Perform a guided squat on a Smith machine by bending at the hips and knees to load the quadriceps. The movement lowers your hips toward the floor and then returns you to standing.
How to do the Machine Squat#
- Set the bar across your upper back, place feet about shoulder-width and slightly forward, and grip the handles or bar for stability.
- Unlock the bar from the safety catches and stand tall with your core braced and chest up to take the weight on your legs.
- Bend at the hips and knees in a controlled manner until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor.
- Drive through your heels and midfoot to extend the hips and knees and rise back to the starting position while exhaling.
- When finished, control the bar into the safety catches before letting go.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Quads (Quadriceps Femoris), Glutes (Gluteus Maximus)
- Secondary: Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus & Semimembranosus), Adductors (Adductor Magnus, Longus & Brevis (Hip Adductors)), Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus)
Common mistakes#
- Letting the knees collapse inward.
- Shifting weight onto the toes instead of keeping weight through the heels.
- Allowing the lower back to round.
- Descending too quickly without control.
- Failing to re-rack the bar safely at the end of the set.
