Smith Machine Squats

[shane]

Has anyone tried smith machine squats and what do you think of them? Are they anygood or is the barbell the better option???

[Dinosaucer]

Yip, they're a bit shit. I find getting my feet properly balanced a bit difficult. aIt also puts extra pressure on your joints, you also can't do the hip drive...so you can't actually squat properly with them.

"Squatting" in a Smith machine is a oxymoron. A squat cannot be performed on a Smith machine, as should be obvious from all previous discussion. Sorry. There is a gigantic difference between a machine that makes the bar path vertical, and a squat that is excecuted correctly enough to have a vertical bar path. Muscle and skeleton should do the job of keeping the bar path vertical, not grease fittings and floor bolts.

– Mark Rippetoe

[shane]

I tried squats in a smith machine today, the runners were on angle not vertical and it wasn't to bad to be honest.

[PeterDolan]

Barbell is superior, that isn't even a question worth considering but I do really like Smith Machine Squats as a finishing movement. Get your feet a few inches out in front of you, keep your torso up right the whole time and gets to squatting. The ROM on this exercise is 2nd to none when it comes to leg exercises as long as you aren't ego training. I really focus on contracting the quads and hammies as opposed to using hip drive, I find this makes it easier to remain up right.

Hope this helps mate but remember, BB squats are the real deal

[musclenz]

While free weight squats are regarded as superior over Smith Machine Squats, I believe there is still a strong place in your leg workout, if you are a BBer, to use & get results, on this piece of equipment. Its very useful where shoulder or upper back injuries prevent you doing free suats. Any imbalances caused by the fixed motion of the bar can be corrected by various foot movements & bar placement onto the upper back/traps.

A 90Deg movement with lighter weights is still useful for quad development as are boxed squats off the Smith machine which by pressing from the box incorporates hammies & glutes into the exercise. For a PLer it may not be as useful but could still be utilised to give variation to leg workouts from time to time.

I believe there are now Smith Machines that allow for bi-lateral movement of the bar instead of just in the fixed position. Has anyone run into these yet?

[genetic freek]

While free weight squats are regarded as superior over Smith Machine Squats, I believe there is still a strong place in your leg workout, if you are a BBer, to use & get results, on this piece of equipment. Its very useful where shoulder or upper back injuries prevent you doing free suats. Any imbalances caused by the fixed motion of the bar can be corrected by various foot movements & bar placement onto the upper back/traps.

A 90Deg movement with lighter weights is still useful for quad development as are boxed squats off the Smith machine which by pressing from the box incorporates hammies & glutes into the exercise. For a PLer it may not be as useful but could still be utilised to give variation to leg workouts from time to time.

I believe there are now Smith Machines that allow for bi-lateral movement of the bar instead of just in the fixed position. Has anyone run into these yet?

You do these religiously yet you still have legs like an 8 year old

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

I believe there are now Smith Machines that allow for bi-lateral movement of the bar instead of just in the fixed position. Has anyone run into these yet?

Yup there's one in the corner of WestWave Henderson but the problem is that it has an upper limit of 100kg (including bar). Tried it before to help get used to the movements but what really helped in the end was endless sit-ups.

I've seen a guy use it gripping it with only one hand (other was in a cast) for his squats, obviously a very good option for someone in that position.

[shane]

Thanks guys I thought everyone would say BB is the only way to go but I am surprised that you guys use it in different ways for training legs :clap: