phs4

It is awkward but actually not too hard to do. I'd also look at videos on how to bail out of a back squat though before you did back squats with heavy weights.

Thanks! I never heard of a front squat before so that might actually work (at the very least I think I could add more weight than what I'm currently doing). Your video link didn't work on my computer for some weird reason but I found a few other examples on youtube. So basically you sort of rest the bar on the front of your shoulders, right? Then I could put on more weight than with the dumbells... I lift again on Thurs. so I'll try then.

Any ideas for adding more weight with the lunge?

Nope, no place for the little shelves, unfortunately. It's basically either packed with equipment or there are mirrors everywhere....

Oh, no the video was an option for getting the bar from the floor to a backsquat position, its called a steinborn lift. It looks scary but isn't.

A front squat position takes practice but most important thing to remember is to keep your elbows up.

I don't use weight (or much weight) for lunges but then again, I usually do walking lunges.

Heavier kettlebell, held like a goblet in your hands as you do lunges and squats?

I don't know if kettlebells go beyond 80 lbs and if they do, they'd be really expensive

I have SIX year injury that will probably never heal from using a smith machine. I would avoid them like the plague.

How about switching to compound Olympic lifts rather than just heavy squats? A squat clean with 75 pounds is a pretty hard exercise. a full snatch starting with a front squat is quite difficult. Plenty of youtube videos out there- just get the form correct!

Yeah, so the front squat didn't work... I couldn't get me elbows up at all at a comporable weight for what I'm doing with the dumbell. It does turn out that we have heavier strap on weights than I thought so last time I did it with 2x8kg strap on weights+2x14kg dumbells=97lbs. So that did help some. There's one 10kg strap on so I'm trying to find a second one, which would help too.

I checked out the Olympic lift and that does look tricky! Would I be working the same muscles as a squat?

They do indeed go beyond 80 pounds. It's not so much the kettlebell that is really expensive as the shipping to order one. Our 53 pound was, and I think the mailman was angry at us-it was dropped on our doorstep like a ding-dong ditch. But yeah, if you ever did get to work with kettlebells, they sound like they'd do the trick.

Oh no! How on Earth did you get hurt? What happened!?