smith rack

[gunit]

currently i'm doing squats with a smith rack because my gym (a quite small cheap one in Korea) doesn't have a power rack. Is it better to be doing squats with a smith rack than to not do squats at all? I'm thinking about buying a squat rack for the gym though.

 

[JL_204]

using the smith isnt as ideal as a barbell, but if thats all you have use it.

 

[Guinness5.0]

I'm thinking about buying a squat rack for the gym though.

That'd be your best bet. There are many reasons why not to use the smith machine- minimal carryover to free squats, strain to the patellar tendon, no balance/stabilization, etc. They suck.

 

[gunit]

Wait, so it would actually be better to not do squats at all than use a smith machine?

 

[Ozz2001]

alterative is lunges with a bar,stationary step forward push back ect...I get great pumps and cut with them then squats and adds balance and strenght too....Squats are probably much better for over all power and strenght....
Hope this helps....

 

[gunit]

how can I do lunges if I dont have a squat rack ㅡㅡ;;

 

[super_rice]

i'd just do split squats with a dumbbell. i would never touch a smith machine.

 

[Fajitas]

db lunges

 

[gunit]

So i'm doing the 5x5 program, should I substitute the squats for DB lunges????

 

[blut wump]

This was my last epistle on the Smith. It leaves you weak in unpleasant and unsuspected ways.
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5090747&postcount=12

Edit: If you are seriously thinking of buying the gym a Power Rack then do it. Your karma will be almost immediately returned in the form of better musculature.

 

[bignate73]

front squats, split squats with a db, zercher squats, anything you can do to keep a natural squatting movement.

save the smith to hold towels.

 

[bigdho]

I dont know I have mixed feelings about this. I agree free squats are better but when I do them on the smith I fell it much more in my quads and less in my glutes and hamms. What about maybe alternating them?

 

[stilleto]

I haven't even read the posts on this thread but i'm very much against smith machine squats. use the bar and work your smaller, stabilizing muscles- you're doing your body, and your core strength, an injustice by using the smith machine.

 

[Guinness5.0]

I dont know I have mixed feelings about this. I agree free squats are better but when I do them on the smith I fell it much more in my quads and less in my glutes and hamms. What about maybe alternating them?

You'll feel leg extensions more in your quads than in your glutes/hams. It doesn't make them a good exercise. Completely removing stabilization from a movement makes it a wasted movement (unless under very specific circumstances such as injury rehab, but you're more likely to cause/exacerbate an injury w/ a Smith than recover from one). So no, don't alternate them. Discard them.

 

[rbtrout]

Here's the way I look at it. If you're wanting to put on size and strength - then free weight squats are the only way to go. Leg extensions and smith squats are necessarily bad, just not nearly as good. These would be more for finishing or possibly definition. I'd still stick with free weights.

 

[bigdho]

Good points. Ill stick with free squats. Ive only used the smith the past couple of times, before that Ive always done free squats so not much of a loss all in all.

 

[gunit]

Currently since I dont actually have the power rack, can I just do DB lunges and DB squats to substitute for the smith rack?

 

[Guinness5.0]

Yup.

 

[stilleto]

Currently since I dont actually have the power rack, can I just do DB lunges and DB squats to substitute for the smith rack?

absolutely. you can use a squat rack if you have one too. find a spotter if you need one.

 

[anthrax]

The Smith squat is for chicks and PTs

As for lunges i like to do them with a barbell in the squat rack