Using Smith Machine for squatting

The squat, be it with a free weight or on a smith machine IS NOT an isolation exercise for the quadriceps.

 

Recommended by who? The squat uses so many muscle groups that your idea of isolating quads is laughable. You still need to stabilize your body so you don't fall over, just to a lower degree. That makes it a worse exercise because in the natural movement of squatting, like to avoid a flurry of punches, you don't have a guided path, you just squat. Natural squats should always be used over smith machine or other machine squats. Researchers Bompa and Cornacchia found that smith machine squats cause excessive strain on the lower back and knees. (1998).

 

my current situation has me only being able to perform one strength exercise a day and for the lower body on Wednesdays I chose to do pistols (el puma got me interested)... but for weighted any free weight exercise (dumbbells or barbells) will be better than any machine.

 

Does squatting benefit endurance athletes?

 

In certain circumstances, yes. Think outside the box - almost any exercise can be good for endurance given the right amount of reps, sets, rest periods etc. You don't always have to rack the bar with as much weight as you can handle to perform a set of squats.

Go away and bang out a set of 500 bodyweight squats, and if you feel compelled to ask if squats are useful for endurance athletes, bang out another 500.

 

For endurance athletes, squats are particularly good for injury prevention. Many athletes, runners especially, forgo strength training and are plagued with knee, hip, ankle injuries which can be avoided with the right amount of strenght-endurance that squats can definitely help.

 

I used a Smith Machine when I was in high school playing football. It was good on the shoulders and allowed you to squat more weight than usual, but the regular barbell is probably better for strength though the Smith Machine is more comfortable. And we know results are greater than comfort.

 

I'd go and do some lunges if I couldn't get on the squat rack. The Smith Machine is alright for some exercises, but I definitely wouldn't use it on a regular basis.

 

Nothing wrong with it if you're only purpose is to target the quads. Of course then it's not exactly a traditional squat. If you're trying to get all of the benefits of the squat, stick to barbell.

P.s. Smith machine has it's uses. Reverse grip bench, in-human presses, and shrugs (if you don't have a power rack.)