Am I Squatting Wrong?

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(Aaron_F @ Aug. 14 2006,05:21)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">So you can do squats right, but NOBODY can do them right in the smiths machine?</div>
I imagine everybody can do smith squats correctly if they want. If someone uses the smith machine for squats due an injury is another question and even so, I have my doubts as to whether an injuried back is any better off using the smith as compared to free. It is always fun to watch someone at my gym try to free squat the same amount of weight as they are used to with the smith machine. Most of them can´t even unrack the bar, and when the do the can´t even get to 90 degrees. almost everyone of them is wobbling like a drunk.
 
Aaron_F, I'm really interested in learning how to make sure my back is neutral. I'd really like to keep my back injury free. Any tips?
 
Tips for keeping a neutral back:

Start in the muscle beach position, as if you're raising and/or puffing out your chest to impress the ladies. Notice that if you raise your chest, your lower back will arch. This can be felt even without a bar on your shoulders (i.e. get up and give it a shot).

As you sit back in the squat, consciously raise your chest as you descend (which will serve to keep you in that position), and as you get out of the hole, drive your neck/head back against the bar as you try to raise your chest.

These are all just cues to get your back to do what it should be doing. Some people have more trouble than others for various reasons (including differences in flexibility and body structure).
 
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(McDee @ Aug. 21 2006,14:10)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">While I'm sure you meant well BG, that isn't helping me much</div>
Unfortunately for you, unless you have somebody watching, or a video camera, you cannot tell exactly what your technique looks like.
 
while were on the squat rack compaired to smith machine issue, has anyone seen or tried a 3D squat rack? its basicly the same as a smith machine but it goes forward and back as well as up and down the ownly thing you can't do in it is twist. we have one in my gym and i use it some times when the squat rack is beind used.
 
McDee

Read the article I postedin this thread, it'll tell you how to do it properly!

But suppporting Mickey look up all the time while doing it, the chest thing is also right, one other thing is to ensure that there is enough internal pressure so keeping your lungs full of air is a must, do not let go until you are 1/2 way out of the hole, only then should the air start coming out.
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It is not a bad idea to do supporting exercises for the lower back:

SLDL's/Hyper-extensions/Low rows
 
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