…I think it was in a T-Nation article. It was a side-view of someone squatting; a computer-generated line superimposed over the photo showed that the path of the barbell was not straight up and down.
I want to show it to someone to explain why squatting in a Smith Machine is not a good idea. Actually, I think I might print up a copy and tape it to the machine at the gym.
more stress on the back and knees, not a natural movement. Are you looking for excuses not to squat?
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
Dorian Yates squats with a smith machine. Check out the interview: Dorian Yates [/quote]
Gravity was different when he was competing.
[quote]shizen wrote:
Are you looking for excuses not to squat? [/quote]
It sounds more like he is looking for an excuse (read legit reason) for him and everyone at the gym to not use that equipment to squat.
Actually, I’m trying to back up my opinion that in the absence of a squat rack, it’s better to front-squat than to use a Smith Machine.
(By the way, I’m female!)
I agree with you, but I don’t think you’re going to find any solid proof. Most people see a Smith as being ‘safer’ and it’s going to be hard to change their minds.
That’s why I wanted to find that photo! It was pretty much solid proof that to do a back squat properly, you need to shift the bar forward and backward, which can’t be done on a Smith.
[quote]JGerman wrote:
This might help you.
http://www.nsca-lift.org/videos/backSquat/defaultsquat.shtml
[/quote]
Thank-you. It’s not the exact same video I was thinking of, but it’s the same format.
This one actually doesn’t back up my opinion very well, because this guy goes up and down in almost a perfect straight line! In the other one, the forward and backward motions were much more pronounced.
[quote]dragonmamma wrote:
Actually, I’m trying to back up my opinion that in the absence of a squat rack, it’s better to front-squat than to use a Smith Machine.
(By the way, I’m female!)[/quote]
One would think that with a name like dragonMAMMA one would be able to figure that out, but once again T-Nation’s lack of reading comprehension rises to the occasion.
Also, can you give us any more info on the photo? I’m kinda surprised because unless I’m box squatting I think my squat is pretty much straight up and down
Mamma you are very correct in saying that squating in the smith machine is for knuckleheads…but the bar should not be moving much. for the most part the bar, your knees and your heels should form close to a straight line throughout the entire movement…with the exception of oly squats, knee movement is much more pronounced, but bar movement is still mainly in a straight up and down movement.
This goes for almost all lifts; cleans, snatch, bench, deads. If the bar is not going in a straight up and down motion, anergy is being lost with any horizontal movement.
As for the Smith Machine…it sucks, except for mobility work. you can use the bar as an adjustable hurdle and step over it or under it working on hip flexability and such.
Hope this helps!
bar should always be over the midpoint of your foot, otherwise you’re wasting energy keeping it from getting away from your center of gravity, and not moving it in the only desired direction (up).
[quote]gi2eg wrote:
bar should always be over the midpoint of your foot, otherwise you’re wasting energy keeping it from getting away from your center of gravity, and not moving it in the only desired direction (up).[/quote]
Heel, Mid point of foot…The point is the bar should only go one direction, straight up and down
[quote]KBCThird wrote:
dragonmamma wrote:
Actually, I’m trying to back up my opinion that in the absence of a squat rack, it’s better to front-squat than to use a Smith Machine.
(By the way, I’m female!)
One would think that with a name like dragonMAMMA one would be able to figure that out, but once again T-Nation’s lack of reading comprehension rises to the occasion.
Also, can you give us any more info on the photo? I’m kinda surprised because unless I’m box squatting I think my squat is pretty much straight up and down
[/quote]
You never know–maybe he thought I was a transvestite or something.
In the other example I had seen, there was definitely a pronounced curve forward somewhere in the middle of the lift, and then curved back again so that the top point of the curve was directly over the bottom point.
OK, so now I’m hearing from a few of you that the lift DOES go up and down in a straight line. If that is so, then why am I always hearing how squats can’t be performed properly in a Smith machine? Obviously it’s inferior to a free weight barbell because you don’t need to stabilize the bar, but that doesn’t actually affect your form.
The only thing I can think of right now is that if you are on a smith machine you have to establish the perfect stance and alignment before you squat. If you get your feet in the proper position and squat with good form you should be able to suffice.
I prefer open racks but I guess if I didn’t have anything else I might use a smith machine…
They are good for rookies and low weight IMHO because they don’t need a spotter, the bar can lock if needed, and the lack of stability muscle activation makes it that much easier.
[quote]JGerman wrote:
The only thing I can think of right now is that if you are on a smith machine you have to establish the perfect stance and alignment before you squat. If you get your feet in the proper position and squat with good form you should be able to suffice.
[/quote]
Ah, good point.
Good one.
[quote]AssClown wrote:
Good one.[/quote]
Definitely. Isn’t that Pauline Nordin?