Would holding two 35lbs plates be the same as squating with a 70lb bar?

[puppet]

I dont have a squat rack so i just hold 2 plates in my hands. Would it be the same as a bar.

[nanook]

I think that is an excellent alternative if you do not have a bar. Holding the weights in front of you makes it more of a Zercher squat, but that is a great exercise.

[Matthew]

Just remember to add the weight of the bar, so 70 pounds + the bar. My bar is 20 pounds, so that would actually be 90 pounds. So if I squatted with two 35 pound plates in my hands, I would be using 20 pounds less than I should.
By the way, although that will most likely improve your grip strength, eventually you will be able to squat more than you can hold in your hands.

[chris_f]

It's also hard to do. You use more energy gripping the plates than you would keeping a bar steady across your back, so you aren't able to use as much weight. But again, desperate times call for desperate measures. It's definately much better than not squatting at all.

If you have a bar, you may want to try doing hack squats, or cleaning a bar up to your shoulders and front squatting.

[Matthew]

Or single leg squats.

[Lost Dog]

Overhead squats are also good lifts that don't need a rack.

[Newlife]

Bulgarian Split squats ate where it's at with no cage. Hold a 45 cross-armed and support one leg behind you on a bench. Then do a squat using only 1 leg and use the supported leg if you need to balance yourself.


Here is a video with a barbell, but picture a plate being held in your arms against your chest.

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/videos/s...split/mov.html