HOW TO SQUAT ON THE SMITH MACHINE 2024

squatting and Smith machine and using this machine is typically a lot easier than people think in this video I'll be breaking down step by step how to use a Smith machine and then how to squat on it with proper form let's get started in order to unwrack the bar and move it freely up and down you'll want to take it off the bar rest just lift the bar up and Roll It Forward keeping it into position the entire time you perform your exercise to your racket roll a bar backwards to place it back on the rest the yellow things here on the bottom are called safeties these are here for if you're ever in the middle of doing a squat for example and are unable to lift the bar back up to your racket you can just set it right on top of the safeties and exit the machine or they can just be used to rest the bar on as well if you prefer to not re-rack it on the hooks the bar itself will typically weigh anywhere from 15 to 25 pounds depending on the specific machine if you'd like to add additional weights you can place plates on both sides of the bar I recommend placing the same amount of weight on each side just to help evenly distribute the weight so one side is not heavier than the other when performing exercises on the Smith machine and really any exercises in general I always recommend starting with the lightest weight possible then when you can comfortably perform 12 to 15 reps with proper form increase the weight in this case when doing a new exercise on the Smith machine if you're not sure how much wood to use perform their exercise with just the bar and no additional weight just yet when you can do 12 to 15 reps without exercise with good form then feel free to add plates to the bar because the Smith machine's bar can only be moved up and down it is literally impossible for the plates to slide off the side therefore you do not need to put clams on the outsides of the plates so don't worry about this extra step it's only when you're using a free weight barbell that can be moved around that you need the clamps to keep the plates in place the Smith machine can often get a bad wrap mostly because people argue that squatting on the Smith machine does not allow for as great a recruitment of your stabilizer muscles which is true however it's important to note that machines are here so that you can perform movements that you otherwise would not be able to do with free weights like dumbbells otherwise if we could do everything with just our body weight or free weights we would not need machines at all machines like the Smith machine allow your body to work and move in a ways that free weights don't each have their time and place and neither is right or wrong also I think the Smith machine can be a great traditional piece of equipment to use if you're working your way up to using a barbell regardless the Smith machine is a great option for many people so never let anyone tell you that the Smith machine is a poor piece of equipment to use if you know when and how to use it it is an amazing machine at the gym to include in your workouts if you enjoy breaking down exercises like this and would like personalized feedback on your own exercises is I am currently taking a one-on-one coaching clients and I love helping my clients refine their exercise form to maximize their workouts and progress with their exercise knowledge I also help to ensure that the foods you eat nourish your body and get you the results that you want to see if you're ready to take the next big step in your fitness journey fill out my one-on-one coaching application linked Down Below in the description let's work towards and read your goals together babe first of all the squad is a compound movement that works the entire body with the focus on the lower body well I'll show you the basics of proper squat form today please keep in mind that everyone's ideal or perfect squat form will look different as everyone's body proportions and personal preferences are not the same so your squad does not have to look exactly like a mine or anyone else is at the gym just to be correct and vice versa when squatting in the Smith machine you want to start with the bar on the rest so that it is just at about armpit height you'll know it's too high if you have to tiptoe to lift the bar up and out of the rest to start their exercise really the bar should be at a starting point so that all you have to do is squeeze your exclusive push your hips forward slightly to bring the bar out from the rest to begin the exercise if there's not a perfect starting height for you it's always better to choose a lower height than higher when you first start squatting this little form Cube and not make a big difference but once you start lifting heavier and especially when you transition over to a barbell this small tip can be crucial your feet should be positioned right under or right outside of your shoulder so that your knees point in the same direction as your toes when you are in the lowest point of the squat feel free to play around a bit and see what foot position is best and most comfortable for you whether that's toe Straight Ahead or slightly pointed out your feet should also remain flat on the ground at all times to provide a stable foundation for the movement avoid caving your knees in towards each other as well as lifting your heels up the bar should be resting on the back of your shoulders like you see here if you place it too high up on your neck you'll most likely experience a bit of pain so make sure to simply lower it down a bit if it's too painful for you for most people your hands should be positioned right outside your shoulders this helps to keep your body centered so you can control the weight and movement if this is uncomfortable for you feel free to move your hands out towards the ends of the bars a little more from here simply bend your knees and lower your booty down as if you're sitting back on an imaginary chair squat a slow as you comfortably can without rounding your lower back from here contract your glutes to push your hips forward and return back to your starting position right before each rep inhale and contract your core I'd like to describe Contracting your core as both squeezing your abs and pushing your stomach out from the inside like if you were to pretend having a food baby Contracting your car like this will help make a sturdier foundation for the weight so that your midsection is not flimsy and malleable maintaining a neutral spine and utilizing a posterior pelvic tilt will be keyed throughout this exercise to help prevent back injury and pain while maintaining a neutral spine does not mean that your spine has to be in a perfect line at all times you do want to make sure that your entire spine neck and head all follow each other throughout the movement with no excessive rounding of those shoulders or lower back as well as no hyperextension of the lower back when using a posterior pelvic tilt your pelvis is essentially tugged forward like a dog tucking its tail between its legs while it's not as glamorous or aesthetically appealing as popping the booty out this will help you keep your core tight and spine neutral for a stronger and more controlled lift so that you're less prone to injury and that is sexy and then we just went over quite a bit so let's go ahead and review real quick first start with the bar on the rest at about armpit height position the bar so that it's behind your shoulders and not on your neck hands should be placed on the bar right outside your shoulders position your feet right under or right outside your shoulder so that your knees point in the same direction as your toes when you're done in the squat inhale and contract your core right before the wrap utilizing that posterior pelvic tilt with your hips tucked forward like a dog tuckman's tail between its legs lower yourself down into the squat as slow as you can without rounding your lower back and keeping your spine neutral then contract your glutes to push your hips forward and return back to your starting position exhaling as you go back up now that we know what to do let's go over common mistakes to avoid keep in mind that these things are so easy to do and that many of the people who do them aren't even aware that they're doing them there's definitely a lot that goes into a seemingly simple exercise like the squat so give yourself some grace and patience as you learn and practice this exercise my whole entire outfit is from are active and wearing the Timeless leggings and Timeless square neck bralette both in the color fuchsia size small well tops and bottoms are true to size and the leggings are completely squat proof so you cannot see any underwear or booty crack through the material when in a full-on squat while the leggings are not booty scrunched you are able to pull them up the booty crack if you so desire to help accentuate the glutes but if you prefer not to you definitely don't have to regardless these are your perfect classic gym legging that you can never go wrong with the squirrel neck robot has removable pads and is a more full coverage and high impact bra both pieces are staple pieces every gym babe and needs in their wardrobe so don't sleep on these bestie my support link to shop is in the description drop a comment down below as well if you have any questions about honor actives pieces thank you guys so much for your continuous love and support I appreciate you first like I was saying earlier avoid placing the bar too high up on your neck this not only is painful but it also makes it difficult to maintain a neutral spine as your chin will naturally tilt upwards when the bar is on your neck putting more pressure on your spine and making you more prone to injury I know it might look too low at first but by simply moving the bar down a little bit it eliminates the pain of the bar on your neck and provides more cushion for the bar to rest on foreign [Music] next avoid lifting your heels off the ground your feet should remain flat on the ground at all times to provide a stable foundation for the movement if you find that your heels are coming off the ground play around with different feet positions to see if something else might work better for you whether that's be closer together or pointing outwards slightly third avoid caving your knees in towards each other make sure that your knees are pointing in the same direction as your toes as you go down and back up throughout the squat you may see those that are more advanced opt for their knees caving in through specific parts of a squat but keep in mind that these are typically much more advanced lifters who are lifting significantly heavy for beginners to intermediates not training for strength I recommend to avoid knees caving in moving on avoid hyper extending your lower back AKA excessively popping your booty out Simply put this makes it impossible to keep your spine neutral throughout the movement which places more unnecessary stress on your lower back and makes you more prone to injury not to mention it'll also make it more difficult to lift heavier as you progress [Music] [Music] foreign you also want to avoid splitting the exercise up into separate movements the squash should be one fluid movement with their muscles working all together at the same time avoid excessively facing your chest down leading with your booty as you go back up to starting a position and also dropping your body down into the squat do your best to make sure that your body works as one seamless unit to execute the exercise control the weight never let it control you lastly I want to emphasize that good form is always more impressive than lifting heavy it's important to get comfortable with an exercise first before adding more weight and it's never worth a potential injury to lift heavy versus safe ask for help if you ever need it and that's all there is to it babes for more of my exercise tutorials check out my playlist Linked In the description to stay up to date on more videos like this make sure to give this video a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel thanks so much for stopping by and I can't wait to see you guys in the next one foreign