Barbell squats

Agree - definitely both. Use the Smith Machine to get yourself used to the Front Squat and move to barbell once you feel comfortable.

I'm not sure this is the best option. Because the smith machine forces the bar to one plane, you don't have the same movement as a free bar. The bar doesn't move straight up and down. To get used to the movement, use a light bar or even a broomstick.

Absolutely agree with #JulieWatkin... Smith is not designed for squats. The bar needs to move on the horizontal plane as your body moves in the vertical plane. Smith does not allow this.

Agree - definitely both. Use the Smith Machine to get yourself used to the Front Squat and move to barbell once you feel comfortable.

I'm not sure this is the best option. Because the smith machine forces the bar to one plane, you don't have the same movement as a free bar. The bar doesn't move straight up and down. To get used to the movement, use a light bar or even a broomstick.

I do both. I've just recently found a comfortable grip for front squats. They are more for an accessory to back squats and deadlifts for me. I've noticed a huge difference since upping the weight with front squats as a carryover to other lifts.

Well this will probably start a *kitten* storm...but whatever, just my opinion from my experience. For those with flexibility issues and/or long limbs where regular barbell squats are just a complete disaster, Smith squats can be very effective - IF you move your feet forward. (Please for the love of protein and iron, notice the "IF you move your feet forward part" before you start grinding your teeth and frothing at the mouth)

Keeping your feet well in front of the bar allows you to maintain an upright posture throughout the ROM, and the lack of horizontal bar movement isn't an issue. It's also great if you want to isolate the quads and take the glutes and hams out of the equation because you can stop at or just above parallel, you get constant tension on the quads with little assistance from the posterior chain. Of course you can do that with a barbell too, but its easier to be consistent on the Smith. It's also much easier on the Smith with feet forward to vary foot placement to target specific parts of the quad, a narrow inside shoulder stance really hits the outer quads well.

If you can squat comfortably, completely disregard all of the above. But if you're like many that can't, maybe give it an honest try. Nothing to lose and you might find a way to train your legs effectively without some of the grief.

Well this will probably start a *kitten* storm...but whatever, just my opinion from my experience. For those with flexibility issues and/or long limbs where regular barbell squats are just a complete disaster, Smith squats can be very effective - IF you move your feet forward. (Please for the love of protein and iron, notice the "IF you move your feet forward part" before you start grinding your teeth and frothing at the mouth)

Keeping your feet well in front of the bar allows you to maintain an upright posture throughout the ROM, and the lack of horizontal bar movement isn't an issue. It's also great if you want to isolate the quads and take the glutes and hams out of the equation because you can stop at or just above parallel, you get constant tension on the quads with little assistance from the posterior chain. Of course you can do that with a barbell too, but its easier to be consistent on the Smith. It's also much easier on the Smith with feet forward to vary foot placement to target specific parts of the quad, a narrow inside shoulder stance really hits the outer quads well.

If you can squat comfortably, completely disregard all of the above. But if you're like many that can't, maybe give it an honest try. Nothing to lose and you might find a way to train your legs effectively without some of the grief.

seems like good advice to me, especially for those of us morooned on planet fitness

Well this will probably start a *kitten* storm...but whatever, just my opinion from my experience. For those with flexibility issues and/or long limbs where regular barbell squats are just a complete disaster, Smith squats can be very effective - IF you move your feet forward. (Please for the love of protein and iron, notice the "IF you move your feet forward part" before you start grinding your teeth and frothing at the mouth)

Keeping your feet well in front of the bar allows you to maintain an upright posture throughout the ROM, and the lack of horizontal bar movement isn't an issue. It's also great if you want to isolate the quads and take the glutes and hams out of the equation because you can stop at or just above parallel, you get constant tension on the quads with little assistance from the posterior chain. Of course you can do that with a barbell too, but its easier to be consistent on the Smith. It's also much easier on the Smith with feet forward to vary foot placement to target specific parts of the quad, a narrow inside shoulder stance really hits the outer quads well.

If you can squat comfortably, completely disregard all of the above. But if you're like many that can't, maybe give it an honest try. Nothing to lose and you might find a way to train your legs effectively without some of the grief.

Isn't that more of a hack squat using the smith machine, vs. a fill in for back squats? Hack squats are good accessory, or body building lift, but not a power lifting move, and other than strengthening your quads, will not help your squat that much, unless the weak point in the chain of movement comes from quads.

You're right, similar to a hack squat...but different too. I can't really describe it, but for me at least I can move a lot more weight with this than with the hack. All I can say is try it if your interested, see how it feels. And of course not anything remotely applying to powerlifting, but I thought I made that clear in my post. This is for people looking to prioritize certain areas of the quads, or for those that can't back squat. Like I said, if you can squat comfortably disregard entirely.

Seriously, what is this boards fixation with powerlifting and strength training? I see a few genuine powerlifters on here, hats of to them. But for the average person training with more of a body building style will yield better results. You still get strength gains, but you also get muscle definition and rev up your metabolism and burn more fat.

I have friends that can squat on the smith machine no problem, but personally I find that I cannot place my feet in such a way that I don't feel increased pressure on my knees, even with a trivial amount of weight on the bar.

Seriously, what is this boards fixation with powerlifting and strength training? I see a few genuine powerlifters on here, hats of to them. But for the average person training with more of a body building style will yield better results. You still get strength gains, but you also get muscle definition and rev up your metabolism and burn more fat.

Couldn't tell you but powerlifting movements recommendations are definitely commonplace around here. I wonder if a lot of people simply learned from SS and SL5x5 and now they're passing those recommendations on to others - or perhaps they recommend SS and SL5x5 so often because of the pro-powerlifting culture (sort of a chicken and egg problem, heh).

Totally works different muscles, do both.
Front squats really work your core where back squats are more butt focused.

Build up gradually and the heavier weight won't bother you.