Squat machine vs regular squat

danicristina2015

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

mikevandewetering

Regular squats work more muscles then the machine squat. The machine squat is just a bit saver. Just do both

SezxyStef

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

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

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

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

Well it also depends what you mean by squat machine. In my country a smith machine is not a squat machine .

palwithme

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

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.