Hey Iron Fans,
I started out training with the old barbell and squating to parallel like all old timers. I then graduated to using knee wraps. Not the cheap peices of crap but Gold Lines then Red Devils. I worshipped the power squat always doing it on Sunday afternoons. It was like a ritual. I still think all new traineeds need to pay their dues by doing nothing but squats and leg curls, nuff said,...
I then went to hack squats but eventualy they did a number on my knees becuase I still had that powerlifter mentality. I used knee wraps. My knees just got worse.
I then went back to power squats but I git so tired of asking for spots all the time. I have always noticed most people are pretty much useless for spotting on squats anyway. I think a spotter is more of a mental crutch. I have dumped the bar tons of times in a power rack and out of a power rack.
I read an article from some joker here in Phoenix Az called Peloquin, who condems the Smith Machine as a peice of crap. He rambles on and on about how it doesnt work the stabelizer muscles, yadda, yadda, yadda. I saw this guy once and I was disappointed. He isnt that massive at all. I think a person needs to practice what they preach. I have never seen him train that hard and allot of his clients are rich assholes from Scottsdale.
I recently started doing rock bottom squats in the Smith. I am no Ron Coleman but last weekend I took 4 plates a side all the way down paused for a second then all the way up six times. I am talking A2G not parallel like allot of so called Peloquin disciples.
After the second set I was getting so nausious and dizzy it was crazy. I couldnt even speak to anyone. I was lucky to just catch my breath and get ready for another set. I was doing these with no knee raps and no annoying spotter. I would just look straight ahead and pray for another rep. You have to go down about 20lbs after the first set. I would love to see some of these so called hard core gurus take a decent weight A2G pause for a sec them come up with no theatrics.
Yes theatrics, I see some people make all kinds of ding bat noises, which just wastes energy the could use on concentrating on each rep. I believe when you start your set you should only worry about the rep at hand, not the next rep. I think a trainee should never hold back on any rep. Each rep is a victory and each set is a milestone.
I see people, who squat with knee wraps and have spotter hold on to them like their ball room dancing and then I look at their quads and hams and can see why.
So, all I can say is if you think smith squats are stupid, then go ahead. I just love to see people try heavy A2G smioth squats with some decent weight. This movement is not for light wieghts by any means.
Have fun
Sleeper