The squat is the king of all exercises....you must do it ( and not on the smith)
Dead lift IMO is optional as Long as you do squats and have a well thought out workout.
I used to do deadlifts but i didn't like my form.
I occasionaly tinker with Smith Squatting but never tried the real thing.
How important are these excercises to a routine.
The squat is the king of all exercises....you must do it ( and not on the smith)
Dead lift IMO is optional as Long as you do squats and have a well thought out workout.
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Squats and deadlifts are very important.
this thread is giving me a headache.
Optimum Sports Performance
"In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few."
-Buddha's Little Instruction Book
Makes me want to go squat![]()
I agree. I can see not doing deads, but squating is a must.Originally Posted by ForemanRules
The Doc is back.....Email me suck.......er
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
Originally Posted by ForemanRules
Tried squats on the Smith machine.........flipping horrible.
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Lots of people at my gym use the Smith machine for squatting. I'm all for it. Keeps them the hell out of the power cage.
Originally Posted by CaptainDeadlift
I hear that man. I wish more people would squat on the smith machine so I can get in the power rack and do curls!![]()
Optimum Sports Performance
"In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few."
-Buddha's Little Instruction Book
I can't imagine working out without deadlifts. It's my favorite exercise to do and it's the king of back exercises. It's just about as necessary as the squat IMO but maybe I'm just playing favorites.
Push yourself. Enjoy yourself. Be yourself.
Knowledge is power. Obsessed with functional strength. Journal

Just don't forget the Manta.
So many cries of inequality stem from one of group
of people doing little or nothing and then bitching
about another group that actually does something
to improve their lives.


Which would be a good change from the Smith Machine Bi-curls you've been doingOriginally Posted by P-funk
![]()
Coarse edged youth, the irish pendants string from their smiles
not yet plucked as to slacken the seams
and drag down the features of age,
no folds or creases from unkempt wear
eyes of tranquilty, crystalline-beads
no sign of despair in their hair, nor their hearts
but oh they have yet to be experienced and that makes aging so very worth it...ML circa2012
Originally Posted by P-funk
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Power cage rules.
1. The power cage is for squatting.
2. Thou shalt not use the power cage for curls unless you are curling more than I am squatting.
If your form sucked, then fix it and start lifting again. Why did you quit?Originally Posted by AirCartman
And try the real thing (squatting). Do it properly for a while, and come back and answer your own question.
Originally Posted by maniclion
yea, they really hurt my wrist.
Optimum Sports Performance
"In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few."
-Buddha's Little Instruction Book
I'm not sure why, but I still find no need for any extra padding for the bar. My brother always thought he needed something because it was uncomfortable, so I kept telling him to keep putting the bar lower and lower until it didn't hurt anymore. He did and it worked. So maybe everyone can be comfortable with the bar if they just hold it right.Originally Posted by cfs3
Push yourself. Enjoy yourself. Be yourself.
Knowledge is power. Obsessed with functional strength. Journal
I've been doing squats on the smith machine this past year 'cause I don't have a spotter. I guess the consensus is I should stop and do them normal. Does the smith take a lot away? I would imagine I don't get the stabilizers involved, but I feel I can go heavier and lower with it.
Advice please!
Originally Posted by Squaggleboggin
manta ray is not for padding. it places the bar higher on your back and puts a good amount of strain on the lower back as you sit more upright when you squat (like a saftey squat bar). A lot of olympic guys and occasionally the guys at westside BB will use this to mix up their squat.
Optimum Sports Performance
"In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few."
-Buddha's Little Instruction Book
The smith machine, if I know what youguys are talkinga bout, believe takes off 30 lbs.. the bar is only 15 lbs, at least at my gymOriginally Posted by NEO_72
i believe the bars at my gym are 45 pounds. if i'm not mistakenOriginally Posted by mikecc
I'm coming in the gym, i'm coming at home, i'm coming in front of 25,000 people...it's fantastic!
You need some form of squats. Whether it be hack squats, box squats just do some type of squat. It really helps bro
Tough
ATG squats.![]()
Push yourself. Enjoy yourself. Be yourself.
Knowledge is power. Obsessed with functional strength. Journal
FRONT SQUAT!!
(I'll bet you can't hit what this little girl is squatting) -![]()
Have Problems?... Chances are its due to overpopulation
Save The Oceans, Save the Planet, Save Your Family, Save Yourself!
But let's ignore the bar differential on the smith - so you just add another plate, whatever.
It seems there is an opinion that the smith is not as good. Is it just the lack of stabilizer recruitment? Or am I missing out on development? Cause I'll tell you, without a spotter, I can really go heavier and closer to failure with the security of the smith machine.
lack of synergist recruitment. the smith machine is evil. and somehow my gym has four of them and only one power rack lol. of course, me and my training partner are the only people ive EVER seen at the power rack. its all the way off in the corner by the bathroom lol
btw, if you cant do deads, at least do bent-over rows. theyll have a somewhat similar effect, but theyre no substitute
cutting sucks.
i do squats on smiths.. yet i am keen to start them free.. wat is the difference
Everyone keeps saying to do squats.
But my question is why.
How will squats help my upperbody development or overall look?
Squats work the largest muscle group in your body = more testosterone/gh released = more lean mass development. Simple.![]()
In terms of overall look, there is nothing funnier than seeing a "lightbulb" meaning someone who trains all upper body and has little chicken legs. It makes you look stupid. Never mind that the lack of balanced development will lead to things like back pain and other injuries. If you don't squat, start. Don't use a smith and learn to squat properly - with no weight so that you can get the proper stabilizers developed without a load at first. Your body will thank you for it.
Today I can do what others will not so that tomorrow I will do what others cannot.
The difference between winners and losers is that winners do things that losers don't want to do.
For me, I tried the smith machine once after doing normal squats. Ill never do a squat in a smith machine again.
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