Squat on Smith Machines, and Pushups...

[Skyliner]

1) Some of the less versatile gyms doesn't have that rack which allows a person to Squat freely, therefore they have no choice but to Squat on Smith Machines. My question is that will a person have far less effective results if he Squats on a Smith Machine rather than with a free weight barbell?

2) I read on MuscleMedia that doing Hindu style pushups are great for giving super deltoids. Any one tried doing them before and what's your opinion?

A lousy description I can give is Hindu pushups are regular pushups with your butt sticking high up the air during the entire movement, but once you raise your chest up your butt goes down.

 

[ballast]

1-Smith squats are better than no squats, but if I couldn't free squat, I'd do deadlifts from a platform instead.I've heard smith squats put more compressive force on the lower back than regular squats, but that could be a misconception.They are definetly better if balance or maintaining an upright posture is a problem.
2-I've tried a calisthenics program that included hindu push ups as well as hindu squats and the push ups did seem to stress the deltoids quite a bit.For anybody that has seen G.I. Jane, the push ups the recruits are performing in the surf during their first day are hindu push ups.

 

[Large And In Charge]

I can't comment on the push-ups because I've never done that style before but I agree with ballast on the squats. It doesn't matter what you use, any kind of squats are better than no squats at all! Deadlifts are an excellent substitute because they're basically a squat type movement, the only difference is that the bar isn't on your shoulders so you may not be able to squat as deep. Also try squatting with dumbbells some time. You won't be able to use as much weight but the dumbbells are great because they offer a little different feel to the movement and put more emphasis on the stablelizing muscles. Just hold them at arms length and go for it!

 

[Arnold]

Originally posted by Skyliner
1) Some of the less versatile gyms doesn't have that rack which allows a person to Squat freely, therefore they have no choice but to Squat on Smith Machines. My question is that will a person have far less effective results if he Squats on a Smith Machine rather than with a free weight barbell?
I do not like doing squats on a Smith machine, it forces you into a unnatural movment.

2) I read on MuscleMedia that doing Hindu style pushups are great for giving super deltoids. Any one tried doing them before and what's your opinion?
Push-ups are fine, but they are only going to get you so far. I use push-ups for warm-ups before chest, but no matter how many I do, they're not going to "build" any muscle.

 

[Scotty the Body]

The only thing I find missing when doing a smith squat is the workout my mid section gets. So as long as your deadlifting as well then its all good.
I've found that using the smith, I've been able to increase my free weight squat quit a bit.

 

[Maki Riddington]

The reason that it has been said that there are compressive forces when using a Smith Machine for Squats is because the work is not evenly distributed across the muscles of the body.

The Smith Machine only allows certain muscle groups to fire instead of when you Squat in a cage you find that there is a greater distribution or a "shared load" that is equally distributed from the CNS.

 

[Skyliner]

So for gyms with no free Squats, do you guys recommend Squatting on Smith Machine so a person can use whatever weights he want (and even 1 rep max)... or hoist up a relatively light Oylmpic Barbell and do Squats with light weights and high reps?

 

[Arnold]

No, I do not recommend doing squats on a Smith Machine.

 

[Maki Riddington]

Use what is avaliable.

 

[Charger]

Do you have any one there to spot you?

 

[Charger]

Never mind, I am being brain dead forgeting without a cage there still would be no way to get the bar on your shoulders, oops!

I feel for ya! I guess I would use the Smith Machine, doing squats with dumbbells would be fine until you get to the point you need to go heavier. So given that how heavy is your max squat? If it still not that heavy try the dumbbells.
Or go to who ever runs your gym and ask him/her why in the he!! you don't have a rack????

 

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by Large And In Charge
Also try squatting with dumbbells some time. You won't be able to use as much weight but the dumbbells are great because they offer a little different feel to the movement and put more emphasis on the stablelizing muscles. Just hold them at arms length and go for it!

You took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[Large And In Charge]

Originally posted by I Are Baboon


You took the words right out of my mouth.

I know and you need to brush your teeth man