@Harley1962

Looks like you started a pretty good thread man! I very much enjoyed reading through it!

At the end of the day every machine has it's place. Personally, I don't use the smith machine for squats. Some smith machines are on an angle and some are completely verticle, but either way my body doesn't necessarily follow the same path on every squat. Also, if your neck is sore, it is probably from the force of lifting the weight combined with possible friction from pushing the bar against the rods of the smith machine.

@Erica_Stibich however does use the smith machine for squats, but because she is using the smith machine she is taking advantage of the bar being in place and puts her feet further forward. Traditional squats bother her lower back and with the smith machine she can go deeper and heavier on squats while continuing to work on her flexibility.

Keep us posts on your results and if you need more help with your deadlift, I have a really great article full of photos and videos right here for you to check out!

DEADLIFT: Why you‘re not lifting as much weight as you could.

Have a great week!

Hey Scott! Thanks SO much for answering personally, it means a lot! I have learned SO much from your videos--we are almost the same size (5' 10" and 166 lbs), so I get motivated seeing somebody putting MAX effort into training!

For the squats I have already decided (together with the trainer) that I will NOT be using the SM anymore-he actually told me it was just an "introductory" thing to take out the "balance issue", but after reading all the great advice (both pro and con) I think I'm gonna do squats "naturally" and see how that goes! Also, the fact that I had the bar so high-up on my neck (causing the soreness) using the SM I surely want to avoid that again!

I just had my first deadlift experience yesterday (growing up I was always told I was "too small" or "too frail" for squats and deads--I was the "small fast guy", usually center-forward in soccer or wide receiver in football), so starting out with these two compound movements at age 51 is a REALLY new experience for me!

OF COURSE--I have already watched ALL THREE parts of your deadlift tutorial--and the one you sent here.....and although I had a little soreness just after doing deadlifts (3 sets X 10 reps, progressive overload to about 75 % of my BW), it went away later that evening.

I was planning to take a short video of me doing BOTH of those movements--like I said before growing up I was told those exercies were "too hard" for me, or "unnecessary"--but since taking training more seriously I can SEE how much those movements can affect ALL of your musculature....I just have a bit of "uncertainty" about my form, and maybe a bit of fear that I will screw-up my back somehow?

So, I'll get some clips of me doing those movements...and maybe post them here...I'd rather get the corrections done NOW early in my training--before I hurt myself!

Thanks Scott and keep up the great work man!

Harley

Didn't you say you work with coach to whom you trust? Then you shouldn't be worried about your technique and injuries at any exercise; not squat, deadlift or any other. Second opinion is always welcome, but if you in general don't trust and doubt in your coach, or you are not on the same line anyhow, then it's better to change it. Bond between coach and client should be friendly and motivational, not authoritative. note: was not pointed directly on you (as you write that coach have success with all in your gym and you are ok with him) but in general.

If I'm honest, I also do that way I sometimes make some step before "real work" (not just sport, any field) and present that like a normal procedure. But coach must think one or two steps forward and like in your case, have ability to defend his decision why act like that. Personally, for your initial problem, also on SM you can reposition bar on your back. I do majority of my squats on SM and have no similar issues. Work of a coach is to find what works best for you regarding to your structure, biomechanics, etc...

If you were surounded by people who claim that's (was) not for you...sucks. I had similar problems, not directly the same. If I would listen to them, my first race never would be 50k mountain run with 3.000m of relative altitude change. At my 18 years. And marathon one month later, and how f***ing ironical, this marathon still holds my PB.

But with that I wanted to say something else: I claim that athletics is a queen and fitness is a king of ALL sports. Both are basics for any sport and both are essential when you want to improve your performance in any sport. And both have some evergreen repertoire which works for all. And squat and deadlift are definitely one of them. None of them (athletics and fitness) should never be neglected.

BR, Gregor

Thanks Gregor for your ideas and opinions regarding the important "combination" of athletics + fitness = TOTAL health!

Sure, I do trust my trainer to see things (especially mistakes) and make corrections in my training form, but for me one of the MAIN puropses in researching this new direction in my life is to get a "total picture" of how I can best add these (positive) habits into my lifestyle, and hopefully reap ALL the benefits from that!

Joining this Forum (and soliciting ideas from others with more experience), looking at Youtube Videos, and reading books are all beneficial in keeping informed about various techniques and approaches to my training. Remember : the word "forum" comes from the Latin, and LITERALLY means "an open space, as in a public square", where ALL can participate and add their opinions and ideas to the mix! If I want to get secondary opinions about a particular movement or exercise, what better place than here to post a video, or ask a question? Just a few years ago this would not have been possible, so why NOT avail onesself of that additional resource!

I agree with you 100% that we should not allow the negative opinions of others' to affect our own pursuits, and as a young boy being told that "you are long / thin and quick, so you should not do "deads / squats", or XXX"---DID affect me at that time, and made me drift towards more cardio-endurance type of sports and activities. Now that I am "older" I know that I CAN discard all those biased (and incorrect!) opinions, and do REAL weight-training, and (hopefully) add strength, flexibility, and power to what I already have.

Thanks again and regards!

Harley