Lunges: Pick your poison

Threadbearer · Mar 14, 2008

What's your preference, walking lunges, stationary lunges, or do you feel the need to do both?

Philosoph · Mar 14, 2008

I do stationary lunges/split squats because my gym doesn't have enough room for me to do walking lunges with a barbell on my back. I would do walking lunges if I had the space though.

why · Mar 14, 2008

Walking, but both are inferior to squats or high step-ups for well-conditioned people.

beasty · Mar 15, 2008

Originally Posted by Philosoph

I do stationary lunges/split squats because my gym doesn't have enough room for me to do walking lunges with a barbell on my back. I would do walking lunges if I had the space though.

If your gym aint got no space, do lunges on the smith. Do it by lunging back. ie. knee facing the floor to be back of your body.

Philosoph · Mar 15, 2008

I've already got the space to do stationary lunges, just not walking. There's no Smith machine here, and I wouldn't use it for anything squat or lunge-related even if there was. Or anything else for that matter, except perhaps calf raises. I'd only touch it if it were one of those new things which move back and forth as well as up and down, and even then I'd prefer a barbell.

beasty · Mar 15, 2008

Originally Posted by Philosoph

I've already got the space to do stationary lunges, just not walking. There's no Smith machine here, and I wouldn't use it for anything squat or lunge-related even if there was. Or anything else for that matter, except perhaps calf raises. I'd only touch it if it were one of those new things which move back and forth as well as up and down, and even then I'd prefer a barbell.

What do you have against Mr Smith anyways? Its good for chest, shoulder presses and bent rows. And even squats if you keep your back on the same plane as the bar and do more of a quad/butt squats.

Philosoph · Mar 15, 2008

Well, when you bench, military press, or squat with a free bar, the natural bar path is never straight up and down. Not only that, but no two reps you do will have exactly the same bar path. So I don't like the Smith machine because it forces you into a fixed movement pattern, which is unnatural. It may not injure you right away, but I do think that it will weaken your support of natural movements. Less importantly, I don't really like the slight counterweight effect, either.

whacked · Mar 15, 2008

Why Smith machines are bad.

whacked · Mar 15, 2008

^ Seriously,

This is a good summary, I think.

Smith squat ain't so hot either.

Philosoph · Mar 15, 2008

^Yep. Years ago I used to do Smith bench sometimes. Mostly because it let me stack more weight on the bar.

But when I went back to free benching, I realized there was no carryover and it had actually created huge sticking points because of the unnatural range of motion.

beasty · Mar 15, 2008

Originally Posted by Philosoph

Well, when you bench, military press, or squat with a free bar, the natural bar path is never straight up and down. Not only that, but no two reps you do will have exactly the same bar path. So I don't like the Smith machine because it forces you into a fixed movement pattern, which is unnatural. It may not injure you right away, but I do think that it will weaken your support of natural movements. Less importantly, I don't really like the slight counterweight effect, either.

I would submit the smith actually helps you.

I would submit the smith helps you because for many exercises you have to follow a same unaltered path, bench, bent row, military press.

I would submit using a free bar would lead to unbalanced movement ie. right arm pushing more than left and elliptical movements like instead of benching from nipple to up you move from nipple to up to right nipple to left delt to above your neck.

Hence the conclusion is smith is good. Thank you.

beasty · Mar 15, 2008

Originally Posted by Philosoph

^Yep. Years ago I used to do Smith bench sometimes. Mostly because it let me stack more weight on the bar.

But when I went back to free benching, I realized there was no carryover and it had actually created huge sticking points because of the unnatural range of motion.

That is true but smith helps you to squeeze out a few more reps.
I like to do bent rows univ and finish with bent rows smith.
Smith are easier even though the weight is lesser.
Universal you need to adjust.

Philosoph · Mar 15, 2008

Originally Posted by beasty

I would submit the smith helps you because for many exercises you have to follow a same unaltered path, bench, bent row, military press.

None of these movements are solely vertical.

James Bond · Mar 15, 2008

Originally Posted by beasty

I would submit the smith actually helps you.

I would submit the smith helps you because for many exercises you have to follow a same unaltered path, bench, bent row, military press.

I would submit using a free bar would lead to unbalanced movement ie. right arm pushing more than left and elliptical movements like instead of benching from nipple to up you move from nipple to up to right nipple to left delt to above your neck.

Hence the conclusion is smith is good. Thank you.

The Smith helps you by...forcing your body into unnatural movement patterns?

Baby Jesus cries at your logic.

Eason · Mar 15, 2008

walking lunges sometimes, split squat jumps other times

Lunges: Pick your poison

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