New Delhi, Sept. 6 -- Squats are integral to a fitness routine but they come with a set of challenges. They have hundreds of variations and can take a long time to perfect. They are a compound movement and one has to ensure the back is protected while the legs are strengthened. A little flaw in technique could reduce gains while going too heavy could cause an injury. With the knees, the back, and the core involved, along with glutes and hamstrings and quads, it makes sense to learn different types of squats. But this also means it is important to take whatever assistance one can get from equipment to make the squat as kind on your body as possible while being effective enough to get stronger.

This is where machines come in. The Smith mac...