Squats kill my back... and neck.

[TPH1976]

At the risk of being called a girl I also use the manta ray for the following reasons.

Instead of the force concentrating in one small area, the Manta Ray increases the surface area by more than 1600% finally making it more possible to focus on the movement. The front projections help keep the bar from trying to roll off your back. This allows me to use a more erect posture because it stops my bodies tendency to bend forward in an attempt to take the stress off the shoulders.

I also found using small weight plates under the heels helps me keep good posture and form. Since doing this I have doubled what I was squatting less irritaing back injuries but = good pump and results.

Can you post a picture of this or place a link? I might be mistaken but as I understand your post you are using an ocean critter to help you squat. I have problems vusualizing what you mean.

 

[TPH1976]

If you place the barbell ontop of the posterior delts you should not experience any mentionable pain.

Looking down when you squat should help you keep your back in correct line-up.

Go deep...your upper leg line should be parallel to the floor.

Drive your hips straight up.


Squatting in a smith machine is like partial squatting...unless you have a very very good reason to do so its not very constructuive as you do not guide the weigth but the machine forces you in a certain path which can even be detrimental to your back health....and it also does not train your body as completely as sqauts. IMO a waste of time and you can better train your legs by using heavy dumbbells and walking up stairs two steps at a time...at least then you still controll the weight.

 

[AASynergist]

Can you post a picture of this or place a link? I might be mistaken but as I understand your post you are using an ocean critter to help you squat. I have problems vusualizing what you mean.

Fireguy gave a link about 5 posts from top but here's another Manta Ray

 

[TPH1976]

Fireguy gave a link about 5 posts from top but here's another Manta Ray

Thnx...previous link didn't work for me. Get the picture now,.

 

[leanbody]

If you place the barbell ontop of the posterior delts you should not experience any mentionable pain.

Looking down when you squat should help you keep your back in correct line-up.

Go deep...your upper leg line should be parallel to the floor.

Drive your hips straight up.


Squatting in a smith machine is like partial squatting...unless you have a very very good reason to do so its not very constructuive as you do not guide the weigth but the machine forces you in a certain path which can even be detrimental to your back health....and it also does not train your body as completely as sqauts. IMO a waste of time and you can better train your legs by using heavy dumbbells and walking up stairs two steps at a time...at least then you still controll the weight.

Hey Bud - with all due respect, I've had good success with it. When My back was killing me that helped me to strengthen it without discomfort. Now I do both that and traditional squats. Another thing I like about it is that it lets me go farther to exhaustion than I would try with free squats. Lately I have been doing 3-4 sets of 50 with 50% weight - the first coupla times it was a killer and I had hella sore glutes for days afterward - but no back pain. Just my opinion.

Another comment - I used to look down at my feet in the mirror and a trainer at the gym said you should always look up at the top of the mirror - don't know who's right.

 

[Dlove]

Bar as far back on traps as possible. Arch the back. Dont be concerned with heavy weight it will come. Lighten up the weight and use proper form and you will grow and get stronger.

 

[leanbody]

Bar as far back on traps as possible. Arch the back. Dont be concerned with heavy weight it will come. Lighten up the weight and use proper form and you will grow and get stronger.

Yo! that looks like pretty good form in your avitar! - just replace the laptop with a bar and do it in front of a mirror.... ;-)

 

[Dlove]

Yo! that looks like pretty good form in your avitar! - just replace the laptop with a bar and do it in front of a mirror.... ;-)

Yes, lol. She requires me to do heavy squats to tap it two or tree times a day. Since you said something I actually mentioned to her we should put a pole and disco ball in the 2nd bedroom with some wrap around mirrors. Ill just need a nice seat with a big blunt and a big pizza, lol.