Hi guys, i'm having a little prob with my squat progress. My college gym has no squat rack, only a smith machine. up till now i've been doing squats using dumbbells that were raised up to shoulder height. the heaviest dumbbell at the gym is only 20kg.

that said, if i wanted to squat heavier weights, i have to resort to using the smith machine. however, squatting using smith machine is no substitute for barbell squat or even dumbbell squats right? should i just suck it up and squat using smith machines or somehow squat using barbells without a squat rack? any suggestions? thanks all!

Buy a squat rack and donate it to the college.

Got any pics of the gym?

Could try doing zercher squats
all u need is a barbell for that
can't say its the same but its still challenging in a different way

i think squats with smith machines ain't all that bad if done with correct form?

What correct form?

Enjoying doing squat with smith machine.

Correct form as in:
more like a standing leg press movement, than a true squatting.

-hold an empty bar on ur back
-ask two of ur friends to put the weights
-squat
-ask friends to remove the weights

http://stronglifts.com/squat-no-power-rack-steinborn-lift/

do barbell squats...@ my gym, am using the dip machine as a rack...

This is just....hmmmm.....

I'm amazed how they can name any exercise. Steinborn lift.....pbth.
I'm naming a deadlift with a box of pizza as my face mask, as "Pizzaboy Lift"

I'd like to see a man do that with a 225

That vid, 100kg ~ 220 noes?

Better than 20kg dumbbells

err 225kg

I think 225kg is irrelevant to most on this forum.

dude, that steinborn was an oldtimer...henry steinborn...created wayyy before you were born...

@Syd G.

hahaa...damn that lift looks funny as hell...
doing front squats also ppl look weird at me...hahaha


Chow

so?

when can we see the "Pizzaboy's Deadlift" on youtube ?? lol

This post has been edited by diablokun: Oct 27 2009, 06:51 PM

Maybe in about 16 years. Do remind me if I forget btw.

i am also in the same predicament as you. (the gym I go to do have a power rack, but its only for sale ) so I have no choice but to use the smith machine. I also do front squats (using free weights barbell) & dumbbell squats.

Thanks for all the input guys. The Steinborn lift seems a little dangerous to me. I'd need good spotters to help me out with that.

The dip machine idea as a rack sounds interesting, whats the safe max weight that can be loaded on the dip bars? For the time being I'm still using the dumbbells and putting on a backpack with weight plates inside, progressively adding weights. Will try out the dip machine idea next session

TS theres nothing wrong with smith machine squats...you still can feel it altho the movement are fixed...im stuck with smith machine oso since FF dun have squat rack....but its better then nothing

but the problem with smith machines squat is that there's less balancing of load involved (in fact almost none?). smith machine squat hammers your legs but your core and upper body gets less stimulation, right? i guess thats y TS doesnt want to do smith machine squats? but ur right, its better than nothing =p

I was doing squats with the smith machine the past 2 weeks because there's always someone using the barbell.
Today I tried the squat rack. Same weights but it's much harder. The whole balancing thing does put a different kind of strain on my body. And much harder to do it in the correct form.
Still learning though and trying with lower weights to get my form right first.

Fitness First has no squat rack?

nop...i never try squat rack b4 ...hehe

I've been to quite a few Fitness First branches and they all have squat racks.

Which branch is this?