It's time to ditch the squat rack. If you want strength and size gains, picking stuff up from the floor is the way to go. You'll develop bigger lats, arms, abs, glutes, and legs in the process.
That's what the Cronus squat – named after the king of the Titans – is all about. Think of a Zercher squat meeting a stone load meeting a front squat. It sounds crazy, but it's actually perfect for someone new to lifting.
Bonus: You'll be holding the bar in an underhand position, which exposes weaknesses and forces you into the correct positions.
Start with 3 sets of 5 reps. Each week add a set until you get to 5 sets of 5. Do it 1-6 times per week depending on your program and experience level. I prefer a high frequency approach and do these six days a week.
Can you still do regular squats and deadlifts? Of course! These are great between squat sessions since you're not directly loading your spine. This makes recovery faster since you aren't taxing the nervous system as much. That means you can do it more frequently.
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