Proper foot placement for squats(Smith machine)

[spyglass67]

I asked 2 different trainers on 2 different occasions where to place my feet doing squats on the smith machine.Both of them showed me to put them far in front,Is this correct?? as I feel like I'm ready to do the crab walk,It seems awkward.

[Cammo]

Ta Da !!!!!
Not the smith machine, but as long as the bar is going straight up & down...

[dannyboy9]

BUMP^

Just place your feet under the bar and keep your head forward, back straight and your feet flat on the floor at all times. Make believe you're trying to drive your feet through the floor when you're coming up.

[Mighty Mouse]

proper placement would be to put your feet up your ass.

don't waste time on the smith....


that out of the way, if you are using smith for isolatory work, I see many put their feet further forward, looks and feels funny but it isolates the quads very well. But that is a specific exercise....

[NiteHawk]

Yes, if you do squats on a smith machine, place your feet farther in front of you. As mighty said, that will put the stress more on the quads.

The only time I use a smith machine for squats is when I do front squats sometimes but that is not that often.

[NaturalProfessor]

When using the smith you can place your feet in front a little or a lot or not at all--if you place your feet 8-12 inches in front try keeping them close together as well w/ your toes turned slightly outward-this w/ emulate the hack machine and really nail the vasteus medialus (inner quad head) you just have to keep the weight on the lighter side until development improves greatly and going deep,deep below paralell-(ass to heels deep) and performing each rep slowly and under full control--then you can also place your feet wide,wide and really nail the hips & groin tie-ins unfortunately you can't go very deep but it really works well! and of course you can do foot placement at standard shoulder width about 4-6 inches in front of you but you must remember to keep your head back w/ your eyes focussed on a very high focal point and let your butt kinda stick out so you won't run the risk of damaging your lower back or cause too much forward lean. Front squats on a smith can be tricky but they can be done and should be done if using a smith is your option or your only option-nothing frys the top of the quads better than front squats...best of luck!

[Mighty Mouse]

Forum Posting Rules and Code of Conduct

#1

Surfer

[Shredder]

I try to imagine that I'm driving straight up through my heels. It really helps with stability and I feel it more in my quads, especially when doing front squats. I agree, the smith is no great advantage, but if your really tall, it can be your best tool as traditional squats approach being dangerous on the back. With the smith, as others have said, you can place your legs out further. It looks kinda funny, but at least it is safe.

[Poobah]

Originally Posted by Mighty Mouse

proper placement would be to put your feet up your ass.

don't waste time on the smith....


that out of the way, if you are using smith for isolatory work, I see many put their feet further forward, looks and feels funny but it isolates the quads very well. But that is a specific exercise....

wouldn't putting the feet out front of you help isolate the glutes and hammies more so then quads? This big bad mother at my gym does them that way specifically for that reason?

[Mighty Mouse]

yeah, but I was told that it hits upper quads very well as well. personally I never did them as I think the smith machine is the devil and should be cast back into the firey pit of hell. So I can't speak on experience.

when I did use smith, I just did them regular style.