SQUATS with a SMITH MACHINE

[Lililston]

Do you guys like to do squats using a smith machine?

..I was wondering why some people don't..

 

[from zero]

There are far better exercises. The only thing conceivably reasonable about smith squats is quad isolation. But even then, it puts a lot of stress on the knees. It is such an unnatural motion ...

The smith machine is such a waist of space, IMO.

 

[rjl296]

makes a good coat rack

 

[Moen]

I strongly advice not to do them cause the number of people who fucked up their knees with it is larger then the ones who didnt !

 

[onerepmaximum]

If you put your legs way out in front of you, it's not too bad. As stated above though, they probably shouldn't be your first choice.

 

[Lililston]

But doesn't the smith machine help you lift HEAVIER weights?

 

[dj1000]

Great Post! I started using the smith machine when I started to do squats and always noticed my knees felt like they were taking a lot of strain. So, I stopped using the smith and use a barbell in the squat rack and am doing much better now. No more painfull knees. I wish I would have read something like this a while back.

 

[from zero]

But doesn't the smith machine help you lift HEAVIER weights?

Possibly, but still, you do not get any of the benefits of REAL squats. Plus, it is a completely different exercise. Apples and oranges bro.

 

[crew9]

But doesn't the smith machine help you lift HEAVIER weights?

Not really since the weight of the bar feels like a whole 5 lbs.

 

[MattRecc]

those might be the worst exercises ever IMO. The only thing i ever used the smith machine for was when i was doing DC training on incline benches w/o a spotter. Funny story is i know someone who had a bad knee injury, and his doc told him never to train legs with free weights, so this dude used to do his squats in the smith machine and ended up fucking them up worse.