front squat push press on a Smith machine?

89nunu

I'm sorry if this question has been answered in one of the billions of threads on the FSPP.

My gym doesn't have a squat rack but only the stupid Smith machine, which is generally annoying but I came to terms with it for my squats. But now I started level two and gave to do the FSPP. The first time I just used a bar and hoisted it up without a rack but I really want to use a higher weight and i won't be able to get the bar up with more weight. I also don't have a training buddy that could help me...

So is it stupid to even think about doing the FSPP on the Smith machine? it somehow seems like I couldn't do the movement in that thing. Any other ideas of what best to do? I do like the movement in general and would hate to break it into upper body lower body exercises...

KatLifter

I really wouldn't recommend it, it won't let you move in the way you need to for proper form. When the racks at my gym are busy I steal the oly bar from the bench press. Working on your clean is amazing gor your arms, then you can put it into one amazing complex movement:
-Clean
-F Squat
-Press

I do complexes these all the time and they KICK MY BUTT
-Deadlift
-Clean
-F Squat
-Push press

-Deadlift
-Row
-Clean
-Push Press
-Back squat

etc. etc.

BarbellCowgirl

An alternative would be doing a squat press with DBs. I don't think there's anyway you could effectively do a FSPP with a Smith.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=gdPSVQrR-mw&desktop_uri=/watch?v=gdPSVQrR-mw

athenalove46

Does your gym have a bar? For these you aren't doing huge amounts of weight so it'll be easy to clean the bar up from the floor!

89nunu

I got bars alright, but I'm doing 20 kg right now and I'm already struggling to clean it up. From the press point of view I could do more or at least want to see how it's going... maybe I'm just being stupid and just have to work on my clean form... I will see whether I can make a difference that way.

Thanks for your replies!

chocolatecroissant

I found it so difficult to clean the Olympic bar I dropped down to dumbbells for this move so I don't see why you can't substitute these.

meshashesha2012

no.. just no. if you're doing a push press correctly then your arms should be a bit behind your head and you wont be able to get in that position in a smith machine since it only works on that 1 plane of motion

if you can't clean a weight to a your shoulder then it's more than likely going to be too heavy to push press because you need o be able to stabilize and control the weight while it's over your head.

89nunu

Just FYI in case so stumbles upon this thread cause they got similar problems.
I worked on my clean form, which really was off, and I got it up. Damn hard to do all the reps but it worked
Thanks for all your help!