Attn: Stop using smith machine for squats

[backinbusiness]

The myth: This machine?which looks like a squat rack with a built-in bar that runs on guides?gives you all the benefits of squats, but none of the risk that comes from holding a heavy barbell across your back. That?s because the bar can easily be secured at any point during the movement.

The truth: Because the bar runs on guides, you can only move straight up and down as you squat?instead of down and back, as you would in a free-weight squat. The result: An unnatural movement that puts extra stress on your knees and lower back. Need another reason to skip the Smith? Canadian researchers found that traditional squats produced almost 50 percent more muscle activity in the quadriceps than squats done on a Smith machine.

Read more:
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/av...#ixzz0V6o7h4jy

Finally found some credible evidence that its an absolutely useless machine to use for squats.

[umop3pisdn]

Smith squats have their place.. at least 8 time Mr Olympia Dorian Yates seems to think so..

T: Do you ever use Smith machines and do you have any strong opinions about that piece of equipment?

Dorian: Yeah, I used them for pressing movements, like incline press and shoulder press. I used it for squats, as well. I was brought up in the era of Tom Platz and he always said, "You've gotta squat; squats are the greatest thing for your thighs." Obviously it was true for Tom Platz. He had a good structure so that when he was squatting, the majority of the stress was taken by his quadriceps; his structure was quite short. So I was religiously squatting for the first five or six years that I was training. My legs were okay but they weren't great, until I began experimenting.

Then, squatting on a Smith machine, I could position my body so it was much more isolated on the quads, less glutes and lower back involvement, didn't have to worry about the balance aspect. Actually my legs improved a lot when I was doing Smith squats, hack squats, leg presses - I could isolate the thighs a lot more. So actually I used the Smith machine quite a bit for squatting.

[S4ndm4n]

barbell squats > smith squats

/thread

[GARiLLa]

i have to disagree on this one.

i did squats on the smith machine when i was first weak and starting off. hard a hard time squatting 135!

smith machine or not i still felt massive soreness on the butt and quads for along ass time.

maybe its different for everyone

[Animal.]

well i hate canadians

[allergic2rice]

I hate the smit unless used for pressing/iso movements

[Manke]

I get good gains off the smith machine. /thread

[Lukezor]

i cant see how it would add stress on your knees more than a regular squat being that its the same movment only you'r not reqierd to use as many stabalising muscals. i could however see the regular squat could use more muscle activity e.g stabalisers...
(no hate)

[CUZZY]

If smith mach. suits you, use it!

My only problem with squats is no matter how much padding i add to the bar, it still hurts my neck/back alot. gotta get some fat on me

[timcc19]

Originally Posted by CUZZY

If smith mach. suits you, use it!

My only problem with squats is no matter how much padding i add to the bar, it still hurts my neck/back alot. gotta get some fat on me

Where're you holding the bar? i used to get a lot of pain from the bar, then changed where i rested the bar and got none. I think it's more to do with positioning than fat.

[msuwo]

Originally Posted by timcc19

Where're you holding the bar? i used to get a lot of pain from the bar, then changed where i rested the bar and got none. I think it's more to do with positioning than fat.

That and tolerance. My first 2-3 times squatting felt almost unbearable on my traps. After a while you just start to not notice it. Just stick through it and you'll be fine!

[AirChair]

Originally Posted by CUZZY

My only problem with squats is no matter how much padding i add to the bar, it still hurts my neck/back alot. gotta get some fat on me

You're holding the bar wrong. Unless you're doing Oly squats, there's no reason to use a high bar position, and it's pretty counterproductive.

[Jaxxed_Fibraz_]

BB squats are gay.

/thread.

[drewwwww17]

Originally Posted by umop3pisdn

Smith squats have their place.. at least 8 time Mr Olympia Dorian Yates seems to think so..

hes not 8 time mr O hack squats are better than either anyway

[adc123]

I tried squats on the smith machine but could never get the positioning right. I'm sure it would be a great exercise for quad isolation though if I could do it right.

[BakeryMaster]

Originally Posted by Animal.

well i hate canadians

I Hate animals

[leahbeah]

Originally Posted by CUZZY

If smith mach. suits you, use it!

My only problem with squats is no matter how much padding i add to the bar, it still hurts my neck/back alot. gotta get some fat on me

no you need to flex your traps... the bar should not be touching your bones at any time.
it should be resting on your traps, thats what they are there for.

And stop using the pussy pad.

[MuscleDood]

i spoke to a guy who used to squat in smith, he said he tore knee ligament using it cause he failed a rep and since you dont have a full range of memement it placed too much stress on it or somthing.

Anyway i have used em before, they do have their place just be carfull when squatting with them.

[adc123]

Originally Posted by MuscleDood

i spoke to a guy who used to squat in smith, he said he tore knee ligament using it cause he failed a rep and since you dont have a full range of memement it placed too much stress on it or somthing.

Anyway i have used em before, they do have their place just be carfull when squatting with them.

I agree you should be careful. Alot of people will blame the smith machine for injuries when squatting, pressing on it or whatever. Think about this: how many people get injured doing barbell squats, barbell bench presses, or deadlifts? Probably a **** load more because those are the ego exercises that everyone tries to be a hotshot on.

This is before aload of people come in here going "I injured my knee on a smith machine" or "my friends cousins, dad damaged his shoulder on the smith, therefore its bad." It doesn't prove anything.

[jleffing]

Originally Posted by animal.

well i hate canadians

Heh.