# Substitute for squats & Deadlifts



## T_man (Apr 29, 2009)

So my gym membership ran out at my old gym. I am a broke a$$ student and I dont quite have £65 for another 3 months and this is the lowest membership you can get.
I have to go to my local council-ran gym (omg) and it only has one smith machine, no free bars. This means squats, deadlifts & cleans are out of the question. Are there any good substitutes for these??

It's killing me missing leg workouts because I cant do squats and deadlifts. The only leg machines there are are the curls & extensions. Can I do squats with dumbells at my side instead?? 

it's driving me nuts


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## Arnold (Apr 29, 2009)

I would suggest dumbbell lunges.


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## Rookeek (Apr 29, 2009)

I suggest you take the heaviest dumbbell you can and do gobble squats. Google them mate 

And yes you can always do squats with dumbbells. 

To substitute deads you can do deadlift standing on one foot and holding a dumbbell in one hand (different side then the leg you stand on)...


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## CowPimp (Apr 29, 2009)

Try doing 1 arm dumbbell snathces in place of cleans.  You can also do dumbbell cleans, though I don't like those as much.

Dumbbell front carry squats would be a decent substitution for your standard squats.

In place of deadlifts you can do dumbbell Romanian deadlifts or dumbbell deadlifts from the floor really.  The suitcase deadlift would also be a cool sub for you to try.

As Prince suggested, lunges are great too: forward, reverse, walking, overhead, whatever.  Bulgarian squats, split squats, stepups and 1 leg Romanian deadlifts are all great substitutions too.


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## riggo (Apr 30, 2009)

can u do deadlifts w/ dumbbells? my form is bad on deadlifts just thinjking to do this til my form improves.


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## Gazhole (Apr 30, 2009)

Single leg deadlifts and goblet squats would seem a good bet.


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## nkira (Apr 30, 2009)

I was jussst going post the same question....I'll be going with goblet squats & variation of lunges.


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## Built (Apr 30, 2009)

You can place dumbbells end-up on your delts and do front squats. You can also do pistol squats and stepups.


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## CowPimp (May 1, 2009)

Built said:


> You can place dumbbells end-up on your delts and do front squats. You can also do pistol squats and stepups.



Yeah, that first one is what I was referring to as front carry dumbbell squats.


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## nkira (May 1, 2009)

I did the 1st option today, works great!! 



Built said:


> You can place dumbbells end-up on your delts and do front squats. You can also do pistol squats and stepups.


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