I recently came up with a great way to work around limited equipment and train my squat depth in the process.

I was lucky enough to spend a whole week at the Copacabana Hotel (yes, that one) in Havana, Cuba. With literally one dumbbell and a couple of machines to its name, the gym was sparse but very clean and functional.

Cardio First

Sunday was the one day it opened early, and the one chance to get in there and do any cardio work before the truly oppressive heat set in, as well as the omnipresent diesel fumes from all the converted classic cars on the road.

I started with a 5K row on the odd little Kettler brand machine, then 10 sets of sprints on the upright bike (0:15 work / 0:45 rest). Had to wait while my machine of choice cleared up – as usual, lots of men needing their chest press! – so a 10:00 brisk walk at 15% incline was a good glute activation reminder.

The Actual Set-Up

Between his English and my Spanish, the gym attendant helped me rig up a leg press on the chest press machine. Lying face up with handles adjusted parallel, feet planted on the handle, gives a very deep initial position at the bottom of the leg press, or “squat.”

Mobility before Strength

Multiple sets of 10 reps at 20 kg helped grease the squat depth groove, and allowed an assisted active hip flexor pull to “set” the initial position before pressing again.

On to the Real Leg Work

I finished by working up to 70 kg, or 154 lb, which is about 9 lb heavier than my current squat 1RM. Then I did sets of 10 reps, 8, 6, 4… and pushed it out with one last set of 10.

Poolside that afternoon, I reflected on what a great combination of Cuban ingenuity and FMS technique it was, and on hitting what I get to call my PR the first time I did it. Back home in Vancouver, BC, I plan to include some variant of what I now call the Copacabana Leg Press into programming for myself and for any client who is aiming for better squat depth.