I’m without question a proponent of using a real squat rack, however, my gym does not have one so when I am there I am forced to use the Smith Machine. I try to workout my legs at school using a real squat rack however it isn’t always possible. So if I had to use the Smith Machine once a week and the real squat once a week, which type of squat would you have on the Dynamic Effort Day and which on the Max Effort.
Squats- Smith Machine vs Squat Rack
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Participant
Do dynamic squats and good mornings in the squat rack. on max effort day cycle different deadlifts (standing on something, conventional, sumo, put a mini band through your belt, ect.) and zertcher squat. Once a month after dynamic squats do a heavy squat single. This eliminates the need to use that machine at all. If you want to squat for max effort day do it in the squat rack and on the other day substitute the olympic lifts. If you are following a west side template you really shouldn’t be squatting that often on max effort day, so you set up, while not ideal, can still work.
As a side not isn’t it great that “gyms” will spend 1000’s of dollars on crap like smith machines and ad/abductor machines but won’t put anything toward something usefull like decent bars and a power rack.
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Participant
Do not use the smith machine for anything. It puts the body in an unnatural plane of motion as well as taking out all core stabilization. The machine does all the stabilizing for you.
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Participant
[i]Originally posted by TG[/i]
Do dynamic squats and good mornings in the squat rack. on max effort day cycle different deadlifts (standing on something, conventional, sumo, put a mini band through your belt, ect.) and zertcher squat.I had never heard of this before but found a description at https://ironbarbell.com/Articles/Zercher.html. Looks totally mad, but cool! Any T&F people ever tried this?
By the way I agree with the rest of the replies so far, the Smith Machine is not useful for T&F athletes.
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Participant
Zertchers are tough. Sort of like a deadlift/squat hybrid. If your low back is weak they will show you just how weak it is. I went through a phase where I was doing them all the time and actually got pretty good at them (325 1RM). They are hell on your elbows so make sure you wrap a sweatshirt or something around the bar. A plus is this exerciseusually elicits lots of weird looks from the pumpers (they are wondering how you hold the bar like that when your biceps are all oiled up). I actually had a guy ask me if they helped build your peaks. I said no, but it really pumped up my inferior deltards and trapanemiouses. ❓ (look of confusion)
Due to the elbow stress i’d do them 1 maybe 2 times a month. Next time you are in the gym load up 135 and zertcher it off the ground
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Participant
the link you found gave a weird description of zerchers.
the guy looked a bit too much like a wanker to be giving out lifting advice anyway.
Set a bar in a power rack at about waist height. Squat down and wrap your arms under the bar so you’re holding the bar in the crook of your elbows. Your elbows should be about shoulder-width apart. Cross your hands in front of your chest or tightly grasp the opposite arm or grasp your other fist. Stand up with the bar and take a few steps back from the rack. Spread your feet several inches wider than shoulder width and hold the bar tight against your torso. Keep your abs pulled in and your back arched as you squat down slowly until your elbows touch your knees. If you go super wide your elbows will not hit your knees and you can go deeper.
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