Today was leg day. After a weekend of dealing with abdominal swelling all day yesterday (left over from my tummy tuck in 2019 – yes, it still happens), I wasn’t sure I would be able to even do leg day today. The thing is, I often forget that inactivity makes the feelings of swelling worse. A lot of time, I am not swollen on the outside, it’s a swelling feeling on the inside. It’s most likely caused by scar tissue build up in the surgical area, and a sluggish lymphatic system (due to the surgery).
Anyway, I managed to do leg day and it was awesome! Since going back to my home gym (where I also train clients), I have been working on “big girl squats”. lol Without a spotter, I was always using the Smith Machine for squats. I am a personal trainer, and YES SMITH MACHINE SQUATS ARE STILL SQUATS. Sorry for the yelling. I hate people giving opinions that state the opposite. As a training client for almost 14 years, and being a trainer for five years I can tell you, they are still squats. I have quads to prove it.
But.. I have been using the squat rack and bar to do my squats for a few weeks now. The main reason is distribution of the weight on the bar. While the Smith Machine is super effective for back squats, for myself, they often feel heavier than a squat on a longer, unattached bar. So, I have been doing those.
And, while we’re on the subject of squats… you do not have to squat 10 times your body weight for them to be effective. In fact, I don’t even squat my body weight. At least not very often. There are so many different training methods to build muscle. I am not training as a power lifter, so I prefer a higher rep with a lighter to more moderate weight. But that’s just MY preferred style. That is not to say everyone has to train the way I do.
I added 30 lbs to my back squat this week and 40 lbs to my Smith Machine leg presses today. I was lifting between 500 and 800 lbs on the leg press machine when I was at my previous public gym. The Smith Machine is a different movement, so the weight lifted is much lighter. It is still VERY effective.
Anyhoo… I had an awesome workout to start the week. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for me. If you’re looking for training, nutrition coaching, or just some general help with fitness, give me a shout.
Happy Monday!
