Smith Machine Wide Squat vs Standing Leg Curl

Maximizing Your Leg Workout Plan

Contents

Planfit users log Standing Leg Curl more often — 1,989 sessions vs 636. Compare Leg form, muscles worked, and when to use each.

Customize Your Leg Workout: Explore the Benefits of Smith Machine Wide Squat and Standing Leg Curl for Better Comparison.

Planfit Users' Choice about Smith Machine Wide Squat vs Standing Leg Curl : Which is Better?

Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Standing Leg Curl more often — 1,989 sessions compared to 636 for Smith Machine Wide Squat.

Popularity is not the whole answer. Smith Machine Wide Squat and Standing Leg Curl differ in the muscles they load, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.

How Smith Machine Wide Squat and Standing Leg Curl Differ

What differsSmith Machine Wide SquatStanding Leg Curl
Muscles workedglutes, hamstrings, and inner thighshamstrings and calves
Machine typeSmith-machineplate-loaded
One side at a timeNoYes
Difficulty4 of 51 of 5
Sessions logged by Planfit users636 sessions1,989 sessions

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How to Smith Machine Wide Squat

Smith Machine Wide Squat gif

Smith Machine Wide Squat muscles worked: Leg

Form

  1. 1. Tighten your abdomen and keep your waist straight, then bend at the hip joint to lower your hips down.
  2. 2. Allow your knees to bend naturally until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
  3. 3. Push strongly through the center of your feet to rise up.
  4. 4. As your hips rise, straighten your knees and hip joints in sequence, returning to the starting position.

Coach's Comment

  1. 1. Please be careful not to lean your upper body too far forward.
  2. 2. Keep your chest up and engage your core to avoid bending your waist.
  3. 3. Don't excessively bend your waist while trying to keep it straight.
  4. 4. Please do not stick your hips too far back.
  5. 5. Make sure your feet do not lift off the ground.
  6. 6. When standing up, please ensure your knees do not come together.

If you want to know a detailed guide to Smith Machine Wide Squat, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Smith Machine Wide Squat Guide page of our blog!

Do you want to know more about Smith Machine Wide Squat methods?Exercise Guide

How to Standing Leg Curl

Standing Leg Curl gif

Standing Leg Curl muscles worked: Leg

Form

  1. 1. Engage the muscles in the back of your thigh and buttocks of the extended leg, and lift until your knee is at a 90-degree angle.
  2. 2. Lower only until your knee is fully extended while resisting the weight.

Coach's Comment

  1. 1. Please be careful not to fully extend your knees.
  2. 2. Please be careful not to lift your upper body.

If you want to know a detailed guide to Standing Leg Curl, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Standing Leg Curl Guide page of our blog!

Do you want to know more about Standing Leg Curl methods?Exercise Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Leg, Smith Machine Wide Squat or Standing Leg Curl?

Planfit users log Standing Leg Curl more often — 1,989 sessions against 636 for Smith Machine Wide Squat. Both train Leg, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.

Do Smith Machine Wide Squat and Standing Leg Curl work the same muscles?

Not quite. Smith Machine Wide Squat loads glutes, hamstrings, and inner thighs, and Standing Leg Curl loads hamstrings and calves.

What equipment do Smith Machine Wide Squat and Standing Leg Curl need?

Smith Machine Wide Squat needs a machine, and Standing Leg Curl needs a machine.

Which is easier to start with?

Standing Leg Curl is the easier place to start. Move to Smith Machine Wide Squat once your form holds up.

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