Smith machine vs. squat rack

[hogan23]

I know its cheating and it makes me feel like a pussy but i like doing squats on the smith machine. it lets me do a ton of weight and i do it with perfect form. then when i try doing them "for real" in the squat rack i have a hard time balancing the bar on my back and i can't quite get parallel. what's my problem? should i just keep doing them until i get better and more comfortable?

[Selode5]

i was scared of squat rack few months ago, so i went to smith machine. i got to 225 lb in squat and so i decided to do rippetoe since all i did waas full body workouts.

so in squat rack, i put 185 lb and in few weeks, i can do 275lb squats, so the balancing thing will eventually get good. just put less weight on squats (the real ones)

[bigdane55]

You are going to have to lower the weight to get used to balancing the weight on your own. The smith machine doesn't let you workout the stabalizer muscle as much as doing them witht the squat rack. It will take a little time to get used to it on the squat rack.

[nitrored]

As long as your ego feels better....

[icemike16]

Start off with light weight on the squat rack and you will notice strenth increases fast, you will be able to do alot more then you started with in no time. Just get the form down perfect so you dont hurt yourself.

[muscledan]

I know its cheating and it makes me feel like a pussy but i like doing squats on the smith machine. it lets me do a ton of weight and i do it with perfect form. then when i try doing them "for real" in the squat rack i have a hard time balancing the bar on my back and i can't quite get parallel. what's my problem? should i just keep doing them until i get better and more comfortable?

one question: how tall are you? that really affects your squatting form.

its all very well for short people to make comments about 'real squats' versus smith macine squats, but for us tall ppl, that may be the way to go.

if smith machines give you a better leg workout, use 'em.

[SoCalDevil5969]

one question: how tall are you? that really affects your squatting form.

its all very well for short people to make comments about 'real squats' versus smith macine squats, but for us tall ppl, that may be the way to go.

if smith machines give you a better leg workout, use 'em.

wrong. i'm almost 6'2" and i can do full parallel squats...height doesnt mean anything. you just need to increase your hip flexibility through stretching, and perhaps widen your stance. smith machines are, for all practical purposes, a waste of time and money if youre serious about training. if youre a 50 year-old woman, go ahead and use a smith machine so you dont get hurt. if you want strong legs, do real barbell squats like its your job. period.

[jude-o]

its all very well for short people to make comments about 'real squats' versus smith macine squats, but for us tall ppl, that may be the way to go.

I stand over 6'6" barefoot. I love squatting. Full range of motion too, none of this candy-ass half-squat crap that the children and weekend warriors do. (If I had a dollar for every idiot that doesn't even reach parallel....)

You're too tall to squat? Bull****. You're just giving yourself a cheap excuse not to do a demanding exercise.

[SoCalDevil5969]

I stand over 6'6" barefoot. I love squatting. Full range of motion too, none of this candy-ass half-squat crap that the children and weekend warriors do. (If I had a dollar for every idiot that doesn't even reach parallel....)

You're too tall to squat? Bull****. You're just giving yourself a cheap excuse not to do a demanding exercise.

hell yes...repped.

[HerbSuel]

Hip-flexer stretches....

Do it!!!!!!!!!!

It will help u w/ your squat.

[Lencho]

I stand over 6'6" barefoot. I love squatting. Full range of motion too, none of this candy-ass half-squat crap that the children and weekend warriors do. (If I had a dollar for every idiot that doesn't even reach parallel....)

You're too tall to squat? Bull****. You're just giving yourself a cheap excuse not to do a demanding exercise.

hell yes...repped.

x2.

If you're tall, you're tall. That's it. Nothing you can do about barring amputation. No need bitching about what short people can do or what tall people supposedly "can't" do; it makes no difference.

[liverpool4ever]

I stand over 6'6" barefoot. I love squatting. Full range of motion too, none of this candy-ass half-squat crap that the children and weekend warriors do. (If I had a dollar for every idiot that doesn't even reach parallel....)

You're too tall to squat? Bull****. You're just giving yourself a cheap excuse not to do a demanding exercise.

Why don't you tell them to go all the way down instead of bitching, i tell some of them to go all the way down on squats, some listen some don't. Now if it's a really big guy i just let him do what he want.

Tall people do have a hard time squatting, just widen the stance

[GSOgymrat]

I use the Smith machine for squats, but I've only been doing squats about 2 months. I've always been afraid of squats because of the risk of injury to my back. Maybe in a couple of months I will graduate to squat rack. It would feel better about it if I had a spotter but I don't.

[run_lola_run]

My gym just got a bunch of new equipment. Can you believe that they actually replaced the squat rack with a smith machine? I think one of the ten commandments should be "thou shalt leave the ****ing squat rack right where it is".

[thonaker]

A squatting cage is a different story, though. Those give you safety in case you need to stop the set and get out. You will have a safe place to put the weight.

The squat rack at my gym wasn't that good. It had 3 levels. The lowest level is really too low to lower the bar to in case you need to. The second level, you can only do a partial squat, so that part is useless unless you need to go forward and get rid of the weight in a quick manner.

If you have one, definitely use a squat cage. Otherwise make sure to have a spotter behind you. Of course, you shouldn't work out alone anyway.

Troy

[rsheele]

I stand over 6'6" barefoot. I love squatting. Full range of motion too, none of this candy-ass half-squat crap that the children and weekend warriors do. (If I had a dollar for every idiot that doesn't even reach parallel....)

You're too tall to squat? Bull****. You're just giving yourself a cheap excuse not to do a demanding exercise.

Nothing better than telling it like it is. I don't think that there is one person who will say that a proper squat is easy. It kicks your ass plain and simple.

[GUNZOFNAVARONE]

do what works best for you...we are all different, find what works for you and what you enjoy, don't feel you have to do any exercise simply because someone in cyberspace says you have to...

[Revolver45]

There's no point in using a smitch machine, period. If you want to be strong - barbell squats are the only way to go, if you want big legs, same deal. Smitch machines are not horrible machines, but they're a cop out. People use them to say that they do squats, but make excuses not to do them in a squat rack. Just start with lighter weights and work your way up, focusing on form, and you'll be fine.

[md3sign]

Smitch machines are not horrible machines, but they're a cop out.

Not necessarily. It depends entirely on what you use them for. For example, I strap on 500lbs for calf raises on the smith - it's the only way of putting on enough weight to stimulate calf growth. I wouldn't dream of putting 500lbs on my back on a barbell for calf raises; I'd fall right over.

That said, for squats unless you have some injury get out there and use the barbell. It's much safer than bb bench pressing and I'm sure you've done that for a while without being a fraidy cat.

[Revolver45]

Not necessarily. It depends entirely on what you use them for. For example, I strap on 500lbs for calf raises on the smith - it's the only way of putting on enough weight to stimulate calf growth. I wouldn't dream of putting 500lbs on my back on a barbell for calf raises; I'd fall right over.

That said, for squats unless you have some injury get out there and use the barbell. It's much safer than bb bench pressing and I'm sure you've done that for a while without being a fraidy cat.

True enough, I was more referring to compound exercises, I should have made that clearer. I used to use the smith for shrugs from time to time, I found it worked well.

[NuttingToIt]

i've seen ronnie coleman many a times use the smith machine to squat. if its good enough for 8x mr olympia, its good enough for mr local average joe smoe.