Is Smith Machine Good For Squats

Is smith machine good for squats

The General Administration of Sport of China's Training Bureau released the "2025 Mass Fitness Technology Brief" on Wednesday, officially concluding for the first time whether the Smith machine squat is advisable: For beginners, people in recovery, and individual exercisers, the Smith machine squat is a safe and effective choice, but it cannot replace the free barbell squat.

The briefing cited a randomized controlled experiment completed by Shanghai University of Sport in July this year: 44 adults without squat experience were divided into two groups and trained with Smith machine squats and free barbell squats three times a week for eight weeks respectively. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the increase of quadriceps thickness between the two groups. However, the incidence of back discomfort in the Smith group was only 2%, which was much lower than the 14% in the free barbell group. Professor Li Jinsong of sports biomechanics explained that the fixed slide rails of the Smith machine reduce the swaying back and forth, and the trunk does not need to exert additional force to maintain balance, thereby reducing the pressure on the lower back.

However, the briefing also cautioned that the Smith machine's trajectory is vertical. If the toes are still placed in the traditional standing position, the forward movement of the knee joint will increase, which may increase the patellofemoral pressure. The experiment found that when the subjects moved their feet forward to about 1.5 times the shoulder width in front of their center of gravity, the shear force of the patellofemoral joint decreased by 18%, while the activation of the quadriceps femoris increased by 11%.

The market responded promptly. The chain fitness brand "Yizhao Weide" announced that its 260 stores will post new foot position diagrams beside the Smith machines and adjust the default height of the safety hooks before this weekend. Equipment manufacturer Shuhua Sports has launched an "intelligent pedal" capable of recording foot position data, which is expected to be available in September.

Zhou Qian, director of the Training Department of the Chinese Bodybuilding Association, said when interpreting the document that the association did not deny the "gold standard" status of the free barbell squat, but suggested using the Smith machine as a "bridge between teaching and rehabilitation" : first establish the movement pattern on this machine, and then transition to the free weight to reduce the risk of injury and enhance the sustainability of long-term training.http://SMITH MACHINE