Lunges in Smith for girls. Technique of execution from the platform, stepping back, step, bench

The Smith Machine lunges are designed to to increase endurance and building muscle in the thighs and buttocks. There are options for doing the exercise from the floor, platform or bench. In order to conduct an effective and safe workout, it is important for girls to do a short warm-up before working in Smith and select a working weight.

The benefits of the Smith machine

Lunges in Smith have a number of characteristic features that are associated with the design of the machine. The bar with weights is fixed on the apparatus, so its trajectory does not change, which reduces the likelihood of spinal injuries.

The simulator takes on some of the load and pressure that the barbell exerts on the lower back. With Smith classes, you can focus as much as possible on the development of the target muscle group.

The advantages in the design advantages of the simulator allow you to perform the following tasks:

• increase endurance and volume of the gluteal muscles;
• create the necessary relief of the hips;
• increase joint flexibility;
• tighten the muscles on the inside of the thighs;

• eliminate the asymmetry of paired muscles - a situation when one buttock or quadriceps is less developed than the other;
• develop the muscles of the cortex.

The main load falls on the buttocks and inner thighs - a problem area in women. As a result, you can achieve a fat burning effect and at the same time increase muscle mass. At the same time, the simulator increases endurance and physical strength.

What muscles work?

This creates a maximum load on the target muscles. To familiarize yourself with the muscles that develop during the exercise, you need to look at the following table.

Lunges in the Smith machine are effective for girls due to the fact that the accessory muscles are practically not loaded. The main work is performed by the quadriceps, the muscles of the inner thighs and the gluteus maximus muscle. Regular training with the projectile allows you to quickly develop these target groups and get rid of body fat.

Unlike conventional lunges, the Smith exercise is focused on using light weight and multiple repetitions.

During training, the body weight falls on the knee joint of the supporting leg, so it is important to carefully follow the technique.A warm-up is mandatory before lunges. In its absence, the risk of injury to the knee joint, its ligaments and tendons increases.

Who are lunges recommended for?

Lunges in Smith for girls are included in the set of exercises for athletes of at least an average level of training. It is advisable to train with a projectile for those who want to form the correct relief of the buttocks and hips, to increase muscle mass in this area.

While lunges are a basic exercise, they are not included in the beginner's athletic program.

People who have recently been in the gym have not yet developed their core muscles. The abs and extensors of the back will not be able to stabilize the position of the body, so a person will not be able to cope with a difficult load.

Bulgarian lunges in Smith, which are performed from a bench, are recommended for girls involved in professional sports. Such exercises allow you to add variety to a complex workout, stimulate an increase in muscle mass.

The machine supports the bar with the weight, so lunges in Smith are technically simpler than squats with a bar. The shell allows you to perform a given amount of work without interruption. During the exercise, you do not need to ask someone to be on the safe side, because the barbell fixed in the simulator will not fall. The risk of neck and spine injuries is reduced in Smith.

Lunges are suitable for female bodybuilders looking to increase muscle mass in the buttocks and thighs. If necessary, during the exercise, they can increase the load by increasing the working weights on the bar. At the same time, lunges at Smith are not recommended for weightlifting, cardio training, fitness.

Contraindications

There are the following contraindications for performing lunges in the Smith machine:

• recent spinal injury;
• inflammatory diseases of the joints;
• gout;
• damage to the menisci;
• knee problems: injuries to the joint, tendons, ligaments;
• pain in the joints, lower back - a ban on lunges with weights, it is recommended to replace with other types of exercises.

Girls should not use too heavy a working weight, even if they plan to train in Smith with a minimum number of repetitions. Overloading the skeletal muscles can injure the neck, spine, and knee joints.

Are lunges harmful to healthy knees?

During the exercise, not only the knee joints are involved, but also the ankle and hip joints. At the same time, the main pressure from the combined weight of the body and the bar is on the knees, so the Smith machine increases the risk of injury in this area. Due to the high load, the exercise is prohibited for people with any injuries to the joints of the lower limb.

For healthy knees, with the correct training technique, lunges do not cause significant harm. At the initial stage of execution, light weights are selected, so the person does not focus on the position of the feet, breathing and the trajectory of his movement.

Problems start with increasing the working weight on the bar. With the wrong selection of weights, training in Smith has a negative effect on the work of the knee, shoulder joints and lower back.

The rectilinear movement of the fixed bar does not allow the body to independently adjust to power work. As a result, the load is unevenly distributed over the joints and muscles. In such a situation, the knee ligaments and tendons begin to become inflamed, due to which, over time, there is acute pain and the risk of injury.

Exercise preparation

The Smith workout involves the shoulder, hip, ankle, and knee joints. Warm up on a treadmill to avoid painful muscle cramps and reduce the risk of injury from being unable to handle the upcoming exercise.

It is recommended to perform flexion and extension of the body, rotation in the joints of the lower limb. Despite the fact that the Smith machine takes some of the pressure from the barbell, before doing the exercise, you should learn to distribute the load over the body so that the torso does not bend forward. Do not allow all the weight to fall on the forefoot.

Lunges in Smith for girls are recommended to be carried out on workout days focused on working out the legs and quadriceps.

Check the floor, bench or platform before performing them. If the supporting surfaces are slippery, cover them with a mat. If the legs come apart, the barbell can straighten the neck or skull. When sliding, it is easy to get a dislocation of the knee or ankle joint.

Selection of weights

Working weight depends on gender and the level of muscle development. If men choose weights from 20 to 30 kg, then for girls the best option is from 10 to 15 kg.

The correct working weight allows you to perform a set with 15 repetitions, in which you feel a moderately heavy load. The bar should not interfere with the control of body movements. If you overdo it with weights, you can injure your neck, lower back or knee joint.

Warm up

Before performing lunges in Smith, you should do a cardio load: run in place for 2-3 minutes or use a treadmill for this purpose. This will warm up and tone the muscles in your lower body. After jogging, the legs are abducted in 3 sets using a crossover, for each limb 15 repetitions.

It is recommended to do 5-10 flexions to work out the hamstrings while lying down. As part of the warm-up, it is necessary to work out body balance by performing lunges in Smith without working weight in 2-3 sets. If you need more time to warm up your muscles, you will need to increase the warm-up time.

Technique for performing lunges forward and backward for girls

The number of repetitions and approaches in Smith varies from the purpose of the exercise:

• to increase physical endurance, you will need to do 3-4 sets of 20-25 repetitions;
• during the drying period or in order to improve the relief, it is necessary to carry out 3-4 sets of 15-20 repetitions;

• to increase muscle mass, do 4-6 sets of 5-10 repetitions.

When familiarizing yourself with the simulator, you should perform 2 to 3 sets with 12-15 repetitions for each leg, depending on the level of physical fitness.

To increase the effectiveness of attacks, you should adhere to a number of recommendations:

• in order to increase the load on the quadriceps, it is worth reducing the distance between the supporting leg and the foot located on the bench;
• for the development of the buttocks and muscles on the back of the thighs, the step is taken more, that is, the distance between the supporting and working legs is increased;
• the height of the bench should correspond to the length of the leg from the heel to the knee joint or be slightly more;
• it is important to monitor your breathing: inhale when lowering the body, exhale when rising or returning to its original position;
• do not touch the floor surface with the knee of the working leg located on the bench;
• during the exercise, you should look at the upper corner in front of you, without lowering your head, you do not need to lower your head to your chest;
• the return to the starting position is carried out, pushing off with the heel of the supporting leg;
• the back should remain straight.

After lunges in the Smith machine, it is recommended to consolidate the workout by doing a leg press or a bridge from a prone position to develop the gluteal muscles.

Off the floor

After adjusting the simulator and selecting the working weight, lunges are started according to the following algorithm:

1. You need to stand in front of the simulator. In this case, the feet should be spaced shoulder-width apart. The bar must be placed on the trapezius muscle, which is just below the cervical vertebrae.If the bar is putting a lot of pressure on your skin, it is recommended to put a towel over your shoulders.
2. The body will need to be tilted, bending the back at the lower back. Look forward. It is necessary to step with your working foot so that when you lunge your thigh forms a line parallel to the floor surface. The knee joint in this case is bent at a right angle. If you feel discomfort or stiffness in movements, you should change the position of the legs to make it easier to continue the exercise.
3. It is necessary to inhale and lunge. The stride width varies depending on the target muscle group: for the development of the quadriceps muscles, the distance between the feet is reduced, for the buttocks, it is increased. This distance should allow you to bend your supporting leg at right angles. The body weight must be transferred to the heel of the working foot.
4. Next, you need to release air from the lungs, returning to its original position. To reduce the likelihood of dislocation and increase the effectiveness of the exercise, do not fully extend the knee of the supporting leg.

Lunges perform the required number of repetitions, then change the leg. There is no rest break. For girls, it is allowed to perform an alternative technique - "lunge without walking". In this case, the supporting leg is not returned to its original position. The feet do not move while remaining in the lunge. The girl will only need to rise and fall on her feet.

From the platform

The platform is placed in front of you to develop the endurance of the quadriceps.

A supporting leg is placed on it and an exercise is performed according to the classical technique:

1. It is necessary to approach the Sita simulator and set the platform at a distance of 0.4 m in front of you. After that, you need to set the working weight. The bar will need to be placed just below the neck, put the supporting limb on the platform, and take the working limb back.
2. It is necessary to inhale and lunge, bending the leg at the knee so that its thigh is parallel to the floor. The back should remain straight. You need to look in front of you, slightly directing your gaze upward. At the lowest point, the exercises are delayed for 1-2 seconds.
3. On exhalation, you need to push off with the heel of the supporting leg and straighten up. The feet should remain in place.

The exercise is repeated the required number of times, then without pause, the leg is replaced and the training is repeated.

Off the bench

When training with a bench, the supporting leg is pulled back, due to which the back surface of the lower limb is worked out.

The exercise is performed using the following technique:

1. It is necessary to adjust the simulator, fix the barbell in it with a pre-selected weight. The bench must be placed behind you at a distance of 50-60 cm.
2. You will need to stand under the barbell, fix the bar on the trapezoid muscle. The supporting leg must be taken back, put on the bench with a toe. The working foot remains in place.
3. It is necessary to inhale and lower in a lunge so that the knees are bent at right angles. The supporting leg should also go down, as if hanging from the bench, you do not need to deliberately straighten it or transfer weight to the other foot. The working hip at the lowest point of the exercise must be placed parallel to the floor.
4. As you exhale, they rise. The feet should remain in a fixed position. Walking is completely excluded. After completing the required number of repetitions, you need to change the leg and start the workout again without interruption.

In the absence of physical training, Smith's lunges from the bench should not be done.

Frequent mistakes

People who begin to work with the simulator can make the following mistakes:

1. Incorrect leg position. When exercising from a bench or step, the feet should remain in one position. When lowering the body to the lowest point of the exercise, the legs must be bent at an angle of 90 °.
2. Shifting its own weight to the working leg. When exercising on the floor or on a lifting surface, the body weight is transferred to the front foot, from the bench to the back.
3. Abrupt transitions.You need to perform the exercise smoothly, concentrating on muscle contraction. A sharp amplitude will lead to fatigue and exhaustion, increasing the risk of injury to the knee ligaments.
4. Incorrect positioning of the body, twisting of the spine in the chest area. The body during lunges in Smith should fall in a straight line down, the back remains straight during the exercise. Subject to all the rules, a person does not lean forward too much, the stomach does not touch the thigh.
5. Beginner's knees often move in different directions. This should not be allowed.

During training in the Smith machine, it is important to fix the bar with your hands so that it does not rotate when performing lunges.

How to ensure the effectiveness and safety of training?

It is recommended to start lunges in Smith for girls with the choice of small working weights, under the supervision of an experienced trainer. The best option is to master the exercise without weight as a warm-up, then start exercising with a projectile.

To increase the effectiveness and safety of training, you must adhere to the following rules:

• During training, movements must be precisely calibrated and slow. You need to feel the tension of each muscle. You will need to monitor your breathing, adjust the inhalation and exhalation to the work of the muscles.
• The knee position should be the same. You cannot change its position, you must turn the joint in one direction with the foot. In this case, the kneecap must not be pushed too far forward.
• The barbell should not be placed on the neck. This will not distribute the load correctly, but will only increase the risk of injury. Normally, the bar is placed on the trapezius muscle.
• To stabilize your body position and reduce the chance of losing your balance, you need to choose comfortable flat shoes. In the process of performing the exercise, you should transfer your own weight to the supporting leg. Her foot should be firmly pressed to the floor. Do not pull off your heel or toe.

If you feel stiffness and discomfort with lunges, you need to reduce the number of repetitions and reduce working weight. To maximize the effectiveness of the workout, it is recommended that the lower limbs are not fully extended at the peak of the exercise.

Lunges in the Smith simulator for amateur athletes who are first introduced to the apparatus should be under the supervision of a coach. Exercises allow you to work out the gluteal muscles and the muscles of the femoral surface, which is a problem area for girls.

At the same time, the Smith machine takes on part of the load and pressure exerted by the barbell, which allows girls to do multiple repetitions without risk when selecting a small weight.

Video about lunges in Smith for girls

Video exercises of lunges in Smith: