Why is smith machine bad

In any movement that a human performs, almost never are the same muscles or patterns of movement replicated. This is obviously not new to machine training, but with the Smith Machine this becomes even more complicated. A squatting movement is rather complex, especially considering the variations that are available. Even though the bar does not look as though it moves but up and down, all the joints are revolving and this simple movement is not simple.

The Smith Machine locks into a very unnatural movement pattern which has the potential to stress inappropriate structures and not train the body in various planes.

How is this fixed? Really easily, just do the free weight equivalent. If you are worried about getting pinned then you have two options. Work within a power rack in which you can set the bars to help you if you do get stuck, secondly, don't work till failure. As I have stated on numerous occassions you do not need to train to failure to have phenomenal success in the gym. You can adjust the width of your stance based on comfort, flexibility and whether you want to shift the emphasis to different muscles.

With a narrower stance and or a more vertical trunk and high bar position , the squat becomes more quad dominant. With a wider stance and or more forward trunk inclination and low bar position , it becomes more hip and glute dominant, with greater demand on the low back.

Many people place their feet forward during Smith squats thinking it will make the exercise more like a hack squat, working the quads more and straining the low back less.

This topic is greatly misunderstood. Although the quads remain engaged, placing your feet forward during the Smith squat actually brings the hamstrings and glutes more into play. It may also reduce the amount of weight you can lift, and if you do attempt to go heavy and or deep on feet-forward Smith squats, the low back can be placed in a compromised position.

Putting your feet forward slightly is an acceptable variation of the Smith machine squat, but squatting with your feet far out in front is not the optimal way to squat for strength or quad size and it's not the ideal way to directly build your glutes and hams compared to hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, and leg curls. In addition to increasing low back pain risk, exaggerating the forward foot position to the point you are leaning back into the bar like a hack squat can also create an unnatural body position that simply feels weaker and more awkward.

If you want a more quad dominant squat, my recommendation is front squats, or simply use the hack squat machine, if it's available.

The feet-forward Smith machine squat is not the same thing as a hack machine squat. If you do feet-forward Smith machine squats, you might consider doing them later in your leg workout, with moderate or lighter weights.

Getting stronger on a Smith machine won't necessarily translate to an improvement or even maintenance of your free weight squat, but using the same form as you would with the barbell and free weights gives you the highest chance of carryover. The standard squat form is also least likely to cause an injury, whereas using unusual foot positions forward or backward presents a higher risk of injury. Many people go to the Smith machine thinking it will be easier on their joints and safer on all levels.

But if you do Smith machine squats with any foot and body position other than duplicating a regular back squat, it's possible you may impose unnatural stresses on your joints.

If your feet are too far back, you reduce strain on the lumbar area but increase strain on the knees. If you put your feet too far forward, you reduce strain on the knees but increase low back pain risk. These stresses are amplified the heavier you go. Since machines are considered easier in many ways, it's common to hear that you should learn how to squat on a Smith machine first, then later move to free weights.

The reverse is probably true. If you've never learned to squat with free weights, but squat in a Smith machine, you don't know what a normal squat is supposed to feel like, and you're far more likely to squat in unnatural positions. It would be wiser for beginners to do a goblet squat with a dumbbell first, then move to barbell free weights, and only then put Smith machine squats into the mix for variety. Barbells and free weights are considered superior to machines in many ways, especially when training for maximum strength, power and sports performance.

On the other hand, there's a dogma circulating through the fitness community that not only are machines inferior, they're dangerous. The Smith machine is one of the biggest scapegoats, but there's little evidence that anything is inherently dangerous about a Smith machine. From the viewpoint of built-in safety features, injuries are less likely in Smith machines. Some people with a history of low back injury, myself included, find that incidence of low back pain is much lower when squatting on the Smith machine compared to with free weights.

One argument against machines is that stabilizer muscles are not developed because balance is not required. This is true in many cases, but stabilizers can be developed with other exercises, including direct ab and core work, so using machines is no indication that you'll have a weak core or be susceptible to injury.

Ironically, in this case, EMG studies from the University of Saskatchewan have shown that in the Smith machine squat, the stabilizers are in fact activated in the core. Some people don't care if stabilizing muscles aren't worked.

Bodybuilders often prefer Smith machines because they can isolate a muscle better and get a better contraction when balancing a bar is taken out of the picture.

Another argument against Smith machines is that there's something unnatural about the movement because it's constrained to a single straight path which makes the exercise somehow dangerous. Once again, the same applies for squats. Rather than standing in the same position when doing squats we can step forward and vary our feet width to shift the load in order to activate the targeted muscle or muscle group.

Plus front squats are easier for most to do on smiths — this is practically a different exercise to back squats, so adding this to your repertoire is priceless. For the record I hate to doing barbell front squats because my wrists are torched from heavy benching, so the smith machine is the only way I would do this great exercise. The main argument against using smith machine was that they cause injuries due to muscle imbalances and weaknesses after prolonged use.

Ironically the opposite is true, smith machines are frequently used in rehab to help build and strengthen the injured muscle. That is why you see them in elite sporting facilities. When an athlete is recovering from an injury and the joint is unstable, the smith machine allows them to work muscle groups with greater stability.

The smith machine is also a great tool to prevent injuries, as it is much safer to do some exercises when training by yourself. When benching at the extremes like I do, lifting off the j-hooks without a spotter can be potentially dangerous as I have to overextend my shoulders which exposes me to risk of injury. We all have those days in the gym where we feel super strong and you want to push hard.

But if there is no one here to give me a spot I might steer clear of the barbell bench press. Doing this I have complete confidence, even going for a rep that I am doubtful as I know I can always lock out part way through the rep. It is this sort of extreme effort that helps to redefine your boundaries.

No matter what your experience level, and not just for the smith machine, to avoid injury it is all about correct positioning. You have to remember that barbell on the smith machine is fixed and will only move in a vertical line, so you compensate for this by correctly positioning your body. For bench press again, rather than positioning yourself in the un-racking position you have to place yourself in a position which would allow you to lower the bar in the same spot as you would do in free weight training.

It is the little things in training which makes the difference between reaching optimum results and injuring yourself. Each of us are built differently, meaning what works for me might not work for you. Smith machine squats are a great way to get moving towards a barbell squat. And the perfect accessory exercise once you are there. For some people they simply do not like barbell squats.

So smith machine squats are a great alternative that work most of the same muscles. So my question is — Is squatting on a smith machine better than not squatting at all? Remember the most important part above all about this debate is that we must always enjoy our training. Referring back to the initial comment, training on a smith machine will give you sub-par athletic results.