What are your alternative exercisss when barbells/power racks are taken and you don't have the time to wait?

Assume machines and dumbbells are open

What are your alternative exercises for squats, bench presses, and deadlifts?

5 comments

Goblin squats

Pistol squats

Lunges

Reverse lunges, or that kind where you elevate the back foot.

Flies, all kinds

Dips

Suitcase carries

Farmer's carries

That one where you hold a dumbbell and bend over while extending a leg straight behind you and then come up and bring the leg in at the same time.
- That one where you hold a dumbbell and bend over while extending a leg straight behind you and then come up and bring the leg in at the same time.
  
  This is the technical term.
Squat: Bulgarian split squat and lunges does the trick for legs

Bench: dumbbell bench press is a great replacement and can switch to shoulder press after each set
- 1+ for Bulgarian split squat, it immediately showed me how bad my muscular imbalance was.
Those exercises are too important to me to skip so here's what I do

Survey the landscape and try to figure out who might be finished the soonest. If someone is warming up, probably not them

Ask how many sets they have left

If they have less than two, ask if I can have the rack next

If more than two, ask someone else

After doing this, find a spot in eye shot of the rack but not like right next to them staring them down

Do some warm ups - if squats I'll do goblet squats or just squats holding a 25lb plate. If bench I'll warm up with light dumbbell bench or pushups, etce

Thank that person after they're done