Shape Those Legs

Squats for the legs are almost always mentioned as the king of leg exercises. Yes, I so squat with dumbbells and barbells but I often use the Smith Machine. I like the Smith Machine because even when I was younger, I was never the best "squatter" as much as I practiced and worked at it. Now as I get older, I like that the Smith Machine feels safer for my joints & gets me in the right position so I don't injure myself, especially on those days I want to go heavier. I still do dumbbell squats too so mix it up to whatever you feel comfortable with.

Now, saying all of the above, I wanted to mention a version of the squat that you may not have heard of, the front squat. I do this on the Smith Machine although you can use free weights or barbells. It definitely feels different than the standard squat & works your legs in a different angle. DO GO LIGHTER with this version. It is harder to do & harder to balance the weight.

I have attached a YouTube video to watch. This man is using a barbell, not the Smith Machine. Many of the videos out there show people squatting below parallel which is not good for your knees so this is why I chose this video. Again, go light at first as you learn the move. I also vary my feet placement from narrow to neutral to toes out just like I do with regular squats. As you learn, stick with a neutral stance & LIGHT weight. Oh, also, I criss cross my arms over my chest to hold the bar. You may want to play with both ways to see what feels best for you.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd_WsfebYOg