IOL Strength and Conditioning

We’ve all heard that the squat is the “King of Exercises” and we’ve all given lip service to that title. What’s a lifter to do if they “can’t” perform the “King of Exercises?” Unlike Fred Hatfield, I feel that there ARE those that just can’t squat…at least not with relative safety and effectiveness. (Myself being one of those unfortunates)Without initiating (or desiring) a pity party, let me briefly list why I “can’t” squat. I have the residual effects of mild cerebral palsy (a form of brain injury that occurs either before, during or shortly after birth.) This has affected my left side, with the most obvious effects being the lack of flexibility, atrophy, poor balance and weakness in my left leg. I was well into my adult years (I’m 50, now) before I could stand on one leg and pull my pants on…and I still need to sometimes lean against something for balance. So placing a loaded barbell on my back and attempting to squat deeply while maintaining a reasonably upright posture…is at best, an exercise in futility and at worst, dangerous to myself and those around me. (Thank goodness for power cages!)

I’ve managed to cobble together some alternatives to the classic barbell squat that have (at last) allowed me the pleasure of squatting and safe leg work. True, they aren’t “real” squats and the purist may disparage my efforts but let me make one thing perfectly clear:

I don’t care what you (purists) think.

Now, with the necessary pleasantries out of the way…let’s examine a few alternatives. The first of my attempts at finding a suitable substitute for the squat was the “doorknob” squat. Simply put, you stand in front of the edge of an open door. You rest your hands lightly on the doorknobs and squat while using the doorknobs for balance assistance. This style of movement allows you to maintain an extremely upright posture and will even allow you to lean back slightly, should you desire to do so. (Obviously, you fight the tendency to pull yourself up with an assist from the hands…they should just be used for balance.) Performed in high reps, it can be a very effective movement. Sets of 100 or more reps will soon be possible. I’ve done a set of 510 consecutive reps…the pump and burn was quite satisfying. The one disadvantage of the movement is that it isn’t that great for hypertrophy, since there isn’t much of a progressive overload available. It is great for conditioning. I use a couple of high rep sets as a warm up for leg work.

The second of my attempts at finding a squat alternative works hand in hand with the doorknob squat concept - hip belt squats. By affixing a sturdy belt to my hips and suspending weights from it, I could maintain an upright posture and squat deeply…while holding onto an upright support for balance. If I got stapled in the bottom position, it was a simple matter to assist my ascent with my arms. This was an even more satisfactory alternative. It allowed an upright posture and sufficient depth plus, it allowed me to concentrate on overcoming my natural tendency to let my stronger right leg dominate the action. Alas, there were two significant disadvantages. The pressure of the belt on the hips could be fierce - becoming proportionately more uncomfortable as the weight increased, even with padding. Setting up for the movement was clumsy and time-consuming and the amount of weight that could comfortably be used with my homemade belt was limited. The movement also didn’t stress the back…which was both an advantage and disadvantage. One of the reasons why the squat is titled the “King” of movements is that it engages such a large percentage of your body’s muscles, notably the quads, hips and back. Since the weight is suspended from the waist/hips…no significant loading of the back and spine occurs. Great, if you have back pain issues, poor if you seek over all bodily power and stimulation.

The most successful of my squat alternatives (thus far) has been a machine squat. Let’s be clear right from the onset that I know that machines have certain potential dangers, since they force the body to conform to their movement paths. So be it. The machine that I use fits neatly in between the Smith machine and the Tru-Squat machine. The Smith machine is notorious for creating injuries, while the Tru-Squat is prohibitively expensive…especially when you’re as chea…er, FRUGAL as am I.

I stumbled onto a used PowerTec Leverage Squat machine for a price that made my eyes bright and shiney and my coat sleek and glossy…and I snapped it right up. The machine is simplicity itself. A pinned, pivoting lever arm holds the weight on your shoulders and the movement is an arc, rather than a rigidly straight up and down movement. Balance is a non-issue. Since the weight is supported on the shoulders, the back is still recruited. By adjusting my foot positioning or the placement of my feet on the floor or an angled platform…I can do various types of squats to various depths. All done in complete safety since the machine has numerous safety and “spotting” features built into its design. The one disadvantage is that you STILL have to conform to the machine’s movement arc…over time, this may or may not be injurious.

I now know the pleasure of squatting. It has been a thrill for me to see subtle changes in my legs from the use of this machine. My legs “feel” different, as does my torso. Taking stairs two at a time is easier and pushing my motorcycle around takes less effort. I enjoy my workouts a little more…and isn’t that the bottom line? The battle may have been only a minor skirmish…and the victory may have been small - but I am squatting at last.

Click here to read part two, written five months later.