Is this a new type of squat?

[SevenStar]

recently, I've been seeing guys get on the smith machine to squat, but the are leaning backwards - if you took the bar away from them, they'd fall flat on their arse. Is this just effed up technique, or is this a legit method that I've just never seen?

[Doug]

...are nothing new. They are just different variations on the basic exercise. I personally do not like them because they take too much of the body's requirements out of the exercise. For me, the leg press is enough machine use for the front of the legs; I prefer using the weight by itself ( including the squat rack to save me when I can stand up again) when pefoming this exercise.

In general, I try to avoid machines. The machine in question is a little too limiting. Whenever I have tried it out for workouts, I found it to be more problematic than simplifiying: I had to adjust to the method of the machine, which is very different from using the body to support and control things.

Back to your original question, the exercise is an old one. I suggest trying it out to see if you find benefit in it or not.

Doug M

[Arhat of Fury]

I do all my squats on the smith machine, they are safer to me and get just about the same thing done(I'm also lazy) as far as putting your feet out in front of you and leaning back.... well Ive seen some bodybuilding friends do this and they beleive it isolates the quads more. I really dont know what to think about that one.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by SevenStar
recently, I've been seeing guys get on the smith machine to squat, but the are leaning backwards - if you took the bar away from them, they'd fall flat on their arse. Is this just effed up technique, or is this a legit method that I've just never seen?

I think I've seen that. I think they're just leaning back against the bar because it's easier than using their own muscle to stand up. In other words, they're being lazy. It's pretty dumb, and not very transferrable to a real squat. Don't do it. It's not even the proper way to do a smith machine squat.

[Cung-Fu]

I would try to keep machine workouts to a minimum . As martial artists we don't perform moves in isolation.

Further, machine squats develop quads in isolation. That means no stabilizing muscles are put into play, hamstrings aren't put into play, back, stomach,..etc

Therefore you end up with strong quads, but all the muscles, tendons, required for you to do any type of powerful movement aren't being developed to support.

[Arhat of Fury]

actually cung fu, thats partially correct.

some of the stabilizers arent used although your hamstrings are used. When you descend in a squat you are using a percentage of your hams and a percentage of your quads.

when I do smith squats I hit my quads, my hams and the muscles on the inside of the legs. Feet positioning can play a part in this.

[IronFist]

^ Yeah, squatting uses both your hamstrings and your quads. Normally antagonist muscles don't work together, but it has something to do with your hamstrings having two insertion points or something (knees and hips). When you stand up out of a chair, for example, your quads are flexing to extend your legs, and your hamstrings are flexing to let you straighten out your back. This is also why stiff leg deadlifts work the hamstrings despite the legs staying straight.

There's actually a name for this, it's called the something phenemonon or something effect or something like that. Somebody's paradox maybe. It's something like that.

[Cung-Fu]

Ok, technically the hams are working. I have to be so accurate here I see :D

What I'm saying is that the hams don't nearly get as much stress as a free weight movement. Especially when people do smith squats leaning back as you described.