Smith machine squats

[ppwc1985]

I was just wondering what everyone thinks of these. I love squatting but on the smith I just feel it puts my knees in a bad position and gets to be painful. But where I live the gym has no squat racks and I squat heavy do no cleaning it to shoulders lol. I don't know how you can have gym with no rack or power station

[ma_fighter]

I'm guessing that your gym has a regular bench-press station, no?
Just raise the rack and use it for squatting.

/Maf

[kronik420]

yea use the barbell on the bench presses,load it up with weights, then get 2 guys to lift it up to you, and then back down again. lol

i would find another gym TBH, 1 with a squat rack

and if its painful DONT do it, you dont want to injure yourself so you...

[ppwc1985]

Yea I need another gym, I moved up here to ct and they have planet crappy fitness. They have pizza day, and donut day roflmfao. The benchs aren't adjustable like that and I work up to 495 and there is never nobody big enough for that. As far as the pain, I have to squat but I wrap up so the pain is minimal. It's the only 24 hr gym which I need due to job. But thanks for quick reply

[ma_fighter]

They have pizza day, and donut day roflmfao. The benchs aren't adjustable like that and I work up to 495 and there is never nobody big enough for that.

wtf?
The hell kinda' gym is that? hahaha Thats just not right man!
Also, I've never, ever, seen a gym that does not have fully adjustable benches!
Allthough, after seeing that gym that's got a friggin escalator for the 5 steps leading up to it, nothing surprises me anymore.


Here's an idea then, Raise the benchpress rack as high as you can get it, then load the bar up, and start with squatting the bar off the rack. Not quite ideal, but should be better then messing your knees up in the smith. Unless the racks are really really low..

Anyways, best of luck to ya mate!

/Maf

[baseline_9]

Smith machine squats are a great quad exercise.... U can really drill the quads because of the knee flexion you can get since ur in such an upright position....

And that why they hurt your knees... If its painfull either work out why or avoid it...

[ppwc1985]

I agree to a point, I'm 45 been lifting since I'm 19, the problem with smith machine is it puts your patella in an improper position and that's why I'm getting pain. Not while I'm doing exercise but during regular life stuff. Like I said I wrap when squatting heavy cause I'm 45 lol. Been squatting for 28 years, it takes a toll. But I have seen guys work their upper body 7 days a week with no leg work, lol you know what I'm talking about. I guess I was looking for some new input, considering I belong to a sucky ass ***** gym now. He'll the dumbbells only go to 75 lbs that should tell you something. You think In a north eastern state they would have a good gym open 24/7 yea sure.

[baseline_9]

Wrapping your knees when training legs has been proven to Have a negative effect on the knees.... I will post a study l8r for u

[baseline_9]

I'd doesn't prove it but its good reading....

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...s#.UJUJ0GtYCSM

[ppwc1985]

Thanks baseline good reading, I have always said everyone is different. I'm old school, when I joined this gym and it only had smith machine I tried after about 3 weeks I could barely get out of chair. When I use wraps I don't have that problem to the sZmd degree. I have lifted over the years with 2 top powerlifting guys, they showed me how to wrap properly.i can add 50lbs to my squat with wraps and never caused me no trouble. I never thought much about squaring on smith machine, but as I have been at this gym for 1 1/2 years now I can say it just ****s my knees up, not the wraps they make it bearable. I do thank you for that article though.

[mockery]

there is such a unnatural range of motion with the bar, why would u wanna do this?

no hack squat machine at least?

[Lunk1]

I may be crazy but I actually like squatting on the smith. I blew my back out squatting on a rack and just can't find the confidence to go heavy on the rack like I can the smith. It really allows me to get low and control everything much better.

[kelkel]

I like smith squats. Have a bodysolid smith in my basement. As long as you find the correct foot position (which I've marked) they can be good. Seems to allow me to push quads farther than with free weights, but that's subjective.

Be careful with wraps! Training for a power meet years ago a nationally ranked powerlifter friend wrapped my knees. It ended up breaking a blood vessel in my gastroc which filled my lower leg with blood stopping all movement. Put me in the hospital for 3 days on blood thinners as they thought it may clot. Then crutches and out of work for 6 weeks or so. Not fun. I've never wrapped since and my knees have never been better.

Op, take a look at MSM powder for your joints. It's a sulphur product. It's seems to be working for several members here as well.

kel

[Lunk1]

I like smith squats. Have a bodysolid smith in my basement. As long as you find the correct foot position (which I've marked) they can be good. Seems to allow me to push quads farther than with free weights, but that's subjective.

Be careful with wraps! Training for a power meet years ago a nationally ranked powerlifter friend wrapped my knees. It ended up breaking a blood vessel in my gastroc which filled my lower leg with blood stopping all movement. Put me in the hospital for 3 days on blood thinners as they thought it may clot. Then crutches and out of work for 6 weeks or so. Not fun. I've never wrapped since and my knees have never been better.

Op, take a look at MSM powder for your joints. It's a sulphur product. It's seems to be working for several members here as well.

kel

I agree it's about finding tha proper foot placement, forward or back, that makes the diff.