Squat Substitutions To Know

If you are doing a home workout routine, one exercise that you may not be able to get into your protocol due to equipment limitations is the squat.

But that said, squats are very important for success, so it’s important that you find some good exercises that will serve you well as a substitute.

Fortunately, there are options. Let’s look at some of the top squat substitutions that you should know for getting yourself on track to success.

Split Squats

Split squats are a fantastic exercise for really working the glute muscles, while also testing your core as it contracts to keep your body balanced.

Make sure as you do this exercise that you lower yourself all the way down to the ground and then press up to reverse the direction.

Split squats are an ideal exercise for anyone who wants to boost their lower body strength and performance as well as you will work muscle fibers deep within the core of each muscle tissue.

Single Leg Press

The single leg press is another ‘single’ leg exercise that you should consider adding to your workout routine. This exercise is great for really making sure you aren’t suffering from strength imbalances where one leg is stronger than the other.

As you do it, make sure to move through the full range of motion so you get optimal glute activation.

Step Ups

Step ups are the next exercise to be including in the mix. This exercise is going to be ideal for strengthening the glutes, hamstrings, quads, as well as the core, plus it will test your agility level.

Step up and down on a bench and as you do this, make sure that you are keeping your knees following your toes to avoid knee pain.

This can be done with just your own body weight or with a bar across your back.

Lunges

Finally, lunges are the last exercise that you’ll definitely want to consider adding to the mix. A lunge is a perfect move for working the glutes, hamstrings, and quads, and will offer many variations such as walking lunges, stationary lunges, or even reverse lunges. They’re great for making your workout more interesting.

So keep these exercises in mind. While squats are often said to be the king of lower body exercises, any one of these will also be a great choice to help get you on your way to serious strength gains.