One of the members of our gym was using the smith machine for squats, and watching him do them was beginning to frighten me. His stance was incorrect, his form was incorrect, and the weight he was using was just to heavy for him to lift effectively.
The Smith machine is a piece of equipment used for weight training and many different exercises can be done on it. The great thing about is that it can be secured at any point, so you don't need a spotter.
Here are some tips to make sure you understand how to correctly execute a squat on the smith machine.
- Make sure the bar is resting at the top of your back, NOT the bottom of your neck.
- Always place your feet ahead of yourself, never position them right under the bar. This will allow you to sit back into your squat to get the appropriate range of motion during your lift and you'll avoid the risk of a knee or back injury.
- Don't sacrifice range of motion for more weight. I understand that lifting heavy weights may look cool, but when it comes at the cost of losing range of motion it's not worth it. Great range of motion results in a more effective and more challenging lift.
Incorrect form -
If you can see, his knees are coming forward, and his heals are coming off the ground. Done with light weight you can execute this exercise, which is called a sissy squat, although I don't recommend. Knee and back injuries can occur while using this form.
Correct form - Now he has his feet out in front of him, his heals are planted on the ground, and he is able to get down a little lower to create a greater range of motion. Good stuff.
*Make sure to always practice good form with all strength training exercises.
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