Tips on Smith Machine Squats?

[HANSEL]

How to I safely do Squates on a Smith Machine? Its all I have access to right now and have been doing Squats for a few weeks now but I am not sure If Im doing this right?

Where should my feet be?
In front of me?
Feet pointed out?

I keep my head and chin up and am pretty sure Im keeping my back straight (Feels fine) but have been feeling a little knee strain.

Any hints/help would be much appreciated.

Regards.

 

[Fatty4You]

I dont know the proper technique, but i acn tell you that i used to do them with my feet in front of me, so that when down to parallel, my knee would be at like a 80 degree angle as if i was sitting in a chair.

Now, where did this get me?? Well, my knees started to hurt. Is this from the squating?? I am not sure.

Yeah, this was some pretty useless advice, sorry.

-Fatty

 

[TxRugby_8]

IMO you can go a little bit lower with smith machine squats although you use your back a bit more by pushing back on the machine.

 

[lilprincess]

Make sure you are pushing from your heels when you do Smith Machine. In my experience with squats on Smith Machines I seem to push forward, but I finally learned that you want to kinda lean back and push from your heels. Look up at the celing and find a spot, and act like you are pushing toward that spot. Keep your back straight and butt out. Bar goes on your trap not your neck. Hope this helps.

~lilprincess

 

[gettinlarger]

Best way to do Smith squats is to slowly walk away from it and into a power rack. Smith machine squats are unnatural, and have a pretty awkward ROM. Real squats ... man, there's nothing in comparison.

 

[Lumberg]

I am in the exact same situation.

If you put your feet out in front, you put more stress on your knees and less on your back. I would position the middle of your foot right on the line of where the bar is, i.e. centered exactly under the bar.

I have found that it's awkward no matter how you do it.

BUT,

The smith machine works VERY well for front squats. So I just do front squats now. (With the same foot positioning)

As far as foot angle/stance, the more your toes point out and the wider your stance, the more you use hams/glutes/adductors and the less you use quads. That's true of any leg exercise, not just squats on the Smith.

JC

 

[TxRugby_8]

If you put your feet out in front, you put more stress on your

The smith machine works VERY well for front squats. So I just do front squats now. (With the same foot positioning)

As far as foot angle/stance, the more your toes point out and the wider your stance, the more you use hams/glutes/adductors and the less you use quads. That's true of any leg exercise, not just squats on the Smith.

JC

good point. if you're not doing front squats already, you probably should start now. this is one of the best exercises for you quads next to power squats. front squats focus on the tear drop of the quad and develop it better then anyother exercise.

 

[Nonerz]

Best way to do Smith squats is to slowly walk away from it and into a power rack. Smith machine squats are unnatural, and have a pretty awkward ROM. Real squats ... man, there's nothing in comparison.

I heard somewhere that the Smith machine was evil...

 

[teen1216]

The knee strain you're experiencing could very likely be from the unnatural range of motion the smith machine puts you in.

 

[bignate73]

I heard somewhere that the Smith machine was evil...

so you do listen to me!

hehehehe.

 

[Nonerz]

so you do listen to me!

hehehehe.

oh...did you say that?? then it must be true!

 

[Lumberg]

It's true that Smith machines in general are evil...however some of us ONLY have Smith machines and no power racks so we have to find ways to make do.

JC

 

[gettinlarger]

It's true that Smith machines in general are evil...however some of us ONLY have Smith machines and no power racks so we have to find ways to make do.

JC

Front squats could be an easy replacement. Just power clean the weight up to your clavicle and go to town.

 

[horsePOWER]

damn, i love smith squats. i start with a warm up, then go heavy doing regular squats. and end it with a few different sets of lighter squats (sumo, really close stance, front squats, putting feet way out in front, etc) usually take these all to failure, catch my breath doing some stupid small group (bi's, abs, etc.) then onto the next different set.
this seems to really target and hit the legs at different angles.

best thing for powerlifting=doubt it
best thing for bodybuilding=maybe not
best thing for me for hockey=hell yeah

prectically need a wheelchair to get to my car.

 

[TxRugby_8]

best thing for me for hockey=hell yeah

best thing for you for hockey = power squats and box squats

builds more balance and requires more muscles to interact at the same time. smith machine squats will isolate your legs more, and that's a good thing, if you're training to be a bodybuilder. power squats, or better yet box squats, deal with more muscles and fast twitch fibers that you'd be using skating or scrapping along the boards. i don't even let my clients go near a smith machine because it causes bad habits. i know i sound like a know it all, but this what i do. sports specific training, specializing in hockey and rugby.

cheers

 

[Lumberg]

Front squats could be an easy replacement. Just power clean the weight up to your clavicle and go to town.

Not a bad idea. But a few issues:

1) I can DEFINITELY front squat more than I can power clean. Especially on my last set. 2)Space in my gym is VERY limited. 3)There is only one free barbell at my gym and it is usually being used on the bench.

JC

 

[gettinlarger]

Not a bad idea. But a few issues:

1) I can DEFINITELY front squat more than I can power clean. Especially on my last set. 2)Space in my gym is VERY limited. 3)There is only one free barbell at my gym and it is usually being used on the bench.

JC

Hm. I got some good info concerning Zearcher squats from spatts, JDarty, and a few others. Perhaps you could try those?

 

[SANDMAN5150]

YEAH MOTHERF&*KER

TEXASRUGBY_8 wasupper Brother

you talking rugby ?!....me crush rocks too my fellow brother


me ReconRugby..oldschool here in the USMC its about time someone spoke about specific sport training for Rugby I am very Basic; can you help or maybe provide guidance on training to better crush rocks and give blood!!!


ME: 230
12% BF
5'7"


Method of training: 1 body part a day
off on Wed / Sundays


Front Squats, Push Press, Power Clean, Incline Bench,
Bent Rows, Deadlifts, Oly Bar Curls

 

[HANSEL]

THank you all Very Much, My Sqauts are getting HUGE and I am able to do them completely Pain Free!

I keep my Feet underneeth me as in a Normal squat, point my toes out a bit, drive with my Heels, feel it in the Glutes, and have been loving it.

Poundage is going up and my quads are looking Massive already!

Regards.

 

[Mindwraith]

Great now try that same weight on a normal rack w/a spotter of course.

Btw, I think if they'd make a smith type squat rack that allows for ROM, it would be useful and safe for those who don't always have a partner to spot them. That way I can go real heavy w/o worrying. I'm not sure how that would work but there's gotta be a way. Only way I can see that working is if the bars that hold the barbell were able to move with you as you go down and up. It might have to use electricity or something to work.