How much am I losing out on?

[koops2121]

I herniated a disk in my back a couple years ago and since then I can't do regular squats. It's just too much pressure on my low back.
I can do smith machine squats with my legs out in front and front squats.
Will these two exercises replace squats or should I give them another go with super light weight and see if I'll be able to take it?
Thanks,

 

[Jer25]

Koop stop being such a pussy and just do it.

-see you at the gym

 

[Die$eL~Man]

smith is better than nothing......

 

[koops2121]

I'll try it again, but if I'll start low and if it hurts I'll stop and try again in another couple of years.

 

[pullinbig]

hacks work great too. if the squatsa re too much you gotta do what you gotta do. are you pullin deads?

 

[koops2121]

Just started on deads, my weights are pretty weak (5 x 210) but I'm progressing every week (+5lbs) so I guess I can't complain.
The problem I find with hacks are my ass gets in the way, I don't know if my arms just aren't long enough or what. Maybe I'm doing them wrong.
Do you have any links to training vids in your sticky on how to do them properly?

 

[blackbeard]

are you doing reg front squats atf or smith front squats? i would think a general strengthtening of the low back will be benificial..thats the problem with BB'ing sure they look hard as nails but are very weak in the posterior area

 

[pullinbig]

there are so man different hacks out there. the one we got goes straight up and down. its very sim to a squat.

the reason i asked about deads is becuse if you pullin deads the squats wont be as important for core strength. maybe wait til you get your deads up to 315-365 for reps before you try squatting. you may wanna try GMs as well to strenghten the lower back before squating as this will be a similar motion that would cause the probs squatting.

pull thrus, glute ham raises and a reverse hypers will help loads too. if you can do a lot of posterior work with no probs then squatting will be a piece of cake. just make sure to strengthen the lower back first.

good luck and keep us posted.

btw make sure to pull conventional.

 

[blackbeard]

what PB said!!!

 

[koops2121]

I was following all the way to: "btw make sure to pull conventional"

My back workout usually looks like this (I do it every Tuesday alternating Day 1 and 2):

Day 1
Wide Pull-ups 2x8
Deads 5x5
Seated Rows 2x10

Day 2
Chin-ups 2x8
Upright Rows 5x5
Rack-pulls 2x10

Should I add GM to Day 2 and Hypers to Day 1, or would that be too much?
I also do a set for rear delts and 2-3 sets for traps after each day.

 

[AssItch]

koops, pullinbig was referring to the hack squat machine, not the exercise with the bar behind you.

 

[koops2121]

ah, thanks

 

[pullinbig]

conventional is pulling deads with hands on the outside of legs and feet shoulder width. as opposed to sumo. the clips in he training videos is conventional.

 

[pullinbig]

I was following all the way to: "btw make sure to pull conventional"

My back workout usually looks like this (I do it every Tuesday alternating Day 1 and 2):

Day 1
Wide Pull-ups 2x8
Deads 5x5
Seated Rows 2x10

Day 2
Chin-ups 2x8
Upright Rows 5x5
Rack-pulls 2x10

Should I add GM to Day 2 and Hypers to Day 1, or would that be too much?
I also do a set for rear delts and 2-3 sets for traps after each day.

heres a suggestion.

day 1
same except make the deads 2x5 and add reverse hyper @ 1x15.

day 2
same except racks will be 1x10 and add GMs @ 1x10.

i take it that day 1 and day 2 are different routines for different weeks.

 

[koops2121]

i take it that day 1 and day 2 are different routines for different weeks. [/B]

Correct. Ok I'll give that I try. Thanks a bunch!

 

[pullinbig]

good luck bro and keep us posted on the results.