[maxmonzter]

is it any worse than doing it just standing free?? maybe safer? im thinking about but if anyone knows if they r worse then maybe i won´t do it

[rugger85]

I love them, and trust me, I have knee problems. Two knee surgeries have left me sore and stiff, and smith machine squats saved my legs. They are safer because they is no stablization. That, however, means that you won't work the stabalizing muscles in your legs or your core. But for leg mass and strength, smiths are the way to go.

[CALIBBER]

hey bro, i no what you mean. but i always use a free squats. when your doing smith machine (anything ) use lose alot of the secondary muscles, bc they dont need to help u to balance the weigh.. why not use the cag and put the safeties at tyour knees.. with squats, its a hard exerise to spot someone. maybe if you had to spoters on each side.

[tim290280]

You could think of the smith machine as a standing leg press.

I think of the smith as a badly designed pressing machine. Due to the fixed line of motion you are moving your body around it and thus loading other areas of the body (low back, knees, hips, depending on style and your body) more extremely.

So I say squat with free weights. Besides real squats will do more than any machine work. And if you are going to do machine work, better to find a well designed machine.

[mindstar]

I've got to go with real squats as well, smith squats put weird torsions on my knees (i'm 2 surgeries in as well). Just my experience.

The ego has to take a backseat on real squats though...take some weight off and do them right.

[MaKaVeLi]

i think smith machine squats are all good if you're new to squats but if you've been hittin the gym long enough you should perhaps do it just once in a while simply for variation...judging by your log you seem experienced enough not to bother with them

[jornT]

OK, when I have some more times I'll post some **** about smith squat compared to regular squat and even legg press.

[Lineski]

If you don't have any problems performing free-weight squats, why on Earth would you stop doing them!? You have those, front squats, and hack squats...all perfectly fine in their own way so I don't see a need to stray from them. It might allow you to use more weight, but if you can squat in a cage and adjust the safety bars there's really not a big risk of injury when squatting...

...I've got a feeling when Jorn comes back to post his information, it's not going to be good news for smith squats

[jornT]

For smith squat compared to regular squat, look at the thread I made for that, that ws bit longer then this one...

Effects of technique variations on knee biomechanics during the squat and leg press.

Abstract:
ESCAMILLA, R. F., G. S. FLEISIG, N. ZHENG, J. E. LANDER, S. W. BARRENTINE, J. R. ANDREWS, B. W. BERGEMANN, and C. T. MOORMAN, III. Effects of technique variations on knee biomechanics during the squat and leg press. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 33, No. 9, 2001, pp. 1552-1566.

Purpose: The specific aim of this project was to quantify knee forces and muscle activity while performing squat and leg press exercises with technique variations.

Methods: Ten experienced male lifters performed the squat, a high foot placement leg press (LPH), and a low foot placement leg press (LPL) employing a wide stance (WS), narrow stance (NS), and two foot angle positions (feet straight and feet turned out 30[degrees]).

Results: No differences were found in muscle activity or knee forces between foot angle variations. The squat generated greater quadriceps and hamstrings activity than the LPH and LPL, the WS-LPH generated greater hamstrings activity than the NS-LPH, whereas the NS squat produced greater gastrocnemius activity than the WS squat. No ACL forces were produced for any exercise variation. Tibiofemoral (TF) compressive forces, PCL tensile forces, and patellofemoral (PF) compressive forces were generally greater in the squat than the LPH and LPL, and there were no differences in knee forces between the LPH and LPL. For all exercises, the WS generated greater PCL tensile forces than the NS, the NS produced greater TF and PF compressive forces than the WS during the LPH and LPL, whereas the WS generated greater TF and PF compressive forces than the NS during the squat. For all exercises, muscle activity and knee forces were generally greater in the knee extending phase than the knee flexing phase.

Conclusions: The greater muscle activity and knee forces in the squat compared with the LPL and LPH implies the squat may be more effective in muscle development but should be used cautiously in those with PCL and PF disorders, especially at greater knee flexion angles. Because all forces increased with knee flexion, training within the functional 0-50[degrees] range may be efficacious for those whose goal is to minimize knee forces. The lack of ACL forces implies that all exercises may be effective during ACL rehabilitation.

(C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

[ruel]

free weights is still the best. it will give you better results than machines..

[MexicanMuscle]

i say free weights are better. i do free weight squats, but do front squats on the smith machine

[Sarpzilla]

I have a long arm span, so to be comfortable, I have to have my arms a certain length apart when im holding the bar during squats. So i cant stand the smith machine cause it never gives me enough room.

and thats why i dont use it.

[Rocky]

For me I have to use the smith as it is the only option available, and other than for variety, I'd go with freeweights given the choice.