The Pendulum Squat machine is one of the most effective squat variations you can do for quads.
It stabilizes the squat while allowing you to keep your torso in a more upright position.
If your gym doesn't have a Pendulum Squat machine but DOES have a safety squat bar, this is a fantastic variation that allows you to use a heavy load without a lot of knee or back stress.
I'm using a Marrs Bar for this exercise, though just about any safety squat bar that will allow you to go hands-free will work.
Because to do this one, we're going to "Hatfield' it...meaning you'll be holding onto a bar in front of you while you're doing the exercise. This becomes the pivot point of the exercise, similar to the pivot point of the Pendulum Squat machine arm.
How to Set Up Hatfield Pendulum Squats
This one looks complicated to set up but once you get the hang of it, it's not difficult. It will take a bit of messing around with bar and rail heights at first, though.
To do this one, you'll need a rack, a safety squat bar, a couple of plates (bumper plates work best), and a couple of dumbbells (hex works best).
Set a pair of dumbbells up against the back-bottom cross beam of the rack. Set a couple of plates on them so that they form an angled foot plate.
The J hooks should be set to about mid-section height and set a regular bar on them.
If you're lucky enough to have a rack that has multiple hooks, you can skip this step and just start from the standing position with the hooks behind you.
The safety rails should be set at the bottom of an Anderson Squat height...i.e. a bottom-start squat. You'll want this to be low enough that you can get good range of motion but not so low that you can't get it off the rails at the bottom.
Get underneath the bar, holding onto the bar in front of you.
Get in the bottom squat position, still holding onto that bar in front of you.
Now stand up. Help as much as you want with your upper body as this isn't the main exercise.
Now set one foot on one of the plates.
Then set the other foot on the other plate.
Now squat down.
Then come back up.
Use the bar in front of you primarily for grip and balance. You can certainly use it for assistance as you get into heavier weights and need a bit of help out of the bottom, though.
When you're done, just step off the plates then lower the bar back down to the rails.
This is a fantastic way to hit the quads hard while minimizing knee and back stress.
It's not a perfect match for a Pendulum Squat machine but it hits a lot of the major benefits. And if you have those two sets of hooks, it will make the exercise even easier to set up.
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