Squat machine? Smith machine?

bbloomer
bbloomer Posts: 14 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I travel to Houston every week for work and I use the gym at the hotel in which I'm staying. It's a fairly nice gym with a full rack of dumbells, several lifting machines and the usual treadmills, elipticals, and stationary bikes. I would really like to do heavy squats but my options are a squat machine (lay at an incline while pressing a plate up and down with your feet/legs) or a smith machine. I've read Mehdi's Stronglifts 5x5 and he is highly opposed to the smith machine, but this is the only opinion I have really found, including an MFP search.

I'm really not stressing about this cause I am at least doing some sort of a leg workout, I would just like to hear your opinions and/or any research you've found regarding either the squat machine or smith machine...or even dumbbell workouts. Your comments are much appreciated!

Replies

  • bbloomer
    bbloomer Posts: 14 Member
    btt
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I'd say if you can get the leg press machine heavy enough to matter then leg press. The Smith machine has it's uses but I'd say it's more for isolation work than real powerlifting type work. Plus, it's so easy to hurt yourself on the Smith machine because it locks in your range of motion and doesn't let your body to move naturally. The other option is to try and find a local gym when you're on the road. A barbell squat has more advantages to it than what the Smith machine can give you, they're not the same thing.
  • bbloomer
    bbloomer Posts: 14 Member
    Ah...leg press! Thank you for correcting me...pretty new to the lifting game. The leg press does allow for free weights instead of the square plate and pulley system like every other machine, so I am able to get quite a bit of weight on there. And it does feel more natural than the smith machine as well.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Ah...leg press! Thank you for correcting me...pretty new to the lifting game. The leg press does allow for free weights instead of the square plate and pulley system like every other machine, so I am able to get quite a bit of weight on there. And it does feel more natural than the smith machine as well.

    Ha, no problem. I just call them by what I know them as. Some lifts have so many different names. LOL.

    Yeah, I don't personally like the Smith Machine because of that reason. I don't like much of any machines for that matter. Although if you can find Hammer Strength machines they're actually pretty nice to use as supporting exercises.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    When I travel and am limited i use the heavy handweights (use gloves/straps) and do single leg squats. Same basic sit back motion, but with one leg behind me on a bench. Do a few with no weight to get the motion and balance and make sure you are feeling in in the right places before adding heavy weights.
  • bbloomer
    bbloomer Posts: 14 Member
    When I travel and am limited i use the heavy handweights (use gloves/straps) and do single leg squats. Same basic sit back motion, but with one leg behind me on a bench. Do a few with no weight to get the motion and balance and make sure you are feeling in in the right places before adding heavy weights.

    Great idea! Thanks for the suggestion!

Categories