Is something wrong????

[boogyman]

will first off im not a big guy. I have been lifting for over a year now but I play basketball ALOT.

so anyway a couple months ago I started concentrating on squats more. I do squats on the smith machine. Anyway I usually do around 200 pounds making little improvements. But a few days ago I did squats for the first time in a week.

I DID OVER 400 POUNDS

yes I kept going higher and higher and higher. By the time I past 400 I had done about 15 sets and felt like I could have kept going.

WHAT HAPPENED?

 

[Fajitas]

smith machine

 

[Madcow2]

A period of decreased workload after a period of heavier workload can do wonders (ever wonder how people peak for competitions).

Get off the smith machine. It's not safer, it's not better, it's A LOT less effective, it's carryover to real world movements is crap.

The Squat - mandatory reading and one of the best writeups around: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332299

 

[DieselGunz]

Madcow, great link


alot of good info in there

 

[deltreefitness]

Get off the smith machine. It's not safer, it's not better, it's A LOT less effective, it's carryover to real world movements is crap.

What is the Smith good for?

 

[StealthPower]

hmmm ask the person selling them what its good for

In general reality it blows

Kc

 

[bignate73]

What is the Smith good for?

towel rack....









j/k, actually it was designed to be a safe alternative for upper body pressing exercises. one thing they missed though...the power rack has been around longer and has safety pins, so i have to say its kindof lame.

 

[HAPPYKC]

Not all Smiths are equal

I have both a power rack and a smith machine at home.
The old smith machines that go up and down vertically suck.
I have to say though that there is a new kind of Smith machine that has a 7 degree slant which reflects the non-vertical push pull of the body. I have this type of Smith and so far I have great results from it, I still use my power rack and there is very little difference (at least that I noticed).

Shop around as not all smiths are equal. Always try before you buy (or join a gym that has a machine before you buy it).

 

[Madcow2]

What is the Smith good for?

You can melt it down and sell off the base metals and free up some space. I guess that would give one some knowledge of base metalurgy which can be fairly valuable if you wanted to get into metal working and blacksmithing.

 

[boogyman]

regular squats are very uncomfterable for me.

A new 24hour fitness has a type of squat machine with a rounded sled like thing you stand on. Anybody know of this?