If you're in the market
for a leg exercise that will REALLY push the limits
of your leg capabilities, the Dumbell and Machine
Squat is an incredible one. I don't use machines
a lot but when I do, it's generally to make things
HARDER not easier...
Basically, you're
going to be combining a dumbell squat with a machine
squat, using the two different exercises to overlap
and maximize the strength curve of the squat exercise.
The bottom half to 2/3 of the movement (depending
on the height of your squat/calf machine) will be
all dumbell squat.
But when you get partway
up, you take the squat machine off it's rack and
start squatting with that IN ADDITION to the weight
of the dumbells you're already holding!
The other great feature
of this exercise is the fact that you're using dumbells
in the bottom half of the range of motion of the
squat. This allows you to squat down to the very
bottom position that you can - if you can't make
it back up, you just drop the dumbells where you
are. No need to worry about not being able to get
back up and being stuck under a barbell.
But because holding
dumbells does limit the amount of weight you can
use at the top of the movement (grip gives out and
dumbells aren't heavy enough), we put a good amount
of weight on the squat machine (or standing calf
raise machine - that works quite well, too), and
add that extra resistance at the top.
This makes it a two-part
movement. It's incredibly demanding and really works
the thighs hard.
To perform this exercise,
you will need a squat machine or calf raise machine.
You need to be able to hold the dumbells in your
hands while doing the exercise have the squat machine
stabilize you as you finish the exercise towards
the top.
Get some moderately
heavy dumbells and set them directly underneath
the shoulder pads of the squat machine. Load the
squat machine with a weight you could normally do
about 12 to 15 reps for - you can increase it later
if you need to.
Get yourself under
the shoulder pads, squat down and grab the dumbells.
Make sure you're in good squat position - lower
back arched, core tight, eyes forward. Pick the
dumbells up (the first rep is a deadlift off the
ground) and squat up until your shoulders hit the
pads.
Now keep pushing!
It's a sudden increase in resistance so push hard.
It's a different feel than anything else you've
most likely done - 2 stage resistance is different
than straight-through resistance or cam-altered
resistance.
Hold at the top for
a second then lower back down slowly, setting the
squat machine weight back onto it's rest stop then
keep squatting down with just the dumbells.
You'll get better
tension on the thighs if you DO NOT set the dumbells
on the floor between reps. It is permissible to
set them down, if you really need to. I prefer to
not set them down for best results.
At the rock-bottom
position, do not bounce up. Stop, then change direction
deliberately and repeat the exercise!
As you get to the
last few reps, your quads will be on fire! Locking
out the machine squat weight will be a challenge.
When you can't do
any more reps, set the dumbells down and crawl out
from under the machine. :)
ALTERNATE
VERSION - Facing Away
For a somewhat different
attack on the legs, you can also try this exercise
facing away from the pivot point of the squat machine.
It does make the exercise tougher so you'll need
to reduce the amount of weight on the dumbells and/or
the weight stack of the squat machine.
It's the exact same
movement only you're facing the other direction.
In the demo for this one, I'm setting the weights
down between reps primarily because I had just finished
killing myself on the other version and my legs
were trashed.
