I’m using a smith machine and I’m not sure if my form is good or not.
I keep a vertical back the entire time, with my weight on my heels, and my knees never pass my tips of my toes. Although, after some research, I’m not bending forward, like the 45 degree angle I see most squat instructions on the internet I’ve found. I’m afraid to bend downward with my back because I’m sure I’d round out my lower back, and for my back, that’s bad news as I’ve had lower back surgery on a slipped disk (a long time ago).
So should I stick with a vertical back, or am I putting too much
compressed weight on it? I am using a smith machine, not free weight.
No, you don’t want a vertical back- you want a straight back.
Don’t use the smith machine- promotes misguidance for proper form, and the natural vertical motion of the squat bar deviates slightly even for the best form. The smith rack is too rigid, therefore the body must take on additional sheering force.
Here’s a link to good form (video takes awhile since it’s a dartfish)-
What Rob said. Smith Machines are well known by “real” trainers and athletes as knee, back, and shoulder wreckers (depending on what lift you do). NEVER use it for anything other than a towel rack, maybe a chinup bar, and shrugs or something where the motion is short and straight.
If you’ve had back issues, don’t squat. Get some flexibility in your HIPS and HAMS, not your low back. Then deadlift (with a flat/slightly arched low back). Then consider squatting, free bar only, and only as deep as you can without rounding. And squat BACK, not just down. Those shins need to stay nearly vertical. That means some forward torso lean, which is fine, so long as that low back stays flat…
Just not too vertical- the shin should actually be identical as the angle of the back. This is from flexion from the hip and knee at the same time.
…Smith racks make a nice mount for TRX’s as well…
I like stretching my hams on the Smith, too. Adjustable height.
As for the shin angle, I’m not easily convinced of that. You could get some pretty decent forward lean to the shins, which is not so good for those knees. The Oly/powerlifter coaches I’ve known have all been pretty particular about sitting back/down, and focusing on shin pure verticalness.
That’s actually a result of powerlifting (due to the heavier weight, like 3x’s BW and heavier) necessitating a wider base of support. Form for this often leads to increased external hip rotation. When the lifter “puts their butt in the bucket” or down/back, the shins can’t roll forward from the ankle joint. This leads to the “verticalness”, as you say. But the shin angle is dependent on the other joints flexion/ext, not vice versa.
This is also mechanical leverage move highly specific to the sport of powerlifting- I probably wouldn’t recommend it for everyday use, unless someone desired to compete.
But hey, it will probably get you that higher 1RM, and more is more, right?
I have some lower back issues from a motorcycle accident. This worked for me - I started by doing standard deadlifts and RDL’s. I now do a lot of free bar and single leg squats. Single legs with a couple of dumbells work great - for me. Split squats are great too.
