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Squat machine vs regular squat

danicristina2015
danicristina2015 Posts: 50 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Is it really a huge difference and a disadvantage using a squat machine, than a regular squat? I personally use a squat machine and I can see the results but I was wandering if regular squats have better results

Replies

  • mikevandewetering
    mikevandewetering Posts: 155 Member
    Regular squats work more muscles then the machine squat. The machine squat is just a bit saver. Just do both :)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Yes regular squats are 100x better. Not only for the muscles but for form. I suspect you can lift more in a smith machine than you can in a free squat.

    a Smith machine doesn't engage all the muscles that a free squat does. ie core as a balancer.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    mikevandewetering wrote: »
    Regular squats work more muscles then the machine squat. The machine squat is just a bit saver. Just do both :)

    I'm assuming you meant "safer".
    I wouldn't call it safer at all.
    The smith machine doesn't allow for use of stabilizer muscles or the correct path of motion.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    mikevandewetering wrote: »
    Regular squats work more muscles then the machine squat. The machine squat is just a bit saver. Just do both :)

    Yah no....

    It isn't safer actually....

    OP if you have a squat rack available to you do free squats not smith machine...it's only good for hanging your jacket on when you heat up during your work out
  • 70chevellegsp
    70chevellegsp Posts: 50 Member
    Use what works for you and your comfortable with. Barbell squats will hit the stabilizer muscles, a 'squat machine' won't. That doesn't mean that you aren't or can't work hard on a 'squat machine'. IMHO, the safest equipment is what you are most comfortable using. I do barbell squats and use a leverage 'squat machine'. The latter is safer. (period). It has a safety bar if I fail, and I have 0 chance of losing my balance or dropping a large amount of weight on the safety bars. It also helped me to safely get back to squatting after a long bout with sciatica, when I couldn't squat my body weight without support. No absolutes, aside from better engagement of the stabilizer muscles. Good Luck!
  • mikevandewetering
    mikevandewetering Posts: 155 Member
    Well it also depends what you mean by squat machine. In my country a smith machine is not a squat machine :).
  • palwithme
    palwithme Posts: 860 Member
    I use the squat machine and love it, but I am just starting out. Maybe I will move to regular squats one day when I feel more comfortable doing so. But right now the machine is working great for me.
  • lulucitron
    lulucitron Posts: 366 Member
    For hack squats, I use a machine as they're pretty hard to do without support. There's only 3 squat racks at my gym and they're used a lot so many times I have to use the smith machine to do my squats. No biggie. I prefer regular squats but the smith is fine too.
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