Pumping legs without squats. How to pump up your legs without barbell squats

3. Deadlift with dumbbells. This exercise works the entire gluteal muscle group plus the hamstrings. How to do it: We take dumbbells in our hands (arms are lowered), stand up straight, then bend down (without bending your knees or changing the position of your arms). When bending over, it is necessary to catch the point at which tension is felt in the buttocks, linger at this point for 5-10 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat at least 20-30 times.

4. Static exercise “Chair” plus weights. This exercise gives a powerful load to the buttocks, which is why it is considered one of the best static exercises for the gluteal muscles. How to do it: We take a dumbbell (or something else) in our hands, then stand with our backs to the wall, feet shoulder-width apart, and begin to slowly crawl along it until you sit on the “chair.” Then we pause for 10 seconds and come back. Repeat at least 15-20 times.

5. Exercise “Walking on the buttocks.” A fun but effective exercise that will work your gluteal muscles plus the back and front of your thighs. How to do it: We sit on the floor, back straight, chin not lowered, legs together. Then we begin to move forward through the buttocks (left-right side). Perform until you feel tension.

Is it possible to pump up your buttocks without squats? Yes, you can, but only with the help of an integrated approach (proper nutrition and exercise)!

Bodybuilders are not very friendly with “lifters”; both of these categories mutually dislike “turntable men”. All three look warily at newcomers - “CrossFitters”. But all these guys together will agree: squats are important and necessary. With a barbell, kettlebell, sandbag or without anything.

It’s an axiom that squats are good for sculpted and strong legs and a round butt, but guys who skip leg day (you can still find such comedians in gyms) don’t know at all that squats are a catalyst for the growth of all other muscles in the body. Tell them this, and at the same time the other 19 benefits of squats, which we borrowed from our friends at bodyboss.ru.

Back squats, arm loaded squats, Bulgarian split squats, Jefferson squats, Zercher squats, prison squats, and so on - all squats involve similar (albeit with some variations) biomechanical work that allows you to build muscle mass and increase the strength of the muscles of the lower half of the body.

Below is a list of 20 benefits that squats provide. We would like to note that you should not take them as the ultimate truth and an immediate call to action, but we believe that you will find it useful to familiarize yourself with this list. So leave your ego out of the gym, squat properly, and you might have a blast working your legs in your next workout.

1. Squats help build muscle mass throughout the body

These types of exercises not only develop your quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings, but also help your other muscles progress. By increasing the production of testosterone and growth hormone, squats provide the body with anabolic steroids, stimulating muscle growth. So if you want to increase muscle mass and strength, squats will help you with this.

2. Squats help burn fat

Muscles burn fat. The more muscle there is, the more fat it burns. By stimulating muscle growth, squats help you burn more fat. The more muscle you add to your skeleton, the more calories you'll burn during training and recovery. So if you want to lose weight, you don’t need to neglect squats.

3. Squats are incredibly functional

Today, next to the good old squats, the fashionable definition of “functionality” is often used. If squats used to be considered an exercise for well-trained athletes and professional bodybuilders, today people are no longer afraid to do squats, having appreciated all the advantages of this exercise. There are a huge number of ways to prevent injury while doing squats, and the benefits of this exercise are difficult to overestimate.

4. Squats help you stay mobile

In addition to simply increasing lower body strength and endurance, squats are great for keeping your entire body moving. Moreover, by performing squats with full amplitude, you will be able to develop all the muscles of your legs, as a result you will not feel tired in your legs and can easily withstand long-term loads during active rest and exercise.

5. Squats improve coordination

This parameter goes hand in hand with increased mobility and mobility. Improved coordination will help improve strength skills and build muscle mass. This also applies to other exercises that involve different muscle groups, such as deadlifts, dumbbell curls, abdominal exercises, etc. Additionally, squats will help build the foundation for other leg exercises, such as single-leg squats, leg presses, and calf raises.

6. Squats help improve your performance

Squats are valued not only because they help you build mass and improve leg strength and endurance, but also because they improve your body's overall capabilities, such as being able to run faster and jump farther. This is especially important for those who play sports both professionally and on weekends as part of an amateur team. Squats help improve performance in a wide variety of sports. This is a truly universal exercise.

7. Squats help prevent injury

Developing a large number of accessory muscles in the lower body, hips and lower back can significantly reduce the risk of injury if proper technique is followed. The squat forces the muscles to work together “as a team,” ensuring a stable body position and eliminating weak points so that the risk of injury is minimized.

8. Squats help develop core muscles.

During squats, the muscles of the central part of the body are involved, including the abdominal muscles. According to studies, squats can load the abdominal muscles even better than the usual crunches. So if you want to get six-pack abs, do squats.

9. Squats improve joint health

Squats improve joint health and reduce the risk of injury when used correctly. The hip joint, knees and ankle joint work together during lifting of the body. The load is distributed across all joints to reduce stress on individual joints. Straightening your legs, for example, puts serious stress on your knees, increasing the risk of injury.

10. Squats are very practical

Squats are distinguished not only by functionality, but also by practicality, which is perfectly manifested in everyday life. Working outdoors, playing with children, outdoor games such as basketball, all these activities will be much easier for you thanks to squats.

11. Squats can be performed in many different ways

From back squats to overhead squats, you can use any of the many options. Also, the positive effect of exercise can be enhanced in various ways, for example, using chairs, boxes and bands, using high-repetition techniques, alternating work and pauses.

12. Squats do not require additional costs

This exercise does not require the use of expensive simulators and special equipment. All you need is a barbell or even a pair of dumbbells. Overhead squats, kettlebell and dumbbell squats require very basic equipment. Moreover, you can limit yourself to a sandbag or a barrel of water.

13. Squats can be done anywhere

At home, in the gym, even away! You can squat anywhere. You don't need a gym membership or expensive equipment, just do 100 simple squats or squats with your hands behind your head in your room, on the beach or in the park while jogging.

14. Squat rack is usually free

Assuming someone hasn't occupied it to do barbell curls. Most people today are embarrassed to work on a squat rack (or are they afraid to do it without a trainer?), preferring to train their legs separately. Leg training requires a lot of effort and focus to achieve noticeable results. While the leg machines may be busy, the squat rack is empty 90% of the time.

15. Doing squats prevents people from doing barbell curls in a squat rack.

We've all seen them. These weirdos do arm exercises in a squat rack. Although this exercise can be done anywhere. Take a barbell, set the desired load and do your exercise. But these guys think they need a ready-made barbell, they are too lazy to pick it up off the ground, they want the barbell to be at a comfortable height so they don't have to bend over to get it. By the way, they like to complement their approaches with long pauses, during which you can spend a long time rummaging through your phone or chatting with other visitors to the hall. This needs to stop, doesn't it?

16. Squats develop strength qualities

It takes a lot of force to rise from the bottom of a squat. A variety of pressure points and a wide range of motion create a unique energy curve in the lower body that helps increase overall strength and endurance, which will benefit you in other exercises.

17. Squats are a great way to assess your form.

Have you made great progress on the bench press? Can you squeeze a ton during the shoulder press? Are you shaking your arms? What about squats? If you want to really evaluate yourself (and who doesn't?) try doing a deep squat. You don't stop halfway during a bench press, do you? And don’t you bend your arms halfway? So why should you not squat all the way?

18. Squats are a versatile exercise

The only exercise that uses approximately the same amount of muscle as the squat is the deadlift. Squatting is a habitual action that is very familiar to the human body.

19. Squats target the muscles in the back of your legs.

Today there is a lot of talk about the muscles in the back of the leg and how important they are in everyday life. Straightening the legs does not affect these muscles in any way. During squats, not only the quadriceps are involved, but also the thighs and calves. Also, we must not forget about the load that falls on the lower back, upper back and neck.

Although squats are undoubtedly the best exercise for the legs, you can still build powerful muscles with other lower body exercises, examples of workouts are attached.

The squat is the king of them all. It develops overall strength and is suitable for training, whatever your level or goal. When it's Men's Leg Day, it goes without saying that you'll start with a good dose of squat sets. But is it possible to achieve the same results for the lower body without squats?

The answer is yes, and here you will learn how to pump up your legs in the gym and increase their muscle mass without squats with a barbell using other effective exercises.

First of all, it is impossible to deny that squatting is the best way we develop a strong and elastic pair of legs. It would be wrong and dishonest to deny this. But there are a number of situations where even a correctly performed squat can cause harm, and in such a way that you will end up missing valuable time in the gym due to injury or pain.

During a squat, the entire body is tense, and most of this stress is placed on the knees and lower back. Wristbands and a belt can help, but they cannot completely prevent injury. And it’s not even that there’s something wrong with your technology; You can injure your knee by performing a completely correct squat. On the other hand, incorrect technique usually serves as a catalyst for nagging lower back pain.

Whatever the reasons, there may be circumstances in which you may need to stop doing the squat, but what if you still want your quads to keep up with the rest of your body? You may have to get creative in this case. Here are some tips you can use the next time you're putting together an exercise routine for leg day:

Smith machine squat

Before you completely give up on the leg-building squat, try working out on a Smith machine and see if it feels different. Because the weight is pre-balanced and guided, you can get a good thigh workout without the discomfort associated with regular men's squats.

Squatting in the Hack Machine

If you can't do the Smith machine squat at the gym, the Hack machine squat may be a good alternative. A 45-degree incline will leave your legs slightly bent at the top position, which will place the load on your hips. Keeping your head and back pressed against the cushion, lower yourself until your knees are bent just below parallel to the support. You can tell if you've sunk low enough by checking to see if your knees and toes are in line.

Bulgarian split squat

The Bulgarian split squat is somewhat similar to the lunge, but is much higher in difficulty due to the fact that the back leg is on an elevated platform and you have to balance on just one foot. You may have seen someone use a bench for this, but if it is too high, use a lower support - no more than six inches high, men can do this at home. Raising your leg too much will have a negative impact on your range of motion and balance. Aligning your knee and foot with your front leg will help keep your body straight as you lower and rise.

Leg extension in the simulator

This is more of an isolation exercise than a mass-building exercise, but it's effective enough that you should include it in your leg strength training. The leg extension will give you that teardrop shape that every bodybuilder strives for, if at the top of the movement you pause and hold for a second or two, you can really work the muscles.

Using either a 45-degree incline machine or an old-school 90-degree variation will give you a good stretch while also loading the bar with heavy weights to build strength. Place your feet shoulder-width apart on a support and lower yourself until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Return to the starting position, but stop before your knees are fully straight and remain in this position for the next repetition.

Lunge steps

Many people prefer to use dumbbells for this movement, but in fact, a barbell is preferable. If done with a barbell, it will use stabilizing muscles and generally require balance, which will make each rep much more challenging. However, lunge steps can aggravate or put you at risk for an existing injury, just as much as squats can. In this case, it is better to take dumbbells and not take risks. This variation has all the advantages of a lunge, namely, excellent development of both the front leg with which you push, and the back leg with which you stretch.

Walking on a platform with a barbell or dumbbells

You can increase the number of repetitions in each approach by changing your foot, that is, you step up with your right foot, and go down with your left, then vice versa. This way you can train both legs, but with more or less intensity for each. Start close enough to the bench so you can better engage your quadriceps. If you take a wider step, the force shifts to the gluteal muscles.

Besides the quads, other areas you need to work are the hamstrings and calves. Here are some exercises for them:

Romanian straight leg deadlift

The Romanian deadlift works the hamstrings like no other exercise because the legs remain straight while performing it. This is a very powerful movement that will improve your overall strength, so incorporating it into your program is a smart move. Rows from the floor strengthen the buttocks and stabilizer muscles.

Standing calf raise

The worst thing you can do is to constantly train your upper legs and ignore your calves. This will ruin your symmetry and negatively impact your base for floor pulls. A fundamental exercise for calves is the standing calf raise; when you do them, make sure you have a full range of motion and pause at the end of each repetition. Turn your toes out or in to work your calves from different angles.

So, if you were wondering if you could build or maintain good leg shape without squatting, we've shown you a few different exercises that will allow you to achieve this. Here are a couple of examples of how you can structure your leg day for the best results. Don't forget to work your hamstrings and calves after you've done your quads.

Leg muscle training program

An Alternative Approach to Developing Lower Body Muscles

Charles Poliquin

About 20 years ago, I wrote an article in which I noted that in intensive aerobic training courses you see a very large number of incredibly athletic people, only because students in such courses with orthopedic problems, such as knee or back pain, drop out of the race quite quickly . If you're a personal trainer trying to build your own business, or if you're one of the aforementioned dropouts, then the "survival of the fittest" mentality should be abandoned.

Although statistics vary, there is evidence that about 20 percent of Americans currently suffer from back pain, and more than 80 percent will suffer from back pain in the future. Additionally, many of these people also suffer from knee and hip pain. By the way, one government report claims that approximately 100 million Americans—a third of the U.S. population—suffer from chronic pain. Now think about how many of these people with chronic pain would be willing or able to do heavy squats? This is why compromises are necessary.

I realize that I'm not the only strength coach who believes that the squat is the king of exercises because it provides great returns for those athletes and trainees who are working to make major improvements in strength and body composition. However, there are also a large number of trainees who need to develop some level of structural balance before they can perform squats, so they need good alternatives. But don't worry—I'm not going to tell you a program that consists of leg extensions and hill walks.

Some representatives of strength and conditioning training suggest dividing all leg exercises into two groups: hip-dominant and quadriceps-dominant. Exercises such as deadlifts, reverse hyperextensions, and regular hyperextensions are classified as hip-dominant exercises. And movements such as sit-ups, lunges and leg presses are called quadriceps-dominant. If you don't do squats, your lower body workouts should include exercises from each category.

Let's start with deadlifts. As with squats, this exercise has quite a large number of variations. My favorites are the extended-range deadlifts (wide-grip and standing on a platform), which work the legs through a wider range of motion. There are also sumo deadlifts, which use a wider stance to increase the work of the hip adductors. There are also hex bar and trap bar deadlifts that help relieve stress on your lower back by keeping your torso more upright. Meanwhile, the main disadvantage of any deadlifts is that they are not suitable for effectively working one of the muscles of the quadriceps, called the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), and therefore they must be combined with quadriceps-dominant exercises.

For those with back problems, the best options for hip-dominant exercises are movements such as hyperextensions, reverse hyperextensions, and hamstring raises. I especially like reverse hyperextensions because they strengthen the lower back erectors with minimal compressive stress on the spine, which can in turn worsen back pain. Some people cannot perform squats because they have relatively weak lower back muscles, so when they attempt this exercise, they very often round their back, thereby increasing the risk of intervertebral disc injury. Besides, as you know, overall strength is determined by the weakest link!

One of the most popular quad-dominant exercises is the leg press, which can be performed vertically, horizontally, and at an angle. This exercise focuses on the quadriceps, especially the vastus lateralis muscles located on the outside of your legs. The benefit of leg presses is that they place much less stress on the lower back because the core is stabilized in this exercise. For this reason, people with back injuries or conditions that make squats painful, such as scoliosis, can often perform leg presses without experiencing any discomfort.

Meanwhile, while I understand why people with back pain would prefer machines over free weights, exercises like lunges, split squats, and step-ups are more effective alternatives (it's worth noting The difference between split squats and lunges is that split squats use a stationary position). These exercises come in many variations and can be used for rehabilitation, structural balance, body composition, and effective athletic fitness. Another reason I like these exercises is due to the concept of structural balance.

Structural balance refers to the proportional development of all the major muscles of the body. This means that balance must be maintained not only between opposing pairs of muscles, such as the quadriceps and hamstrings for the legs, but also between the muscles of the limbs. For example, just as in the case of the correct ratio of strength between the hamstrings and quadriceps of one limb, the strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings of the right leg should correspond to the strength of these muscles of the left leg.

For those who are unable to squat due to knee pain due to problems such as tendinitis, I typically recommend doing a progression of sit-ups - Poliquin sit-ups, Petersen sit-ups, traditional sit-ups, and lateral raises. , - which I teach in the second level PICP™ courses. The progression of training equipment used to increase resistance is dumbbells, a barbell on the shoulders, and then a barbell in front. From there, we move on to split squats, lunges, and then traditional squats—and we also do leg curl variations during this process.

Squats are the king of exercises, there is no doubt about it, however, for those who cannot or simply do not want to squat, there are also many other effective exercises besides the above examples.

Life is a gym, and we are athletes in it. I don’t know why I wrote this, but this article needs to start somewhere. Hello, dear friends and distinguished guests of my blog. Today I invite you to learn how to pump up your butt without squats. As you understand, I will give exercises for the buttocks, which have nothing to do with squats. In addition, I will reveal a few secrets that will help you quickly increase your buttocks in size.

I have already said more than once in my articles that the gluteal muscles - large, medium and small - actively contract (work, load, swing - call it what you want) when you straighten your legs at the hip joints or bring your legs towards each other or move them away from each other . Then you yourself can name right away, off the top of your head, a couple of exercises (not squats of any modifications) that will pump you up great?

Maybe you will surprise me with something fundamentally new? I'm waiting for answers in the comments, and we continue.

At home and in the hall

In this section, I will briefly describe general information regarding exercise at home and in the gym. Understand that there is a difference - after all, the gym is a special place, “tailored” for training your body; for the most part, everything you need is there. But there are no exercise machines at home. The maximum you can do is work with your own weight (if you are a beginner) or with equipment purchased/made yourself (if you already have experience in physical education).

My point is that the gym is still a priority over home conditions. But I understand everything: not everyone has the opportunity to purchase season tickets, and there may be various reasons for this. So, we will “dance” from what we have. At home means at home. If it’s absolutely wonderful in the hall, then it’s in the hall.

By the way, I will mark exercises that you can do either only at home, or only in the “gym,” or both.

Exercises for the gluteal muscles without squats

In my article “”, I already said that the most effective exercise is the “gluteal bridge” or, as it is also called, the pelvic lift while lying on your back. You can safely do it in your living space or on a mat in the gym. There are modifications that increase the difficulty of execution: raising the feet to a height (bench, stool, fitball), bringing the knees together at the top point.

Leg press in a hack machine. Do you have something similar at home? I think no. Then this exercise is only for the gym. It is recommended to be done by those people who have problems with the spine and are contraindicated from squatting, even without additional weight. By doing the leg press, you remove most of the load that is present in weighted squats from the spine. By the way, why can't or don't want to squat?

Oh, this is actually a classic butt exercise. There are so many of them that I don’t even know all the variations of execution. I will give the most common ones: forward with each leg in turn, forward with one leg, then the other, forward in motion (similar to the previous two: either each, or only one, then the other). There are also such lunges: to the sides, back, crossed (with the left leg to the right, and vice versa). They can be done both in the gym and at home, using various weights, if necessary.

Walking to higher ground. The exercise is done both with additional weight and with your own. Suitable for exercising in your apartment or at a sports center. It is enough to climb onto a hill (step platforms, bench, chair - the main thing is that it is stable) with one leg, straightening it completely. Do the same for the other one. By the way, you can do it one by one.

Deadlift. I agree, the exercise is somewhat similar in the nature of the load to squats with a barbell, but still these are different exercises. You can pull where the movements of the lower back are generally insignificant - mainly the legs work dynamically. Suitable for the hall.

The deadlift can be done with dumbbells, then the exercise is suitable for home use. But I recommend that you take a closer look at the plie exercise, where you pull one dumbbell held between your legs in a similar way.

Based on the name of the movement, I think you already understand the starting position. From here you should lower your leg straight or bent at the knee (heel points to the ceiling) and raise it to the maximum level. You can use weights in the form of special belts with sand or adapt a rubber expander so that it creates resistance for you when stretching. In principle, the hall and home are the places where you can freely do this exercise. There is also an option with the straight leg abducted to the side.

Raise your leg to the side while lying on your side. You can also use weights as in the previous exercise. This exercise is suitable for both practice situations.

Taking your leg to the side. You can do it either at home with a rubber expander or in a “trainer” in a crossover. The main thing is to correctly calculate the length of the cable and secure the cable on the opposite side of the working leg.

Adduction of the leg. Performed in the same crossover or with an expander. Here the cable is already located on the side of the limb involved in the work.

Conclusion

I hope the information I presented was useful to you. Any questions? Ask them in the comments. And I say goodbye to you. And, if you have not yet subscribed to blog updates, then be sure to do so. Well, or at least share the article with your friends via social media. networks. May the force be with you.