So... I just humiliated myself at the gym

deluxmary2000

So the gym doesn't have just a regular squat rack (I asked). What should I do in that case? They have a group exercise room next door that is usually empty that has these foam bars that they use for group classes. I think they go up to 50 lbs. Should I just grab one of those, OH press it onto my shoulders, and free squat until I get better?

I think that's a good plan. I've been doing that in my weight lifting class and I find it pretty doable. I don't have a bunch of weight on (about 30-35 pounds), but I'd say it's a good way to work up to it.

Also, thanks for sharing that great mental image. :laugh:

lol- I'm sure it did look pretty damn funny. Especially because I was wearing my "superman" emblem shirt today. Ironic shirt is ironic.

dbmata

Good story but I was hoping some farting or something.

I puked once after squatting. I thought it was embarassing, but everybody else thought it was awesome. Men are weird

Wait until you deadlift and prairie dog a little.

general rule of thumb i think is before massages, yoga and deadlifts we should all have a little me time to err on the side of caution

Agreed, but the body has an immense capacity for surprises.

dbmata

lol- I'm sure it did look pretty damn funny. Especially because I was wearing my "superman" emblem shirt today. Ironic shirt is ironic.

You win an internet for that one, that's great

scottacular

I once went to do a bench press and thought I was loading a 20 kg weight on either end of the bar. Turns out one of them was a 25 kg weight and I ended up having to get someone bigger than me to rescue me from being crushed under the excessive weight. At least you can't be accused of lifting too light.

No_Finish_Line

i can remember the first time I used a smith machine.

I had a lot of trouble doing weight i could typically do with free weight.

if you try and go in there and do squats in your traditional form, i think it must put you at some kind of mechanical disadvantage.

If you have some other means of doing squats with a bar, i recommend that. I don't.

I'll usually put my feet significant forward from my body, so that when i get down to parrell its a lot like sitting in a chair. the other way it seems difficult to get low and not have my knees go beyond my toes

MityMax96

Short backstory: I’m just getting back into working out after having a baby and hernia surgery 4 months ago. I used to run and work out with a personal trainer. The trainer emphasized lifting, but used kettlebells and dumbbells in place of bars a lot (I don’t know why). I’ve always had super weak upper body strength, but thought I had decent leg strength.

Anyway, I was at the gym on my lunch break and I decided I was bored with my C25K program and wanted to do some lifting today, but I’ve never done it by myself. So I nervously snuck over to the free weight section where about a half dozen guys were doing their thing (no ladies). I did some OH presses, and tricep extensions, and a few other things I’m comfortable with and (I think) do correctly. Then I should have just called it a day, but I decided I wanted to squat. I walked over to what I thought was a squat rack, but it was one of those machines where the bar is kind of stuck in place vertically (smith machine?) I had never used one, but someone graciously showed me how to set up the smith machine and I decided to try it. I thought I would be smart and just start with the bar, which was SUPER LIGHT (I think about 10 lbs, maybe even less). I had never done a squat with a bar on my back, but I’ve done goblet squats with a 40lb kettlebell so I figured it would be easy.

Well, I squatted, hit parallel, and then realized with panic that I COULD NOT GET BACK UP. So I had to sink down, rest the bar on the safeties, and then basically crawl out from under the bar, pick up the (very very light) bar, and put it back up. It was SO EMBARRASSING. I tried a few more times, thinking it must have been a fluke, but I couldn’t hit parallel. So I was essentially just squatting with this stupid baby bar, and not even going all the way down. :embarassed: :laugh:

So… with that pathetic image in your head, I have some questions. I really am laughing at myself for being so lame, so feel free to make fun of me, post mocking gifs, whatever. But if someone could also answer my questions I’d appreciate it.
1 – Are squats with a bar on your back supposed to be that much more difficult than goblet squats? I thought it was the other way around. Or do they work another muscle group that I apparently lack?
2 – Should I give up on squatting for now, or just keep squatting the bar as far as I can go and hope to get better?
3 – does it sound like I was doing something wrong, or is it reasonable that a relatively healthy, non-injured woman not be able to squat the bar?
Any other thoughts?

My thoughts....if you can, try squatting in a squat rack....with bar only....
And do this (for both squat rack or smith)

For now, don't go parallel or past parallel......just drop down til your slightly above parallel....
That will be the bottom of your movement...
Move back up to the top, but don't lock out at the top.....keep knees slightly bent....
Do about 4 or 5 sets like that....6 - 10 reps.....
Will help you get the feel for the exercise.....

Then once you feel more comfortable, try dropping back to parallel.....then below parallel.

fivethreeone

it could be worse. You could have put clips on the Smith machine like I did the first time I went to the gym. :laugh:

Seriously though, Smith machine doesn't accommodate your personal movement, you have to adapt to it. I suggest you laugh the experience off and head straight to the barbells. You should be able to squat a 45 lb barbell on your own, given what you've said about your ability.

boku70

When I first started getting into shape (I'm fat again now, but still reasonably fit and active), I felt ridiculous and mock-worthy at the gym. I had to make a conscious decision that what I was doing was *so much more important* than anything a bunch of dumbasses at the gym might think.

Once I got past that, a lot of pressure went away. Don't sweat anything but the exercise. :-)

yo_andi

My guess is it wasn't the weight, but rather has to do with how the smith machine forces your body into a fixed movement path, while with the goblet squat you're free to come forward or backwards a bit. Any force you exert that isn't in the vertical direction isn't going to impact the movement of the bar and may even impair the vertical movement of the bar. In my experience smith machine squats are a 50/50 bet - some people do them just fine, other people (myself included) feel it puts way too much pressure on their knees. I wouldn't give up on them yet, but play with your foot position and work on the form. If you feel pressure in your knees and can't seem to get your feet adjusted properly, I'd just stick with goblets, leg press machines and maybe some accessory work until you get access to a real barbell (just my $0.02).

Brilliant two cents here.

MityMax96

it could be worse. You could have put clips on the Smith machine like I did the first time I went to the gym. :laugh:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

andylllI

You've had a baby 4 months ago, right? The MFP community might jump on me for the totally non-scientific thing I'm about to say but i've had two babies and I didn't squat at all during the last half of my second pregnancy and it was really difficult to get back at it. your pelvis changes shape, relaxin makes things bigger and your biomechanics are different. it takes a while for it to all come back together. So it is possible that wasn't helping you either. Squats also really benefit from pelvic floor and core activation and we all know how pregnancy trashes those areas. My squats got a lot better after several months of focused deep ab muscle work.

swimmermama

You've had a baby 4 months ago, right? The MFP community might jump on me for the totally non-scientific thing I'm about to say but i've had two babies and I didn't squat at all during the last half of my second pregnancy and it was really difficult to get back at it. your pelvis changes shape, relaxin makes things bigger and your biomechanics are different. it takes a while for it to all come back together. So it is possible that wasn't helping you either. Squats also really benefit from pelvic floor and core activation and we all know how pregnancy trashes those areas. My squats got a lot better after several months of focused deep ab muscle work.

I think this is a very good point!

deluxmary2000

it could be worse. You could have put clips on the Smith machine like I did the first time I went to the gym. :laugh:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Ummmm.... are you not supposed to? So if I had put weight on the bar then I wouldn't have needed clips?

Now that I think about it, I guess the clips are to keep the weights from falling off if the bar tilts. And since the smith machine keeps the bar locked horizontally then you probably wouldn't need them. See? I would have made the same dumba$$ mistake. I'm glad you mentioned this. :laugh:

MityMax96

it could be worse. You could have put clips on the Smith machine like I did the first time I went to the gym. :laugh:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Ummmm.... are you not supposed to? So if I had put weight on the bar then I wouldn't have needed clips?

Now that I think about it, I guess the clips are to keep the weights from falling off if the bar tilts. And since the smith machine keeps the bar locked horizontally then you probably wouldn't need them. See? I would have made the same dumba$$ mistake. I'm glad you mentioned this. :laugh:

No, not on a smith rack....clips aren't needed....

Only a few things I would use clips on in the first place......
like short-bar (or EZ bar) barbell curls I would use clips

But bench....squats...nah

deluxmary2000

You've had a baby 4 months ago, right? The MFP community might jump on me for the totally non-scientific thing I'm about to say but i've had two babies and I didn't squat at all during the last half of my second pregnancy and it was really difficult to get back at it. your pelvis changes shape, relaxin makes things bigger and your biomechanics are different. it takes a while for it to all come back together. So it is possible that wasn't helping you either. Squats also really benefit from pelvic floor and core activation and we all know how pregnancy trashes those areas. My squats got a lot better after several months of focused deep ab muscle work.

That could maybe have something to do with it. I had a few issues during my pregnancy so was put on limited mobility (nothing but walking) for almost 5 months. So I went almost 7 months total with essentially zero exercise. But I just keep going back to the fact that the bar was REALLY REALLY REALLY light. And I can do body weight squats pretty easily...

fivethreeone

it could be worse. You could have put clips on the Smith machine like I did the first time I went to the gym. :laugh:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Ummmm.... are you not supposed to? So if I had put weight on the bar then I wouldn't have needed clips?

Now that I think about it, I guess the clips are to keep the weights from falling off if the bar tilts. And since the smith machine keeps the bar locked horizontally then you probably wouldn't need them. See? I would have made the same dumba$$ mistake. I'm glad you mentioned this. :laugh:

No, not on a smith rack....clips aren't needed....

Only a few things I would use clips on in the first place......
like short-bar (or EZ bar) barbell curls I would use clips

But bench....squats...nah

This.

only time I use clips is if I'm deadlifting or hipthrusting with more than two plates on the bar, because things can shift around a bit after they hit the floor a few times. Otherwise, nope.

MMulder68

Don't use the Smith machine. The bar is so much better for many reasons but the most important to me is that it helps you strengthen your core and you have control. Get a friend to spot you and just use the 45# bar. My hubby just stood behind me my first time using the bar and it just gave me confidence that I could do it on my own. He never had to help me. AND by the way, going below parallel is so much better for your knees. I started with the goblet squat then went to holding a 45# plate. It took me a long time because I had a partial knee replacement. ANYWAY, just last week I did ATG (*kitten* to grass, below parallel) squats with the bar and 2-2.5 lb plates. I felt like dancing. Just take your time. You can do it. The bar is so much easier than the goblet or the plates.

AND do not be embarrassed. At least you have the guts to try. Good for you! AND you got up and tried again. You are awesome!

ShellF415

Good story but I was hoping some farting or something.

Me too, if I'm being honest.

Nicola0000

Smith machines are just the worse!!!! Stay well away!! I would get maybe one of the instructors in the gym to show you how to squat. Your technique maybe off which won't help. Or get friendly with someone in the gym, and get them to show you.

I once was doing shoulder presses with a barbell, and didn't move my head out of the way enough as I drove the barbell upwards. Smashed myself straight up the nose, blood everywhere!!!! :laugh: