I have avoided weighted squats and now I have a need to put them into a lifting routine. The place I work out at has the normal leg press machines and such. It does not have a squat rack but it does have a smith machine. The machine where the weights sits slide up and down at an angle. So, how the hell do I position myself in this thing? Is my back going to be straight or angle more? I assume it will be different from if you just have free weights on your shoulders. How far down do you go? parallel to the floor? What is a good starter work out for legs? Squats and dead lifts?
My goal is for leg strength and endurance. Can I lift other groups on the same day? I am training for the Fire Dept, so I need to have an all around strength and endurance program. I currently doing a good circuit training, but don't think I am hitting the legs as good as I need to. Plus, everone here talks about how squats will help the entire body out.
Thanks
It does not have a squat rack but it does have a smith machine. ... So, how the hell do I position myself in this thing? Don't! Seriously. Do not use a smith machine for anything other than a towel holder. You have been warned.I am training for the Fire Dept, so I need to have an all around strength and endurance program. Post your department's fitness requirements .... then the forum can help with more specific information.
They will help the whole body, but not on the smith machine. Try doing plyo's instead. If worse comes to worse, i think the leg press is better.
-doug-
Right now I am working on strength and endurance for dragging a "dummy". Plus I want to have the strenght and endurance to carry all the equipment and myself safely. I can pass the fitness test, but that is just the basic requirement. The academy is alot harder and they do alot more work.
Ok, I might have to agree on the smith machine thing. I had seen people squating in there and it looked very uncomfortable. How about doing dumbbell squats? they have upto 80 lbs. I have looked at a plyo book and it seemed rather interesting. I also thought about getting about 200 lbs of sand and putting it into a duffle bag and hitting a park and doing sets of drags. The key for me is to not get hurt!!
Dumbell squats would work too. Keep away from the smith, it's a baaaaad machine.
Well fuck, then either get the dummy and drag the fuckin thing, or (if you can't actually train with the dummy for some wierd reason) then make a sandbag and drag that.
As long as you are keeping your back flat and you warm up, you wont be injured. Eventually work up to a bag much heavier then a person though, since you wont have much time to stretch before hauling some poor person out of a burning building.
You may also want to using a mouth guard while you do it to limit your breathing. I suspect you wont want to be gasping for air as you haul multiple bodies through a smoke filled room.
-doug-
If you're struggling to find weights and equipment, just do Scrapper's routines. In my experience they're just as good (or better) for functional strength, muscular endurance, and looking ripped for the ladies. I would do them exclusively, but I like lifting weights for some reason just for fun. When it comes fight time though, it's all BWE.
Good luck man.
I squat this low:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ph.chea/110kg%20Front%20Squat%20Demo.wmv
I squat to rock bottom as I compete in OL so need it, but some people don't need to squat to rock bottom but I'd always recommend it to ANYONE myself.
6-8reps is good of 4 or 5 sets.
Sometime after you get to a decent weight 220lbs I'd switch to hit 15r x 3 set for 5 or so sessions then back back to 6reps. But lots of ways to mix it up.
Koing
The man doesnt have a squat rack, so your advice doesnt work so well. There are more then just one particular squat routine for everyone.
Just to clarify.
-doug-
Indeed there is more then one type of squat routine for everyone. But I just gave him what I think is good regarding reps and sets.
He also asked about weighted squats so I just gave that advice. It is up to him to find a place to be able to do them or so. He could clean a weight up with good form or bad form and front squat that for 6 or 8 reps. I'm sure that is enough for the moment.
Koing
Hey, the smith machine has other uses than as a towel rail. You can also do Supine Rows from the bar using a bench to support your feet!