3/4 Squats

[tcoy777]

I will be starting Strength 2 soon. The gym I use does not have a squat cage. They only have a squat rack. So I am wondering how to do the 3/4 squats as there is now way of setting up for the lift?

[Hunter]

I'm confused - why can't you use the squat rack?

[tcoy777]

There is only 1 set of rails. How would I lift off the supports and then stop at the bottom rests? or am I missing something with these. From what I remember in the book it used 2 sets of pins to stop at the right place. The rack is also slanted which means when doing squats you lift and step back to have enough room. The picture in the book shows more of a rack then what I use for normal squats.

[Hunter]

Got it.

First, it's a 1/4 squat, not a 3/4 squat, and that's important because the 3/4 point is typically the weak spot in the lift (it is for me, anyway) and you don't want to go down that far. The point is to get used to having heavier weights on your back, so I think you can do it, but just don't use as much as you would if you had a power rack with safety bars that you could set higher.

[tcoy777]

Thanks, got it. Thats what I was thinking but not sure if was imperative that I had a power rack with supports or not. I guess I just considered them 3/4 as I thought you went down a 3/4 of the way down. I will need to read that section again before starting it.

[Lisa~]

You might want to get a spotter to support you as you step back with the load, but you can do 1/4 squats in a squat rack. You might find these threads about 1/4 squats helpful, or at least interesting.

Strength II and quarter squats

How deep to go on quarter squats?

[tcoy777]

Thanks Lisa,

Those helped. Stepping back and re-racking the weight was my biggest concern.