Thread: Smith machine squats

I do smith squats from time to time and have noproblems

I actually find it easier on my lower back.

I use em and like em.

Just dont make it your only leg lift.

I suggest you read this.
Squats with smith machine

Smith squats place a shearing load on the knees.

Originally Posted by PreMier

I suggest you read this.
Squats with smith machine

Wow, very informative thread. I will definitely go back to doing free-weight squats now. I have a bad lower back, and I felt as though the Smith was easier on it. It may be right now, but to ensure against any long-term problems, I'll go back to squats.

yes, true.... i used to do smith squats...and when i went heavy, it always strained my lower back. Now i always use a squat rack and go even heavier these days and have yet to get a sore back from it.

nice one dudes, may have to find a new gym as the leg press is shocking there as well. cheers.

What do you mean by "shocking"?

Did real squats again yesterday for the first time in a while. Felt great.

(Just thought you might like to know... )

Smith machine squats aren't on my list of preferred, or actually on my list of exercises ever done.

We had this discussion about the Smith machine before... I think it was about using the Smith to BP and the consensus seemed to be that no one ever asked anyone "Hey dude, how much do you Smith bench?" .. and I think the same can be said about squats. How much do you Smith squat?

Which makes me wonder if there is any good use for the Smith machine at all...??

Hmmm. I agree that the Smith's use is limited, but no one ever says "How much do you hammy curl," either, yet I think that's a great exercise.

I tend to use it for exercises where I don't have a spot. Shoulder Press, Bench, Squats. I'd much rather do freeweights, but if I have no spot or all the other benches are used, I'll go w/ smith, but I'm never comfortable using it.

I use it occassionally for incline presses with no spot...although I always prefer dumbbells... or for close grip bench if i want to go pretty heavy. Makes you keep very strict form and targets the tris nicely.

For squats, it's garbage...although, for the uncoordinated or beginner weight-trainer...it may have it's place. Not everyone is comfortable stepping up to a squat rack.

Shocking just meant shit, not as in 'shocking' a muscle into growth.

I'm not really bothered about the weight I squat at the moment as an ego thing like how much people bench etc, just want to mass up my thighs. The smith machine is the only thing available for squatting. The other leg machines are the extensions and hamstring curl thing and leg press, all of which are too light, lifting the stack isn't all the challenging. I only squat 352lbs and go parallel to the floor with feet about shoulder width, toes slightly out, but although I get apump, I don't get the 'legs feel like lead' sensation I used to in the early days of squatting lighter with a free barbell in my garage. Didn't know if smith machine was jsut ineffective and overall damaging. The extensions seem to have my made my lega grow more than the squat as I get a great pump from them like they're gonna burst, 5sets of 10 reps of 130lbs, yet the leg press tops out at 473lbs which I still get reps of 15 on my last set. I'm guessing from this the smith squats aren't smashing my quads as much as they should.

never use the smith for your squat, do something else. Its takes away all that makes the squat so effective, and it doesn't operate one the correct plane you need it to. join a gym with a power rack, its a must, and just about everywhere has a power rack in some form or another.