Comments on: Why You Should Always Squat With Free Weights http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/ Build Muscle & Lose Fat Through Strength Training Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:24:18 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Power King http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-17926 Power King Sat, 08 Mar 2008 02:05:49 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-17926 I agree with you mehdi. squats are definately better from a power rack. I used to use the smith but couldnt make any significant gains and didnt know why. One day i walked into the gym for a leg workout and saw a guy doing sqauts from the power rack with 405 lbs for 6 reps for a warm up and and asked him how the hell he squated so much. He replied simply " Use the power rack and you will get results ". So I did and my squat went from 300 lbs to 405 lbs in about a month and a half. " THE SMITH IS FOR PUSSY'S " I agree with you mehdi. squats are definately better from a power rack. I used to use the smith but couldnt make any significant gains and didnt know why. One day i walked into the gym for a leg workout and saw a guy doing sqauts from the power rack with 405 lbs for 6 reps for a warm up and and asked him how the hell he squated so much. He replied simply ” Use the power rack and you will get results “. So I did and my squat went from 300 lbs to 405 lbs in about a month and a half. ” THE SMITH IS FOR PUSSY’S “

]]> By: Jeffery Patch http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4325 Jeffery Patch Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:47:37 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4325 Amen! I started on the smith machine for a couple of months because it was less scary. I made no gains. Once I switched to the power rack I was able to increase my lifts tremendously. It seems so obvious now, but as a newbie I had no idea. Amen! I started on the smith machine for a couple of months because it was less scary. I made no gains.

Once I switched to the power rack I was able to increase my lifts tremendously. It seems so obvious now, but as a newbie I had no idea.

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4243 Mehdi Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:18:07 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4243 If your squat technique is right, but your knees hurt: check the joint below or above. Ankles or hips. One of them (or both) is not functioning correctly. Lack of ankle/hip mobility is very common. And when you have it, the knee has to overcompensate. Unfortunately the knee is designed for stability, not mobility, so you get trouble. Pain. If your squat technique is right, but your knees hurt: check the joint below or above. Ankles or hips. One of them (or both) is not functioning correctly. Lack of ankle/hip mobility is very common. And when you have it, the knee has to overcompensate. Unfortunately the knee is designed for stability, not mobility, so you get trouble. Pain.

]]> By: wazzup http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4242 wazzup Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:02:34 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4242 Well... I don't like the smith machine either very much, so give me some time to come up with a good example. ... lower back problems indeed, but maybe it's also a better alternative when doing leg movements to exhaustion. Getting an injury because you're too exhausted is worse then using a smith with adjustable safeties. also, personally I just leg press at the moment due to a buggy knee... squats hurt, leg presses and extensions don't. (haven't tried the smith though, only use it for shrugs, shoulder presses and to hang my towel) Well… I don’t like the smith machine either very much, so give me some time to come up with a good example. … lower back problems indeed, but maybe it’s also a better alternative when doing leg movements to exhaustion. Getting an injury because you’re too exhausted is worse then using a smith with adjustable safeties.

also, personally I just leg press at the moment due to a buggy knee… squats hurt, leg presses and extensions don’t. (haven’t tried the smith though, only use it for shrugs, shoulder presses and to hang my towel)

]]> By: Mehdi http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4241 Mehdi Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:24:25 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4241 Feel free to give examples were smith could be an option, because I don't see any. Squats are the most challenging exercise, both physically & mentally. That's why they give results. I'd only tell someone not to squat if he has lower back problems or other injury that needs to be taken care of in the first place. Feel free to give examples were smith could be an option, because I don’t see any.

Squats are the most challenging exercise, both physically & mentally. That’s why they give results.

I’d only tell someone not to squat if he has lower back problems or other injury that needs to be taken care of in the first place.

]]> By: wazzup http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4240 wazzup Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:22:54 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4240 Sure you can build muscle using leg press and leg extensions. Also: Why You Should Always Squat With Free Weights.... allways... well that's maybe a wee bit too drastic. I'm sure there are instances where working out with a smith cage can be an option. Squats rule, don't get me wrong, but they're not the one true path. Sure you can build muscle using leg press and leg extensions. Also: Why You Should Always Squat With Free Weights…. allways… well that’s maybe a wee bit too drastic. I’m sure there are instances where working out with a smith cage can be an option.

Squats rule, don’t get me wrong, but they’re not the one true path.

]]> By: Vassili http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4190 Vassili Thu, 27 Sep 2007 02:18:42 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4190 There is just one name for all the things that tries to look like a squat or work the same things than a squat (leg press, smith, extensions...) Bullshit. Squats are REAL job, real hard, real muscle builders, really functional and are the exercise of the real hardcore lifters, along with deadlift, chins, bench press, cleans, power cleans, overhead presses, rows with free weights...also there are really good exercises like tire flip, stone lifting and other strongman lifts. There is just one name for all the things that tries to look like a squat or work the same things than a squat (leg press, smith, extensions…)

Bullshit.

Squats are REAL job, real hard, real muscle builders, really functional and are the exercise of the real hardcore lifters, along with deadlift, chins, bench press, cleans, power cleans, overhead presses, rows with free weights…also there are really good exercises like tire flip, stone lifting and other strongman lifts.

]]> By: Eric http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4119 Eric Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:35:23 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4119 I used to use the Smith machine too! Thank God I stopped. Your article is spot on. The lack of power racks at many mainstream gyms is both a gift and a curse. The good thing is even though they are low in numbers, I can usually count on them being empty because nobody ever really uses them. People love machines, bench presses, and curls. The bad thing is because people love to curl, they love to occupy the power rack doing curls on them. I hate that. I used to use the Smith machine too! Thank God I stopped. Your article is spot on. The lack of power racks at many mainstream gyms is both a gift and a curse. The good thing is even though they are low in numbers, I can usually count on them being empty because nobody ever really uses them. People love machines, bench presses, and curls. The bad thing is because people love to curl, they love to occupy the power rack doing curls on them. I hate that.

]]> By: Kirk http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4118 Kirk Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:34:53 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4118 If my gym didn't have a power rack I would find a new gym. If my gym didn’t have a power rack I would find a new gym.

]]> By: Lucas http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4109 Lucas Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:05:23 +0000 http://stronglifts.com/why-you-should-always-squat-with-free-weights/#comment-4109 Testosterone Nation just put up an article on powerlifting vs. olympic squats that covers how to train yourself up from not squatting (or only leg pressing, or using a smith machine) to a full, ass-to-grass olympic squat. http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1736931 (I think you might have to go to the 2nd page of the article to get to the "how to" section) Testosterone Nation just put up an article on powerlifting vs. olympic squats that covers how to train yourself up from not squatting (or only leg pressing, or using a smith machine) to a full, ass-to-grass olympic squat.

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1736931

(I think you might have to go to the 2nd page of the article to get to the “how to” section)

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