Low Body Fat

[Warboss Alex]

Is it really bad that I do squats using a smith machine? I really have no alternative

if you can go all the way down it's not terrible but you are still half-assing your gains (like doing an isolation exercise over a compound).

 

[mrRuckus]

I always thought it was because she wanted me to be challenged - now I realize it was also to protect my knees.

She probably has no idea about your knees or much else if she's having you "squat" (standing leg press) on a machine.