Squatting without a squat rack

Hey guys, I am thinking of joining a new gym as it is just around the corner and one of the best gyms around - as opposed to my old, really expensive, best gym around which was too far away to get to - also providing me pretty much a gym in my back yard.

The only problem with it is that it has free-weight squat rack. It has every other thing imaginable including a smithy, but quite frankly, not having a squat rack imo is blasphemy, seen as squats are basically what I want to go to a gym to do.

I have a squat rack at the school gym, and a bench press, and decent weight. But I don't have: large amounts of time to workout on the days I need to; anything else (heavy dumbells, barbells, pull up bars, belts, etc etc) or proper concept 2 rowing machines (I am a rower).

So have you got any suggestions on an alternative way to load up massive amounts of weight to squat? I don't mean alternative excercises I mean good old, ATG back squats? I was thinking about loading the smithy machine up with a free weight olympic barbell but tbh I don't see it fitting.

Cheers.
 
What's wrong with lightening the weight a bit? Free form squats are going to require more stabilization which in turn will recruit more muscle so I don't think you'll lose going with that. However, I am a sissy and don't squat more than my body weight so take it as you will. :D I had to go completely free form because of a periodization technique I was practicing not long ago. At first I felt frustrated because I had to lighten up so much but lo and behold! I made some great gains.

Worth a try anyway.
 
How would one class a gym as "one of the best gyms around" if it doesn't have squat racks? IMO, I don't care whether they give jam tarts before you go in or give you a pedicure, squat racks are bare minimum not smith machines.
 
It's true that using the smith machine won't really help you recruit as many stabilizer muscles, but looks like you have no choice. At least you'll still be working the major ones.

I had the exact same problem at my previous gym location (the one I goto now was being built) ... so I had to suck it up and use the smith. It wasn't too bad tho, I mean, it let's you pile on extra weight so you feel like t-h-e s-h-i-t when you're working out. haha, always a plus.
 
I'm using the bench. I swear I wrote a fairly long reply a week or so ago, obviously I forgot to post it, haha.

Yeah, I'm using the bench to put the weight on. It's a nightmare as I'm 6'1 and still growing, so god knows how much longer I'll be able to do that for. I'm sucking it up though because they have a premier training suite at the back. Invite/olympic athletes only. I'm hoping I can get into it in the next 6 months.
 
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