strength limiters

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Do you believe that certain muscles may be the limiter in completing a compound movement like SBD? For example, if I always get stuck a few inches past the hole on the ascent of a squat, maybe my quads arent strong enough to keep pace with my hips/glutes?

The reason I bring that up is that I train in my garage with limited equipment. Ive always been of the mindset that all I need is a barbell and rack. However, the longer I do this the more I realize that just BB squats can be quite fatiguing, constraining your ability to accumulate enough total volume since you have to limit the total sets. You could do more squat sets at a lower weight, or a variant such as HBBS, but once you get fatigued during the set you tend to use other muscles like the glutes and hams to relieve the “weak” quads. This is where a machine might come in handy, like a hack squat that keep its in the quads and allows them to grow and keep pace with the hip muscles.

Anyway, my question is" Considering my limited equipment, what modifications or different exercises do you suggest I do to “target and isolate” the quads so they keep pace with the hip extensors and allow my squat to progress?

Thanks!

2

I don’t have a strong opinion on a single muscle or muscle group being the limiter in a compound movement. While there is likely to be a muscle or muscle group that is implicated in the sticking point, I think the relationship between said muscle and other muscles at and before that point are contributory vs. the single muscle in isolation.

That said, I do think the quadriceps are important in the squat. We predict that doing movements similar to the squat will carry over to the squat more than dissimilar movements. In other words, I don’t think not having a leg extension is holding you back. I also don’t think leg extensions would have good transference to the squat, but individual responses will vary.

I’d be looking at split squats, bulgarian split squats, step ups, lunges, and so on for lower fatigue options that emphasize quadriceps in a somewhat squat specific movement.