Squat

[Bodycount69]

I have been having a rough time with my back swelling up on me when I do squats.  I was just wondering if there is any difference between doing squats in the Smith Machine or doing them Free Weights??

[240 or bust]

Try doing more deadlifts, good mornings, and hyperextensions to strengthen your lower back/lumbar region. 

Doing them in the smith machine, you can put your feet in front and focus more on glutes and hams.

But I'd do every 4 out of 5 workouts on free weight squats, at least.  Nothing helps your whole body grow more.


Also, do you wear a belt? Helps a lot.

[loler]

I have been having a rough time with my back swelling up on me when I do squats.  I was just wondering if there is any difference between doing squats in the Smith Machine or doing them Free Weights??

your lower back is rounding when you squat, stop doing that

[Ledd]

Yeah it helps to have your back slightly arched.

[Bossa]

break at your hips first, not your knees.  This should eliminate some of the forward lean which can fry your back.   

[Princess L]

 I was just wondering if there is any difference between doing squats in the Smith Machine or doing them Free Weights??

The Smith machine locks you into a fixed plane of motion, which develops what is called 'pattern overload syndrome'. This was coined by Paul Chek and is explained as:

People get a pattern overload from using the Smith machine. The more fixed the object, the more likely you are to develop a pattern overload. This is due to the fact that training in a fixed pathway repetitively loads the same muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints in the same pattern, encouraging micro-trauma that eventually leads to injury. If Johnny Lunchpail always uses a Smith machine for his bench presses, he ends up working the same fibers of the prime movers in the bench press all of the time: triceps brachii, pectoralis major, long-head of the biceps, anterior deltoids, and serratus anterior. But he can't change the pathway, the bar will always be in the same position. This commonly leads to chronic injury over time. The weight is stabilized for you. However, the joints operate in multiple planes. Use of the Smith machine, greatly decreases stabilizer activity. That creates a problem when the trainee returns to free-weight training. When that happens, the trainee is exposed to the three-dimensional environment called real life.

This clearly applies to any exercise. Because of the mechanics of the knee joint, the body will alter the natural bar pathway during a free-weight squat to accommodate efficient movement at the knee. A fixed bar pathway doesn't allow alteration of this pathway for efficient movement of the joint, thereby predisposing the knee to harmful overload via lack of accommodation.

If your feet are out in front of you, you tend to push 'back' against the bar. Doing so forces the hamstrings to function as extensors which decreases their protective effects on the knee - the result is increased sheering force on the knee. Again, over time, chronic injury.

Some might bring up the issue of 'knees going over the toes' with free bar/full squats. It's a simple biomechanical misunderstanding.

See the following:

If one were to assess knee injuries in athletic (read as: sport) environments, it becomes apparent that a high percentage of patellar trauma cases are sustained while the knee is beyond the all-sacred toe-line. In a misguided attempt to avoid knee injuries, the exercise community has therefore made this knee position taboo. In reality, the opposite reaction would have been preferential. Since this knee position is unavoidable in sports, or even in everyday life (try walking up or down stairs or a hill without your knee crossing your toe line) the proper way to prevent injuries is to strengthen the musculature around the joint by allowing the knee to travel into the “unsafe” zone in a controlled environment.

All joints contain feedback mechanisms inside the connective tissue and joint capsules called proprioceptors. These communicate with your nervous system to tell your brain what position your joint is at. This is how you can close your eyes and be aware of exactly what angle all of your joints are at without actually seeing them. To simplify a complicated issue, the more time you spend with your knee past your toe-line, the more you teach your nervous system to activate the protective soft tissue around the joint therefore PREVENTING injury during athletic situations (Supertraining, Siff & Verkoshansky, 1993). Close your eyes and think of a highly succesful strength coach.  Somehow, this news just doesn’t buy column space in Muscle and Fatness

Learn how to squat with a bar.

[candidate2022 5]

I have been having a rough time with my back swelling up on me when I do squats.  I was just wondering if there is any difference between doing squats in the Smith Machine or doing them Free Weights??

i had the same prob when i first doing squats...

so i stopped using addded weigth on hyper extensions when i didn them on back day...and the pain went away.    i dont k nwo if thats your prob or not..but worked for me

[dontknowit]

There's a fact that a lot of peope oversee. Some people just can't do heavy squats. If your one of them, the don't do them. It's as simple as that. People with long legs, en small upperbody tend to have serious problems with squatting. Longer people in general, +2 meters (6,5 feet?), have the same problem.
If you had a hernia, or other serious backinjurie, start slowly.
Or maybe it's a simple problem, and you tend to overtrain your abs and/or back to much or maybe a bad posture at work/general or you're wering a bad belt, too tight?

Start with a heavy legpress, en do the squat second, but just don't push it. You know when to stop, nobody else.

[Geo]

I have been having a rough time with my back swelling up on me when I do squats.  I was just wondering if there is any difference between doing squats in the Smith Machine or doing them Free Weights??

smiths are a waste of space in whatever gym ya find them in

[Aido]

smiths are a waste of space in whatever gym ya find them in

Another intelligent point from a Getbigger.

When your squatting,

a) lower the weight
b) concentrate on your form

If after a few weeks the movement is still hurting you just stop doing it.

Sure the squat is great, but having a uninjured back is better.

[JPM]

May want to have the heels raised on a 2X4 or a couple of larger plates, to shift the weight load more on the quads rather than the total back/hip/glute area. Even doing front squats could reduce the tension on the back area somewhat. Be sure to keep the bar high up on the neck/traps (BB'ing squat) and in line with the body. A bad habit is leaning forward when doing BB'ing squats, which most times is due to too heavy a weight. Breathing deeply and throwing out the chest and looking up a bit can also help somewhat in keeping the body in line.

Squats, like the DL, are not for every body type. They are both learning exercises and should be approached with caution at first. One of the problems may be that too many people try to rush the weight, using too much, too soon before proper style/form is achieved. Footing/stance has a lot to do with successful squating ( and DL's). GoodMornings are a great movement to help with giving more ability/strength to the lower back for squating. Also work the abs with equal attention. Good Luck.

[Bear03]

Smith machine is good for when you're legs are too fatigued to keep going with regular squats.  This means BB first, Smith second (or later in workout). 

[Negative05]

Take off some weight first of all.  Go light for a week or two and get the form down.  Sounds like you are bending your back too much on the descent.  To fix this just drop your ass first.  Yes, drop that ass white boy and let it lead you down.  When you do this you will immediately feel intense pressure on your quads and your back will not hurt.  When you get to the bottom push up through the heels and this will keep your back from bending on the way up.

At first you will be a little weaker...maybe like 25 lbs on the working weight.  But the payoff is your quads will grow!  Once you perfect this, lol, watch what happens whenever you go to the squat rack.  People will see you controlling the weight and going all the way down and up.  They will quickly leave the leg area.  It is quite comical to watch and you will feel great.

[Gary]

To fix this just drop your ass first.  Yes, drop that ass white boy and let it lead you down.

Tru dat.  After so many years of lifting, I hardly ever see a newb squat correctly the first time, thereby learning improper technique. 

Westside barbell folks have the best technique for learning to squat correctly but adapted to BB standards, i.e. feet closer together than a powerlifting style of squatting.  Whenever I had newbs use a box or anything they can sit on at the right level for them with a solid front, they invariably and by default squatted correctly.  Placing your heels to the front of the box, not underneath which is the reason for a solid front, you sahould sit back on the seat area and concentrate on leading with the ass.  This is the correct plane to squat and you should be able to keep your upper region erect with minimal lean.  I still sometimes box squat just to ensure my technique is not suffering.  I have a very low box to which I just add some 35's on top to reach the right height.  Not supposed to use the box to stop the descension but just touch and go. Tighten the abs and lead with the ass going down and lead with the head coming up to keep from leaning on the ascension.

[Gary]

PS....do NOT do a standard squat with the Smith.  It is an incorrect pathway and can cause serious damage over time.  I have used the Smith for front squats though due to the change in the center of gravity and the ease of controlling the bar on your shoulders.

[pumpster]

-Consider changing your form, and ensure the back is well warmed up before starting.

-Try regular and front squats, and stay with any of them that don't cause problems. Smith machine's annatural and should be avoided IMO.

If all create problems and your form's good, do leg presses and forget squats.

[619Rules]

shut the f**k up already.  You don't know shit!

Crunchbar has yet ANOTHER handle...please help us

[619Rules]

shut the f**k up already.  You don't know shit!

Great, the blind telling those that can see how to lead the way...right.....weed, do you still eat peanut butter and dick sandwiches?

BTW-when are you going to start posting under your own account again?