smith machines?

[texasRUSH]

how much do they take away from the exercise benefits wise?


like for instances last night *yeah i'm still kinda stoked about it* i hit 315 on the closed grip bench with good form for reps last night using a smith machine because i didn't have a training partner....but say i was to do it on the regular old flat bench...

315 sounds like it wouldbe a whole lot harder!

[HICKSON]

how much do they take away from the exercise benefits wise?


like for instances last night *yeah I'm still kinda stoked about it* i hit 315 on the closed grip bench with good form for reps last night using a smith machine because i didn't have a training partner....but say i was to do it on the regular old flat bench...

315 sounds like it would be a whole lot harder!

It would be.....

The smith has its pros and cons like every other piece of equipment... the smith will defiantly force you to get stronger in certain areas because you are forced to lift the weight on one flat plain not much for recruiting stabilizer muscles like the free bench.

however like you said that you did not have a training partner w/ you the free bench can add a lot of injury's to the list if you aren't careful (which every person training for years knows) just one wrong move or the shoulder get out of line then....

i feel its good to do both in your training scheme, free for nothing but puttin on strength and the smith to dial in those stubborn areas. of course never straying far from the dumbells either...

I train on nothing but the smith for all chest routines but my scenario is different but it has worked great for my overall chest development

[blondmusclhunk]

I agree smith machine is great and safer.  The downside is your stabilizer muscles do not get as much work.  Hammer strength is great for bench.  It reduces shoulder strain and makes you lift in a more natural movment.  I mix up flat bench with flat bench hammer. Especially if i feel some soreness coming on I might stick to Hammer for a few weeks.

[newdumbell303]

great answers guys. Exactly how I feel. I too use the Smith Machine for close grip bench press, I love it this way. I can change up the pace a lot easier and throw in negatives easier too and if I reach failure I just rack it. This being said I dont rely on the Smith Machine for everything, I agree with Hickson saying dont stray too far from DBs.

[texasRUSH]

i felt like i could focus more on the lift than having to worry about my safety...and it translated into a monster of a personal record. it's not braggin i'm just excited..and i'm thinkign of working on teh smith machine more often than not now...i like the fact that i feel like i cna push harder without the fear of not being able to complete the set, etc.

[texasRUSH]

in retrospect i'm still kinda high on the idea i put up 315 on the closed bench...how good is that really?    i think it was a mental thing..when i realized i could do 275 and 295 easily..i said fuck it and gave it all i had..does that sound like braggin?  

[pumpster]

315's an accomplishment. Development's more important tho.

Sometimes Smith versions are better than free weights. That whole stabilizer muscle's argument's tired-without having to worry about balance, the effect from Smith and other machines is sometimes better. On close-grips, an angled grip can be used and training to failure's easier to do without risk.

[texasRUSH]

yeah i've only got 17" arms    and thansk for the input...i had a few people mubling about the fact it was done on the smith machine...but i didnt feel like it took away from it so much as not having a partner would have.

you think it would be wiser to do my military presses on them?

[pumpster]

On any exercise, try the Smith version and decide which works the muscles better, which is the bottom line. The pump & muscle stimulation are actually better in many cases. Also try 1/2 and 2/3 ROMs on the Smith, either for an entire set or as partials after reaching failure. The burn is intense, and IMO it's easier to progress knowing you can go to failure or beyond without risk, even less risk than free weights with a spotter.

In cases like close-grips and 1/2 motion behind the neck military presses I find the Smith and some machines work the muscles better than free weights. Try any exercise and decide-Yates found Smith squats much more effective than free weight squats. Free weights are widely over-hyped, and are not always as good. Another good one is seated behind the head triceps extensions on the Smith.

[texasRUSH]

i always use the smith for squats..saw a HUGE improvement in development over the  cage version! 

i get the idea more people are capable of putting up some big numbers but their being intimidated BY those numbers kinda psyches them out...the smith machine has helped me push through a few plateaus...i'm thinking if i did my bench routine i'd enjoy it better and not hafta wait for someone to help me.

[pumpster]

The Smith is often disparaged because some only focus on one-sided arguments about stabilizer muscles (unimportant, from my experience) without ever comprehending or understanding the equal or greater counterbalancing benefits-that the feel on the muscle's  often better, and the important fact that it's easier to train to failure and progress.

If stabilizer muscles were so important, the barbell wouldn't exist-everything would have been done only with dumbbells because of the greater use of stabilizers! 

[Jr. Yates]

I do use the Smith, if chest falls on a monday and all the high school kids are using all the bench presses. I also use it for shrugs sometimes.

[Cold]

all the macho guys stay away from smith machine cuz they dont wanna be laughed at. i personally use it a lot. GREAT for close grip bench press and great for those days when you want to really contract ur chest muscles with slow pace and various grips.

[Eat2Grow]

I do use the Smith, if chest falls on a monday and all the high school kids are using all the bench presses. I also use it for shrugs sometimes.

Shrugs,,what's the point of that.  You don't even use a spotter on shruggs.  Just set the Pins low on the cage and go. 

Smith for  shrugs Pffftttt

[Jr. Yates]

yes yes I know but its a variation. I find with the angle that the bar rides on really helps to hit my traps and you don't have to go retarded heavy. 405 is fine and there is no bouncing. unless your one of those guys that puts 6 plates a side and looks as though your trying to dance to the music playing while holding 700 pounds rather than target the traps. thats good too.

[Eat2Grow]

um no.  Hold it at the peak no less than 2 seconds.  I don't get the bouncing thing.  Are they intenionally trying to hurt themselves

[Jr. Yates]

haha i guess so...im sure you've seen kids do that or somebody....put way too much weight on a barbell and just shrug?? i guess the only benifit they are gettin is a massive stretch in their traps but there is no full contraction whatsoever. but i do like the smith once in awhile for my shrugs though.

[triple_pickle]

i usually use the smith machine for close grip benches, no need to balance the weight.  also, once in a while i superset squats with leg presses, and then i would do squats on the smith machine.

[HICKSON]

a great thing that goes unnoticed is that you can load/unload one side then do the other,
no walking back and forth......