Squats in Smith for girls and men: technique of performing in Smith

Smith squats are perhaps the most popular exercise among all athletes who visit the gym. The machine allows you to perform many different variations of squats and can be used in exercises that require balance. The Smith machine is the most sought-after and must-have equipment in any gym. Do you know what she is? If not, read below; if you bought a subscription, you can’t do without this knowledge!

What are Smith Squats?

We will look at the technique of performing squats in Smith for girls and men below, and now we will explain what kind of miracle device this is.

The Smith machine is a simulator that consists of a metal frame with a bar attached inside. The latter moves up and down or vice versa. The athlete puts weight on the bar, stands under the frame and begins to squat. Thanks to the simulator, it will not deviate either forward or backward, which means it will perform the technique as correctly as possible.

Squats in the Smith machine allow you to minimize the load on your back, and also, they do not violate safety regulations, which is very important for beginners.

Features of the simulator

The Smith machine is a structure consisting of two racks and a barbell that moves along them in a vertical position. There are special hooks on the barbell that cling to the stops on the rack. This makes loaded squats a safe exercise - if the athlete feels that it is too difficult to stand up with the barbell, he can simply hook it onto the rack stop.

Performing squats with the help of such a machine is easier compared to the same exercise, but with free weight. The core muscles, in this case, are less involved, since there is no need to constantly control the position of the body. That is why you should give preference to such a simulator, especially for girls.

Advantages of the machine

Before moving on to free weight squats, it is recommended to master the technique on the Smith machine. The latter prevents the body from falling either backward or forward, thereby making the task easier and allowing you to better understand the algorithm of actions;
The device allows you to exercise without a spotter, which is mandatory when working with free weights;
The machine makes it possible to forget about maintaining balance - it is an indestructible fulcrum;
This is the best simulator for practicing the technique of any squat;
The Smith machine allows athletes with knee problems to do squats. It allows you to control the depth of the squats and the position of the legs;
The device minimizes the risk of injury;
In the simulator you can perform any exercises, not just those aimed at pumping your legs.

If you are interested in its shortcomings, there are practically none. Perhaps the simulator makes the task easier, but to grow muscle mass, the load should be constantly increased. Sooner or later you will have to leave the comfort of the rack and move on to free weight squats. Or you can simply gradually add other types of exercise (for example, hack lunges or the classic version with dumbbells).

What muscles work

Of course, the focus is on the same muscles that work in barbell squats. The gluteal muscles are responsible for extending the body at the hip joint, while the quadriceps extend the legs at the knee joints. The back and core muscles work to keep the spine in a natural position.

Due to the technique, since our legs are slightly forward, the back surface of the thigh is involved in the work.

Smith Squat Technique

The technique of squatting in a Smith machine with a barbell is no different for women and men. The only thing is that the latter prefer to work with heavier weights, since most often they strive to build muscle. And the first is more important than a beautiful figure and burning calories, so they work with less weight, but with a greater number of repetitions and approaches.

Let's look at the deep squat technique in Smith for the buttocks for girls:

Do a warm-up, the purpose of which is to warm up the muscles well;
Adjust the height of the bar so that you stand level under it, not on your toes;
Stand inward so that the bar is between your neck and shoulder blades;
During a squat, the shoulder blades should come as close as possible to each other;
Place your legs slightly behind the bar - this will make you more stable;
Before starting squats, rotate the bar slightly to remove it from the holders on the frame, while keeping your elbows as high as possible;
As you inhale, lower yourself down, while your knees should not go beyond the line of your toes, your pelvis should be slightly pulled back, and your body should be tilted forward;
When you reach the bottom point, immediately begin a smooth rise, while exhaling;
Perform the required number of repetitions.

Common mistakes

You are afraid to move your pelvis back enough. It turns out that when you squat, you move a little forward from under the bar. In this case, the load on the spine sharply increases. You may injure him. Smith squats will prevent you from falling, don't be afraid to stand correctly. Just do it and you will understand everything yourself.
As a consequence of the previous mistake, your knees extend too far beyond your toes. In general, the load is distributed not along a physiologically correct straight line (through the whole body), but partially on the spine and knees. In addition to lower back injuries, you can also damage them.
Elbows do not point up. In fact, not everyone can hold their elbows in this position. For some this is very difficult. Especially for girls. If you can't do this, bring your shoulder blades as close to each other as possible and grab the bar tightly to anchor your body under it.
You are afraid of falling and do not lean on the bar. In this case, you stand directly under the barbell and try to do the exercise. From the outside it looks extremely disgusting, and your body is under a harmful strain. As you understand, in this case it is impossible to talk about pumping up the quadriceps and buttocks. If you do not have a competent partner or trainer (he may be busy at this moment), pay attention to your pelvis. If he moves back and forth during the squat, you are standing directly under the barbell. Step forward and lean on the bar.
A common mistake people make with an inelastic Achilles tendon (the one that runs from the calf to the heel) is squatting on their toes. Although the Smith machine avoids many injuries, in this case it can cause damage to the joints of the body.

Variations of the exercise

So, we have studied the Smith squat technique for men and women, and now let’s look at what options exist for working with this apparatus:

Squats from the knee. This is a difficult exercise that puts a lot of stress on the knees, but allows you to effectively work all the thigh muscles. It is performed only by experienced athletes with good physical training;
Smith squats with a narrow leg stance work the front of the quadriceps;
Smith squats with a wide stance effectively pump up the inner thigh muscles, as well as the buttocks. During execution, it is important not to bring your knees together and make sure that your toes are in the same line so that the load on both legs is equal;
If you place your feet shoulder-width apart, the lateral thigh muscles, as well as the internal ones, will receive the main load;
In addition to the classic ones, you can also do front squats in Smith, when the barbell is located in front of the chest, and not behind the back. The difference is in the technique - you need to keep the body perfectly vertical.

Foot placement options

Depending on the desired result, different options for placing the feet on the platform are used:

Narrow (feet side by side) - emphasis on the lateral head of the quadriceps
Wide (shoulder level and wider) - emphasis on the medial head and adductors (adductor muscles of the thigh)
High (feet at the top edge of the platform) - emphasis on the hamstrings and buttocks
Low (feet at the lower edge of the platform) - emphasis on the front surface of the thigh
Reverse hack squats (facing the machine) - focus on the buttocks

Types of leg placement in the Hack machine

Precautions and contraindications

Finally, please read the important points regarding your health safety. Girls who exercise often and a lot should not get carried away with weights, as this can affect the health of the reproductive system. Remember, the weight must be adequate, and records are often set to the detriment of health. Also, forget about the exercise machine during pregnancy and breastfeeding. And in general, this time is not for strength training.

Also, such exercises are contraindicated for people with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, varicose veins, glaucoma, anemia, fever, and after surgery. Heart patients and athletes with respiratory problems should exercise with caution. If you have a chronic illness, it is important to consult your doctor before starting exercise. Be healthy!

Tips for pumping up the quadriceps

Interesting fact: Tom Platz, a famous bodybuilder and actor, performed squats with a barbell, took a weight of 260 kg and squatted until his leg muscles completely failed. With a body weight of 104 kg, Tom squatted 286 kg 15 times, 158 kg 52 times and held 225 kg for 10 minutes on straight legs.
Thomas Steven Platz, nicknamed "Kvadrobatya"

For the development of the quadriceps, front squats with a barbell and hack squats are considered the most effective. Let's evaluate these exercises.

A front squat with a barbell requires strong back muscles, otherwise the bar will collapse, and the back gets tired quickly, even before the legs begin to pump. Therefore, the result is achieved by correctly selecting the number of approaches, alternating load with rest and pre-exhaustion of the quadriceps before starting the barbell squat.
The hack squat allows you to isolate the quadriceps and thereby build an impressive front of the thighs. In this case, the question of back fatigue does not arise, because the weight of the bar falls not on the shoulders, but on the legs. Therefore, it is believed that hack squats have advantages over front squats.

Security Recommendations

How to save your knees

Protecting the lower back muscles

To avoid knee injuries and excessive stress on the joints of the legs: - Before hack squats, warm up the ligaments and joints, do a warm-up complex or one of the types of stretching - Downward movements in the machine are performed smoothly, without jerking - The knees in the squat do not go beyond the toes - Push platform weighted with your heels, not your toes—Do not straighten your knees completely. This will keep tension in the muscles and relieve stress on the joints.

— Don’t lower your head, look forward — Don’t lift your back from the platform, if your lower back moves away — don’t sit lower

Efficiency

When doing squats on a Hackenschmidt machine, their effectiveness increases due to full concentration on observing the correct technique for performing the exercise. Also, the simulator is designed in such a way that with minor loads on the body, it is possible to qualitatively pump a large number of muscle fibers of the legs and buttocks, while engaging some of the abdominal and back muscles.

You can increase the effectiveness of the simulator by following the basic rules:

When building muscle mass, use the maximum allowable weight, and if you need to create relief, use the minimum weight.
The speed of movement on the simulator is slow and without jerking.
The body is perfectly level and the head, shoulders and buttocks are in contact with the back of the machine at all stages of squats.
Flexion of the knee joints is carried out only vertically, without moving them apart.
The location of the foot in classic squats is 20-35 cm in front of the body axis and parallel to each other.
When performing squats, do not allow your knees to go beyond the toes and your heels to come off the base of the machine.
Stopping while performing exercises is not allowed. It is necessary to slowly and smoothly complete the full number of repetitions included in one set.

By following the basic rules, increasing the effectiveness of training on the Hackenschmidt simulator will not be difficult. An integrated approach to the formation of a sports body, including the main components of successful training such as proper nutrition, adequate sleep, vitaminization of the body and a systematic training process will speed up the process of creating powerful legs.