How to Squat With a Barbell If You Don’t Have a Squat Rack
To lift weights at home , you’ll first need kettlebells. It’s quite simple: if you’re into barbell lifting, just buy a set of barbells.
But your next challenge is understanding how you squat. Squats usually include a squat rack, which is a luxury that many home athletes don’t have. However, this does not mean that you need to give up squats altogether. Let’s look at your options.
Before I get into this, please note that none of the options I will discuss include the safety features that a real squat rack has. That’s okay, because they all assume that you either work with light enough weights that you won’t fail the exercise, or that you know how to bail out by dropping the weight if you can’t complete a rep. This skill can be learned and won’t damage your equipment if you use bumper plates – keep this in mind if you live without racks.
Buy squat racks instead of a rack.
A durable squat rack is an investment, so I know I don’t want to splash out on one right away. (Hell, my own pandemic home gym went without a squat rack for about a year – not because I gave it up, but because it didn’t occur to me that a squat rack might be available or feasible in my small garage.)
Squat supports are actually not as expensive as you might think. You can order a pair of these lightweight yet durable squat racks for $50-$60, or make your own from concrete and 2x4s . I’m on record as saying that a good squat rack is worth the investment , but I also think makeshift racks like this are a great temporary solution if you’re not ready to take that step.
Pros : Cheap, lightweight, can be removed for storage. The only limit on how much weight you can squat this way is the equipment limit.
Cons : Not free. You also won’t be able to learn any weird new skills like the options below.
Clear the weight and do front squats.
Olympic weightlifters and CrossFitters will likely be most comfortable with this variation: Instead of squatting with the barbell on your back, move the barbell to a front rack position. This means that you grab it while it is on the ground, launch it upward and catch it on your shoulders, just in front of the neck.
The final position for the clean is the same as the starting position for the front squat, so you can perform as many reps of front squats as you like.
The main problem with this approach is that unless you’re a weightlifter or CrossFitter, you’re probably not very good at cleans. It takes time, practice and, ideally, good training to become efficient enough in the clean and to support a realistic weight for the front squat. If you want to lift weights without a squat rack, this is a skill worth learning. Otherwise, you may want to check other options.
Pros : Easy if you know how to do it. Allows you to get the most out of light weights (for the same weight, front squats are heavier than back squats).
Cons : Requires you to have good cleaning skills. It also prevents you from performing heavy back squats.
Zercher Squats
Zercher is often considered an esoteric exercise that only weird people do. But it’s actually a good option for squats, whether you have a rack or not. Sometimes called “low bar front squats,” they allow you to lift much more weight than a regular front squat, but you don’t need to know how to clean a barbell to get the weight into position.
How to perform Zercher squats:
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Stand in front of the bar with your feet wider than your hands (same idea as a sumo deadlift, but you don’t have to lift as wide as a sumo deadlift does).
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Barbell deadlift.
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Bend your knees so that you are in a squatting position and place the barbell on your lap.
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Alternately slide each hand between your legs and under the bar.
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Now, with the barbell resting on your elbows, stand up. You’ve completed your first rep.
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For subsequent reps, simply bend and straighten your knees as you would for a regular squat. (It is not necessary to return the barbell to the ground on each rep, although you can do so if you wish.)
If your first thought was, “Oh, I’m going to hurt my elbows,” well, at first , you’re right. It turns out that elbows adapt; people who squat regularly find that it’s not really a problem. You can always wrap the barbell in a towel or barbell pad, or wear elbow pads for extra cushioning. If I’m not working out for a while, I’ll sometimes throw on a sweatshirt and pull the knee-length sleeves over my elbows. In any case, you get used to it.
Pros : Free. No special skills required. Larger weights possible. You can deadlift every set.
Cons : Elbows may hurt. You need to deadlift every set.
Steinborn squats
Okay, now this is a weird lift for weird people. However, you may become one of those people.
To do this, you’ll need some space around you, a non-slip floor, and just enough courage and stupidity to think, “What the hell, I probably won’t die.” (Readers will not be surprised to learn that I tick all three boxes and thus set the national record for my weight class on this exercise.)
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Honestly, it’s not as dangerous as it seems. You do need a little practice to learn how to stabilize the bar and center yourself under it, but I found it easier to learn than the Olympic clean discussed above. Would this be my first choice for someone who wants to squat and doesn’t have a squat rack? No. But will it suit the person who thinks it’s cool? Absolutely.
Pros : Free. Larger weights possible. Impress your friends, scare your neighbors.
Cons : Requires a lot of space and nerves of steel. Scares the neighbors.
Squat Alternatives I Don’t Recommend
In my opinion, the following things are not a replacement for the barbell squat:
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Barbell hack lifts are a behind-the-back deadlift. They work the quads a little more than a regular deadlift, but they’re not squats.
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Deadlift with trap bar , same thing. Great as a deadlift variation, but not for squats.
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Goblet squats . This is a great exercise, but if you are strong enough to squat with a barbell, goblet lifts probably won’t be suitable as a main exercise.
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Raising the barbell over your head and onto your back . If you can do this, then the weight is too light for a heavy set of squats.
Not quite squat options that are still great
Below are exercises that aren’t the same as regular barbell squats, but they will still help build strong legs and are worth considering as you explore your options.
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Bulgarian split squats : These can be performed with lighter weights than regular squats, so dumbbells or a relatively light barbell will do the job.
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Leg press machines , any kind (I’m including a squat machine here). If your gym has a leg press but no squat rack, this would be my first choice as a squat replacement.
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Pistol squats : I find these to be too hard on the knees to completely replace squats, but they will certainly give your legs a serious workout.
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Lunges and raises : This type of single-leg work always challenges the quads and does not require as much weight as double-legged squats.
I would also like to note the honorable mention of the Arthur elevators . Here you lift the barbell until you can rest it on your lower back and then throw it towards your shoulders. From there you can squat normally. To be honest, it didn’t make it onto the main list only because I personally don’t like it. I think it’s more painful than Zercher and scarier than Steinborn. But if you’re fearless enough to try, you’ll pass out.