Squat Month

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 8:57am

Originally Posted by Ming Loyalist

i have probably spent more time doing that stance than most on this forum, also more time in horse stance, and i can tell you this... while both those exercises are beneficial, and are extremely taxing, they don't replicate a squat.

Agreed it's not a squat without some modification, but that's easy.

I turn golden turtle into weighted squats by using actual weights, or putting my sons on my back (about 110lbs combined right now).

Then I alternate between holding the static isometric pose for endurance (30s-1m), and then lifting with the two children attached. Rinse, repeat. They keep getting heavier each day, making it a progressive exercise.

But yes, I am a cheapskate. Weights are expensive and I need to spend that money on milk.

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 9:07am

Originally Posted by W. Rabbit

Agreed it's not a squat without a little modification, but that's easy.

I turn golden turtle into weighted squats by wearing weights, and putting my sons on my back (about 110lbs combined right now).

Then I alternate between holding the static isometric pose for endurance (30s-1m), and then lifting with the two children attached. Rinse, repeat. They keep getting heavier each day, making it a progressive exercise.

But yes, I am a cheapskate.

ok, i'm sure that you're getting something out of that routine, but it may be far from optimal.

for one thing, golden turtles are primarily a qi gong stance, and as such they are of greatest benefit for health and qi circulation. i've never weight loaded them, so i can't be sure how the weight loading affects the benefits.

for another thing, being that bent over has to affect the mechanics and benefits of a squat, and i don't know how safe it is to lift weight loaded onto your back from that bent over position. i'm not saying it's dangerous, i just don't know if it's safe.

i think that you would be better served with a squat rack and a barbell or failing that some nice heavy dumbbells. if you must use your children as weights, i would fireman's carry them and squat upright.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 9:21am

Good points, thanks Ming. Exercising with my kids is something I try to do every day. The kids love fireman carries around the house so much they fight over who gets to go next.

Ah well...maybe dad can afford a real squat rack later on when college is paid off...sometime around 2030.

Oh and now the youngest wants to take boxing lessons...see this is why dad has no money for exercise gear.

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 9:36am

I'm not kidding when I say that sandbags are dirt cheap (ha ha) alternatives to weights. You just need some sand, a few old duffle bags and some duct tape. There's an entire subculture devoted to found, odd-implement training. Old truck tires and sledgehammers make useful implements, for example.

**Phrost** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 10:01am

Rabbit, your kid needs to learn to keep his hands up.

**Fuzzy** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 10:07am

Originally Posted by Res Judicata

I'm not kidding when I say that sandbags are dirt cheap (ha ha) alternatives to weights. You just need some sand, a few old duffle bags and some duct tape. There's an entire subculture devoted to found, odd-implement training. Old truck tires and sledgehammers make useful implements, for example.

This is relevant to my interests. Kindly furnish me with some quality online resources good sir.

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 10:26am

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

This is relevant to my interests. Kindly furnish me with some quality online resources good sir.

It's usually strongman competitors Crossfitters, and "underground" types that are into this kind of training. Here's some examples:

http://www.dieselcrew.com/beginner-odd-object-training

Or here's tire flipping:

Or there's this stuff:

(hitting a tire with a hammer is hard work!)

Or slosh pipe kinds of things:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...pillar_of_pain

Look around on the internet. It's not really my thing, but I understand why people do it.

**Fuzzy** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 10:31am

Thanks man!

We smack the **** out of a tyre with a sledge at my gym as part of our MMA circuit.

I'm getting over not having any decent lifting equipment at home, going to try to construct some stuff this weekend.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 10:41am

Originally Posted by Phrost

Rabbit, your kid needs to learn to keep his hands up.

That was literally the first few seconds of his first lesson. I had trouble taking the shot through all my man tears.

**Fuzzy** · Posted On: 9/05/2012 3:15pm

So I have this old backpack that's gone mouldy but its still pretty sturdy, so I'm planning to dunk it in vinegar and then fill it with sand/gravel/rocks/hobo corpses and start lifting/tossing it around. Question is, if I want to do squats with it, can I wear it like a backpack, or should I hoist it up onto one shoulder like in Rabbit's video?