Squat stands against Smith machines in leg weight training

Squat stands against Smith machines in leg weight training

It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or a professional, this article deals with both types of people. Strength training requires a certain level of knowledge. You can't just jump into heavy lifting without knowing about specific exercises, proper form, and routine planning. Fortunately, you can find information about all of this everywhere.

First and most important; You need proper equipment to even think about a good leg workout. These equipment include machines such as squat stands, squat racks, smith machines, leg press machines and others, as well as some of the related accessories such as knee wraps, chalk, suits, socks, shoes, etc.

Some people prefer to use the squat racks in their training rather than the smith machines when it comes to squatting. No wonder, because the difference is significant. When training on a squat rack, you must use a free-standing barbell, while on a smith machine, the bar is attached to the structure, so you can only move it up and down on a vertical line. Which is better, one might ask, and where is this important difference?

By squatting with free weights you engage far more muscles than by squatting guided by the fixed trajectory of a smith machine. Not only do you have to put more strain on your hips and back while squatting on a squat stand, but you also recruit stabilizer muscles, which are very important for proper posture. Free weight is far more powerful at developing power than fixed trajectory machines.

However, this does not mean that you cannot use these devices as part of your training, but rather that you need to know when and why to use them. In most cases, you'll want to use free weights for basic movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. Always do these exercises first in your training. This triggers maximum muscle stimulation. However, your training doesn't have to consist only of these exercises.

For example, after performing 5-7 sets of a heavy free-weight squat on a squat stand, step onto the smith machine and perform 3-4 sets of a lighter quadriceps stimulation squat by placing your feet well in front of you. So there you have it; A compound movement is enough to stimulate optimal muscle growth of several larger muscle groups of the lower body, and a lighter exercise than accents only on the front part of the legs, isolating them and producing a more specific effect. After that, you can add a few smaller exercises like lunges or leg curls to stimulate your hamstrings a bit more, just to round out the leg workout nicely.

Also, performing squats is not as easy as you think as it requires a lot of technique. However, you don't have to be an expert to do this. Try to improve every day and soon you will become proficient at it. Remember, there is no better learning than your own mistakes.

Inspired by Marko Dimitrov