Angled Smith Machine is a good piece of equipment.

[Vince B]

There is some confusion about training with machines. Some people don't believe they are useful and miss out on using good equipment. The angled Smith Machine allows users to duplicate the path used in squats, bench presses and other movements. This angle is about 10 degrees from the vertical.  Combine that benefit with the safety factor and you have equipment that can be used when training alone.

The handle on my Smith Machine is 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Machines that use Olympic bars are 1 1/8" across. Many machines have a counterweight which more or less eliminates the weight of the bar and so whatever weight you add is what you are lifting. Machines without counterweights seem heavier because you are lifting the bar plus bearing assemblies. On my machine the assembly plus bar weighs about 60 pounds.

When you do squats you do plenty of stabilizing on the machine. To think otherwise means you haven't used these machines.

[Meso_z]

There is some confusion about training with machines. Some people don't believe they are useful and miss out on using good equipment. The angled Smith Machine allows users to duplicate the path used in squats, bench presses and other movements. This angle is about 10 degrees from the vertical.  Combine that benefit with the safety factor and you have equipment that can be used when training alone.

The handle on my Smith Machine is 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Machines that use Olympic bars are 1 1/8" across. Many machines have a counterweight which more or less eliminates the weight of the bar and so whatever weight you add is what you are lifting. Machines without counterweights seem heavier because you are lifting the bar plus bearing assemblies. On my machine the assembly plus bar weighs about 60 pounds.

When you do squats you do plenty of stabilizing on the machine. To think otherwise means you haven't used these machines.

Yes we have angled smiths in my gym and theyre better than the straight, vertical ones. much more comfortable.

[jwb]

I like the adjustable footrest attached to the smith.

[Rod Majors]

 my gym(la fitness,studio city) has 3Xangled smiths.

[Rod Majors]

Btw is your gym in an institution?...i did a stay at a place called"voices"
had similar bars on the windows

[disco_stu]

sorry, wrong.

both the squat and the bench press is not an angled movement, but rather an S shape.

no matter what angle you put on there, or even if you build an "S" on a machine, itll fit only 1% of all lifters- if that.

the variation and differences between humans means that unless its mapped via a computer, for each individual, then made- itll fit a tiny portion of trainers.

the rest it wont fit at all and encourage movement through incorrect planes..making it almost as inaccurate as the straight smith machine.

its useful for safety only...period. if you are happy to work through less than optimal range, and put some muscle complexes at risk by doing so, then go for it. you will never lift as heavy as free weights for that reason, so what benefit is it giving?..

its purely safety and the ability to go the extra rep without concern...but you'd probably get more benefit from more weight using free weights or doing an exercise like leg press for instance.

maybe the only exercise that its almost ok for is military presses.

[magicuser]

I prefer universal gym leg press u can goto failure on

personally

[Vince B]

You can plot the start and finish position and even if the actual movement is an S it won't make much difference and will feel 'right'.

[jwb]

I prefer universal gym leg press u can goto failure on

personally

that ain't a universal but a sad copy.

[Vince B]

I prefer universal gym leg press u can goto failure on

personally

This piece of equipment was state of the art back in the good old days. The problem with that apparatus is that the weight stack had to move to accommodate the moving arm. Not a good thing to do as far as engineering is concerned.  The construction was as strong as it should be for those heavy resistances. Also there are safety concerns for the foot pads as they don't restrain the foot.

[jwb]

The real universal machines had movement arms that ran along a roller attached to the top of the stack coupled with 2 rollers that ran up the weight stack shafts.

[Vince B]

Yes, Universal called it Dynamic Variable Resistance. It was hot stuff until Arthur Jones and Nautilus arrived.

[jwb]

I felt the leg press needed more weight and much larger foot plate but the bench press and shoulder press were great machines imo.

[Vince B]

Universal and Paramount targetted universities, YMCA, high schools, hotels, etc., and had multi-stationed units that fit under an 8 foot ceiling. Those were the first attempts to vary the resistance. It wasn't much but users felt the difference. These companies didn't develop the concepts and soon Nautilus, Cybex and others were replacing them. Nobody in those days would have predicted the success that Nautilus had. Especially considering they used chains and looked intimidating. Goodness me but I hate repairing machines with dirty chains. Arthur underestimated how people would use his machines so used 1/2 inch chains instead of stronger 5/8 inch chains that would have been better. He did use double link chains for some machines such as the Duo Squat and they have been okay. Today manufacturers use cables or belt drives and seldom chains.

[Meso_z]

Bay goes "all out" on this "piece of equipment".

[mass 04]

Only senile Basile would put an exit sign above a mirror.

[Playboy]

Garbage. Free weights is the way to go. Smith's are for the lazy.

[The Showstoppa]

Only senile Basile would put an exit sign above a mirror.

   Maybe it's an exit into another dimension?

[mass 04]

  Maybe it's an exit into another dimension?

haha. Maybe it contains the "secrets to hypertrophy" that he's been pimping for 58 years but has never told anyone?

[The Showstoppa]

haha. Maybe it contains the "secrets to hypertrophy" that he's been pimping for 58 years but has never told anyone?

LOL....or possibly, that is where the flotsam of getbig resides? 

[no one]

Yes we have angled smiths in my gym and theyre better than the straight, vertical ones. much more comfortable.

try shrugs on one. put your feet well ahead of you so when you pull up on the bar, you're pulling up with the same angle the bar on the machine is set at.

killer.

[spinnis]

There is some confusion about training with machines. Some people don't believe they are useful and miss out on using good equipment.

so that to the fuckers that have died benching in them haha

[Meso_z]

try shrugs on one. put your feet well ahead of you so when you pull up on the bar, you're pulling up with the same angle the bar on the machine is set at.

killer.

Cool.

A great exercise for FP would be:

Load the smith with as many 45's as it fits, get under the bar, lay on the bench. Then have 3 spotters unrack it for you and let the bar "sit" on your throat.

killer

lol

[tonymctones]

You can plot the start and finish position and even if the actual movement is an S it won't make much difference and will feel 'right'.

disagree like it was stated both exercises contain an "S" movement in them and while yes you can still do the exercise you cannot simulate the "S" on a smith unless its the kind where the guides move and even then I wouldnt know how effective it is.

smiths have their place but dont try and tell ppl they can take the place of free weights in movement...

[spinnis]

your mom is a good piece of equipment.