Training legs without squats

[paradroid]

I can't squat due to some lower back damage (herniated discs, sciatica, occasional motor problems). Before the injury i only ever did back squats, front squats and lying ham curls, so i've no idea how to train legs without squats. Does anyone have any ideas for getting my wheels back without stressing my lower back?
Cheers guys.

[Data]

A while ago I use to do leg extensions supersetted with leg press and then quickly move to a horiztonal pinloaded hack squat machine and do sissy squats on them with my feet very low on the foot plate. Good burn. Didn't have to use a lot of weight if you move quickly. I guess you might not be able to do lunges or anything that involves torso stabilization?

[CoachK]

Leg Press, Extensions, Curls, Hack Squat perhaps, Lunges with DBs, Sled Pushes, Sled Drags, Backwards Sled Drags, Belt Squat, maybe even Safety Bar Squat if you can strengthen the muscles in your back, the SSB takes A LOT of the pressure off your back.

[RAAM]

Same here. I don't squat anymore due to my disc protrusions nad facet joint problem. What I do is Hamstrings first. This not only gets blood in the region as pumps up the muscles for cushioning, but warms up the lower back too. Lying hamstring or standing curls, then stiff legged deads. Very low weight on the deads. This will pump up the low back some and get it ready. Onto quads. A few sets of lights extensions to warm up the kness, then rear lunges with 50lb weight. This is a great exercise to do if you have lower back problems. Actually any bi-lateral movement will take stress of the spine. After linges would be leg presses. Keep feet very low and half off the board. This lowers the angle so it's not so acute and keeps stress off the lower back. After that I'll do bench step ups which really hit the front quads. That's it.

[mangler65]

The deeper you go on the leg press, the more your lower back will "roll" up the back pad, and that could aggravate your injury. You'll need to experiment how deep you can go.

I had to throw out squats due to a leg injury, but I found out later I can still do them as long as I stick to partial reps. Partial rep squats are better than none at all.

[T-Bone]

Just further to comments on leg press. Do single leg press. It takes all the pressure of the spine and you can still go deep and really work the legs.

I also highly recommend CoachK's advice and do some sled work. Did that last week and legs were smashed. Its going to be a part of future leg workouts.

[k-mac]

I use the standard leg extensions, leg press, etc., but one thing I like to throw in at the end of my legs day is some supersets of hack squats with lunges, and go till failure on the lunges. It works really well to get that last little bit out of a leg day, but like the others said I'm not sure if you could do lunges or not.

[T-Bone]

Originally Posted by k-mac

I use the standard leg extensions, leg press, etc., but one thing I like to throw in at the end of my legs day is some supersets of hack squats with lunges, and go till failure on the lunges. It works really well to get that last little bit out of a leg day, but like the others said I'm not sure if you could do lunges or not.

Im sure there would be no problem with doing farmers walks with dumbells as opposed to lunges with a barbell. I would be then getting sufficient weight with dumbless, straps may be needed.

[Master Of Chokes]

you might be able to do squats, trap bar deadlifts, straight bar deadlifts, sumo deadlifts with a much lighter weight, slower and less momentum and adjust your range of motion as needed... for approx same muscle recruitment without the heavier weights and stress on the lower back and still get good stress on those leg muscles...

if that is NOT an option... bc you really cannot do any of those kind of movements at all without pain at even the lower weights... then i recommend sprints.. they recruit a good amount of total leg muscles and work you real hard... start with like 5 sets of 40 yrd sprints and work your way up to maybe like 8-10 of 40-70 yard sprints... your legs will get plenty sore...

then you can leg press, extension, lunge, 1 leg step ups, ham curls, calf raise all you want

i would avoid any ROW movement as well... as it puts a good amount of strain on the lower back... (DB ROW, BARBELL ROWs, tbar rows and most deadlift movements)...you can do some machine rows ...like the iso LATERAL row with a hammer strength machine or cybex type... its not as much stress being lateral as opposed to and up and down movement...

also search my suitcase deadlift thread in the training forum... i love those and they are great for my lower back which has issues like yours...

[RIPT]

I got some decent size from full R.O.M. heavy leg presses, and extensions.

[Al1]

Check out this link for some ideas.

T-Nation.com | The Case for Single Limb Training

[propionator]

Like stated above, you could probably squat still, youll just have to lighten the load and wear a good belt. Partials like mangler said. Some squating is better than no squating.

[paradroid]

Many many thanks to everyone!
Any kind of conventional squat or deadlift is totally out of the question, but i'm looking into safety bar and belt squats... In the meantime i'm going to try out ALL the movements suggested.

i think my first leg workout will be:
Lying ham curls
Leg extensions
Leg press (will be experimenting with the ROM, am very nervous about curling my spine at the bottom, and with single leg and both legs)
Lunges

All these movements are new to me so it should be interesting. I'm really looking forward to doing legs again!

Thanks again fellas, and any more ideas are welcome.

[Travelboyd]

Para' be very careful when doing lying leg curls. When the going gets tough at the end of a set, it is very easy to incorporate a bit of snatching at the pads and this can affect the lower back region.
I completely replaced squats with leg press after competing in powerlifting for many years. My quads came on leaps and bounds, but it wasn't easy. I would take my top set to complete muscular failure (with a training partner) within the rep range of 10 - 20 and using some serious weights. I cannot begin to describe the pump and benefits this gave me over the period of a couple of years. I like the idea of one-legged leg press.............twice the pain unfortunately!!!

[propionator]

You could also try using the exercise bike (stanard or recumbant) at a high resistance.

[morgue]

I can't squat anymore either. It's because of my knees, though. My right is worse than my left. The right kee buckles once in a while when I walk. I am in serious pain whenver I come up out of the bottom position in many movements (coming out of the bottom of the squat & leg press). I even hurt when I stand up from sitting in a chair. I still leg press but it bear the pain. Can't lunge or do hacks. When I did my squats them i always did them Olympic style & went all the way down. Current leg routine: Seated leg curl, lying leg curl, stiff-legged deads, leg press (painful), seated leg press (not so bad), light step ups (painful). Any suggestions (other than to see a doctor)?

[propionator]

I think seeing the doc is the only chioce if you're in tha much pain

[RIPT]

Also try step-ups and lunges and other non weighted excercises.............

[paradroid]

First proper leg workout in ages yesterday and it was very interesting.
I tried leg press with both legs and single legs, i found the single legs to be more comfortable with the back but i had a few balance/stability issues, i need much more practice with these before i can really go for it. Following data's advice I'll be pre-exhausting with leg extensions as soon as i get the hang of them.

The biggest surprise is lunges. They're not just for girls! I did them flat with kettle bells and alternating sides. Again i'll need a few workouts to get my form sorted out but i was amazed at the burn. Any further advice with these would be great... i was thinking about lunges onto a step? RIPT, step ups? RAAM what are back lunges? T-bone, farmers walk?

Prop- You could also try using the exercise bike (stanard or recumbant) at a high resistance....
This is what i've been doing instead of legs for the past 2 years or so (in between trying a set of light squats and then having to take 6 weeks off!). This has really helped my legs stay in condition, lost size but not as much as expected and have some freaky vascularity. I highly recommend them to anyone who can't train legs with weights for whatever reason.

Thanks again everyone.

[Johnny_walts]

It is really like to so much. i am interesting to do the same. I want to refer a online website those can specify me about this.

[RIPT]

Exactly what you said lunges onto an elevated platform.^^^^