My body is way to lanky and i even tried just doing a squat just standing with no weight at all and i can hardly get half way down without falling over!!! i use the machine at the gym where it just goes up and down and im just wondering why is it so good to do free weights ?
Squating with free weights?
- Thread starter SmithMachine
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with free weights you have to stabilize yourself, which used a whole lot of more muscles you will need if you ever need to use your strenght in real life. Also, any machine will force your body to do an unatrual motion, with a natrual squat the bar doesnt go straight up and down like with a machine.
I second Karky. If you watch a freeweight squat you will see the movement will arc. The body does not lower the weight straight down, the torso will lean forward, as the glutes press during the downward movement. A smith machine will lock you body in position.
I use a smith machine for a (creatively named) smith squat. I place my feet much further out, leaning against the bar. This allows me to keep my back completely straight during the movement without placing unnecessary strain on my lower back, hips, or knees. I use this to really focus on quads.
Your lankiness is not the problem, it is your balance. You need to practice. Find a large open wall. Stand facing it, with your toes touching the wall (so you're very close). Know, begin to squat down so your knees are now touching the wall. Keeping your face as close to the wall as possible, attempt to descend into proper squat position. Keep working at this, a little more each day.
This drill will train you to keep your back straight/arched, your knees behind your toes and your head up during a real squat.
I use a smith machine for a (creatively named) smith squat. I place my feet much further out, leaning against the bar. This allows me to keep my back completely straight during the movement without placing unnecessary strain on my lower back, hips, or knees. I use this to really focus on quads.
Your lankiness is not the problem, it is your balance. You need to practice. Find a large open wall. Stand facing it, with your toes touching the wall (so you're very close). Know, begin to squat down so your knees are now touching the wall. Keeping your face as close to the wall as possible, attempt to descend into proper squat position. Keep working at this, a little more each day.
This drill will train you to keep your back straight/arched, your knees behind your toes and your head up during a real squat.
It is good to use free weights for the very reason that you fall down when you get halfway down. I will third Karky, using free weights will recruit your stabilizing muscles more and ultimately give you a better result.
While the keeping your toes against the wall squat like Adler1983 said is a good drill. The more ways to practice the better.
Try setting a bench or box behind you at just below parallel for your squat. Start with just body weight and squat down to it in a controlled motion. This will get you used to going down to a proper height while preventing the fall. Once you get good at it you can lower the box height or remove it all together. Make sure that you are "sitting" to the box not "plopping" onto the box.
I am kinda embarrassed to try it at the gym because all the people will be watching and if i mess up it will be shame :11doh: also scared i will mess up and hurt my spine or something crazy like that because my back is already not the greatest because of my tallness.
Well, You can do the box squat and the toes thing at home till you get good at it.
Since you are just learning form now you will not need weight just yet, so injury potential is pretty low.
Better to mess up now, learn, and get better than never to do so. Messing up is what creates progress.
Since you are just learning form now you will not need weight just yet, so injury potential is pretty low.
Better to mess up now, learn, and get better than never to do so. Messing up is what creates progress.
I second the box squat idea put forth by Goergen, but I do recommend against doing barbell box squats. I prefer dumbbell box. By using dumbbells you'll prevent excessive pressure on spine as you hit the bench. Even though a box squat is to be a gentle tap, then up, as fatigue sets in and form suffers you risk real damage to the spine.
Compression loads on the spine are not a typical cause of injury: it's AP sheering stress that is the more dangerous issue, which doesn't occur in a proper box squat.
But lumbar sheering force will, incidently, occur in the smith squat that you mentioned that you perform earlier!
what...?Ahhh ok i would of thought that doing it on the smith machine would be safer since its locked into place but your the dude that knows everything so i will beleave you 
You are not alone in thinking that way, that's why so many people use that dang thing, yet the squat rack will be empty.