Deadlifting on Smith Machine
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richardpkennedy1 wrote: »StealthHealth wrote: »richardpkennedy1 wrote: »
Unless your smith machine is 45lbs which most aren't. Then it isn't 225. And you'll always be able to lift more in a smith since it takes all the stability work out of the lift.richardpkennedy1 wrote: »That's 2 plates by the way. 100kg (225 lbs)
There's a sign on the machine saying that the unloaded weight is 45 lbs. I'm pretty sure it's correct because my Smith bench is only slightly higher than barbell bench. As to why I am using it, there is no barbell at the gym. It's just my condo gym, not a commercial gym.
Do your deadlifts at the gym that you do your bench presses?
This
Now that I read back my post, I should have clarified that I was comparing my bench press from when I did have access to a barbell ☺. I'll be joining a new gym that's opening in August so I will have access to a barbell again then. For now I have to improvise with the Smith machine or dumbbells.
From the feedback I see here, I know now that it was a crap idea to use this machine for deadlifts!
For the record, I have a video of myself doing barbell deadlifts last year:
https://youtu.be/PR86oerpOkA
That's 135 lbs for 5 reps. Any advice?
Lots of back rounding. You want to keep that back tight and straight which means your butt's gonna come down a little more, your knees may go forward a tad and shorts are gonna be a bad idea.
You're also locking out your knees fast and early then lifting with your back. That's a recipe for disaster when you get into heavier weights. The deadlift is all about the hip hinge. Don't think of it as picking the weight off the floor so much as hinging your hips forward to straiten your body while the weight adds resistance.
Feet shoulder width apart, line the bar up with the middle of the top of your foot. Grab the bar just on either side of your legs and with a straight back, hinge your hips back and tuck your shoulder blades into your back pockets.
At this point the bar should still be lined up across the middle of your feet, your knees bent until shins are touching the bar (hence no shorts unless you wanna bleed) and shoulders directly above the bar. Someone looking from the side should see a straight vertical line from your mid foot to the bar to your shoulders. Back is straight with no hyperextending (reverse arch). Get a deep breath to tighten your entire core and support your back.
Then hold the bar tight while you push the floor down with your feet and bring your hips forward. Knees and hips should finish about the same time. To release, follow the same motions, keeping your back straight while hinging hips back to let the floor back up to the weights.
With proper form, not only will the movement feel better but you'll be surprised by how much more you can lift.5 -
@Carlos_421 great advice, but why are shorts a bad idea?? I don't wear shorts anyway, but just curious.0
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deluxmary2000 wrote: »@Carlos_421 great advice, but why are shorts a bad idea?? I don't wear shorts anyway, but just curious.
Because the rough texture of the iron bar will scrape the skin right off your shins.0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »deluxmary2000 wrote: »@Carlos_421 great advice, but why are shorts a bad idea?? I don't wear shorts anyway, but just curious.
Because the rough texture of the iron bar will scrape the skin right off your shins.
you can wear long socks if you want, to protect your shins if you want to wear shorts.0 -
Re the bar deadlift video: My impressions are:
- flatten your back
- take your arms out of the lift- they should be like string attached to the bar.
- I think you would benefit from leaning back slightly when in the starting position to put more weight over the heels.
Best wishes0 -
richardpkennedy1 wrote: »StealthHealth wrote: »richardpkennedy1 wrote: »
Unless your smith machine is 45lbs which most aren't. Then it isn't 225. And you'll always be able to lift more in a smith since it takes all the stability work out of the lift.richardpkennedy1 wrote: »That's 2 plates by the way. 100kg (225 lbs)
There's a sign on the machine saying that the unloaded weight is 45 lbs. I'm pretty sure it's correct because my Smith bench is only slightly higher than barbell bench. As to why I am using it, there is no barbell at the gym. It's just my condo gym, not a commercial gym.
Do your deadlifts at the gym that you do your bench presses?
This
Now that I read back my post, I should have clarified that I was comparing my bench press from when I did have access to a barbell ☺. I'll be joining a new gym that's opening in August so I will have access to a barbell again then. For now I have to improvise with the Smith machine or dumbbells.
From the feedback I see here, I know now that it was a crap idea to use this machine for deadlifts!
For the record, I have a video of myself doing barbell deadlifts last year:https://youtu.be/PR86oerpOkA
That's 135 lbs for 5 reps. Any advice?
Id personally start by already having my shoulders drawn back before even touching the bar, and preform the movement in a slower controlled motion. It's a deadlift not a clean and jerk.
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richardpkennedy1 wrote: »
That's 135 lbs for 5 reps. Any advice?
yikes. you need to roll and lock your shoulders way more back and tight. Dont jerk the bar off the floor, pull slower and more controlled. Sit down deeper into it, pull in and up, drag the bar up your shins. And get tighter before you pull, you are waaaay too loose.
Thanks Sonya. Appreciate feedback from a competitive powerlifter! As you can probably tell from my physique, I'm a middle distance runner. I'm just learning this lifting game0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »richardpkennedy1 wrote: »StealthHealth wrote: »richardpkennedy1 wrote: »
Unless your smith machine is 45lbs which most aren't. Then it isn't 225. And you'll always be able to lift more in a smith since it takes all the stability work out of the lift.richardpkennedy1 wrote: »That's 2 plates by the way. 100kg (225 lbs)
There's a sign on the machine saying that the unloaded weight is 45 lbs. I'm pretty sure it's correct because my Smith bench is only slightly higher than barbell bench. As to why I am using it, there is no barbell at the gym. It's just my condo gym, not a commercial gym.
Do your deadlifts at the gym that you do your bench presses?
This
Now that I read back my post, I should have clarified that I was comparing my bench press from when I did have access to a barbell ☺. I'll be joining a new gym that's opening in August so I will have access to a barbell again then. For now I have to improvise with the Smith machine or dumbbells.
From the feedback I see here, I know now that it was a crap idea to use this machine for deadlifts!
For the record, I have a video of myself doing barbell deadlifts last year:https://youtu.be/PR86oerpOkA
That's 135 lbs for 5 reps. Any advice?
Lots of back rounding. You want to keep that back tight and straight which means your butt's gonna come down a little more, your knees may go forward a tad and shorts are gonna be a bad idea.
You're also locking out your knees fast and early then lifting with your back. That's a recipe for disaster when you get into heavier weights. The deadlift is all about the hip hinge. Don't think of it as picking the weight off the floor so much as hinging your hips forward to straiten your body while the weight adds resistance.
Feet shoulder width apart, line the bar up with the middle of the top of your foot. Grab the bar just on either side of your legs and with a straight back, hinge your hips back and tuck your shoulder blades into your back pockets.
At this point the bar should still be lined up across the middle of your feet, your knees bent until shins are touching the bar (hence no shorts unless you wanna bleed) and shoulders directly above the bar. Someone looking from the side should see a straight vertical line from your mid foot to the bar to your shoulders. Back is straight with no hyperextending (reverse arch). Get a deep breath to tighten your entire core and support your back.
Then hold the bar tight while you push the floor down with your feet and bring your hips forward. Knees and hips should finish about the same time. To release, follow the same motions, keeping your back straight while hinging hips back to let the floor back up to the weights.
With proper form, not only will the movement feel better but you'll be surprised by how much more you can lift.
Wow, thanks for this Carlos! Very detailed advice. Thanks for taking all the time to write it.1 -
StealthHealth wrote: »Re the bar deadlift video: My impressions are:
- flatten your back
- take your arms out of the lift- they should be like string attached to the bar.
- I think you would benefit from leaning back slightly when in the starting position to put more weight over the heels.
Best wishes
Thanks for the concise advice. Appreciate it0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »deluxmary2000 wrote: »@Carlos_421 great advice, but why are shorts a bad idea?? I don't wear shorts anyway, but just curious.
Because the rough texture of the iron bar will scrape the skin right off your shins.
sometimes that happens with pants on too....0 -
richardpkennedy1 wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »richardpkennedy1 wrote: »StealthHealth wrote: »richardpkennedy1 wrote: »
Unless your smith machine is 45lbs which most aren't. Then it isn't 225. And you'll always be able to lift more in a smith since it takes all the stability work out of the lift.richardpkennedy1 wrote: »That's 2 plates by the way. 100kg (225 lbs)
There's a sign on the machine saying that the unloaded weight is 45 lbs. I'm pretty sure it's correct because my Smith bench is only slightly higher than barbell bench. As to why I am using it, there is no barbell at the gym. It's just my condo gym, not a commercial gym.
Do your deadlifts at the gym that you do your bench presses?
This
Now that I read back my post, I should have clarified that I was comparing my bench press from when I did have access to a barbell ☺. I'll be joining a new gym that's opening in August so I will have access to a barbell again then. For now I have to improvise with the Smith machine or dumbbells.
From the feedback I see here, I know now that it was a crap idea to use this machine for deadlifts!
For the record, I have a video of myself doing barbell deadlifts last year:https://youtu.be/PR86oerpOkA
That's 135 lbs for 5 reps. Any advice?
Lots of back rounding. You want to keep that back tight and straight which means your butt's gonna come down a little more, your knees may go forward a tad and shorts are gonna be a bad idea.
You're also locking out your knees fast and early then lifting with your back. That's a recipe for disaster when you get into heavier weights. The deadlift is all about the hip hinge. Don't think of it as picking the weight off the floor so much as hinging your hips forward to straiten your body while the weight adds resistance.
Feet shoulder width apart, line the bar up with the middle of the top of your foot. Grab the bar just on either side of your legs and with a straight back, hinge your hips back and tuck your shoulder blades into your back pockets.
At this point the bar should still be lined up across the middle of your feet, your knees bent until shins are touching the bar (hence no shorts unless you wanna bleed) and shoulders directly above the bar. Someone looking from the side should see a straight vertical line from your mid foot to the bar to your shoulders. Back is straight with no hyperextending (reverse arch). Get a deep breath to tighten your entire core and support your back.
Then hold the bar tight while you push the floor down with your feet and bring your hips forward. Knees and hips should finish about the same time. To release, follow the same motions, keeping your back straight while hinging hips back to let the floor back up to the weights.
With proper form, not only will the movement feel better but you'll be surprised by how much more you can lift.
Wow, thanks for this Carlos! Very detailed advice. Thanks for taking all the time to write it.
a good Que for your set up is think of pushing your but as far back as possible, this should help lock your back in ...
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Cutaway_Collar wrote: »Actually, I agree with @ShreddedTweet
OP may be a beginner to this form of exercise. Once upon a time, I started squatting on the smithmachine too before transitioning to barbell squats.
I apologize if I said anything harsh.
At some point, transition to a barbell.
nor harsh, just wrong..
you should not be learning how to squat in a smith, because smith ...2 -
All good advice but I don't think anybody has specifically pointed this out. Your rear is the first thing that moves in your video, and it shouldn't be. Keeping your back in a neutral position and driving through your legs (think of pushing the ground away from you) will help keep your butt low.
getting completely tight and engaged and in the right position before pulling will keep the butt down. The butt comes up when you aren't rock solid tight. It takes some time to train your body to engage every muscle in your body (this is the granddaddy of all lifts) Pulling any slack out of the bar helps , Among other things, i pull the slack out of the bar then raise my hips up to lock up my hams and glutes and keeping them tight i drop them back down and pull. You're body needs to be a rock and locked into position. For me, my cue isn't "pulling up the bar", my cue is to just stand up without leaning forward. super simple. all the power comes from my legs.1 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »deluxmary2000 wrote: »@Carlos_421 great advice, but why are shorts a bad idea?? I don't wear shorts anyway, but just curious.
Because the rough texture of the iron bar will scrape the skin right off your shins.
sometimes that happens with pants on too....
Too true. I also don't wear my favorite pants on deadlift day either because I don't want to wear holes in em.
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All good advice but I don't think anybody has specifically pointed this out. Your rear is the first thing that moves in your video, and it shouldn't be. Keeping your back in a neutral position and driving through your legs (think of pushing the ground away from you) will help keep your butt low.
getting completely tight and engaged and in the right position before pulling will keep the butt down. The butt comes up when you aren't rock solid tight. It takes some time to train your body to engage every muscle in your body (this is the granddaddy of all lifts) Pulling any slack out of the bar helps , Among other things, i pull the slack out of the bar then raise my hips up to lock up my hams and glutes and keeping them tight i drop them back down and pull. You're body needs to be a rock and locked into position. For me, my cue isn't "pulling up the bar", my cue is to just stand up without leaning forward. super simple. all the power comes from my legs.
Wow this is awesome advice. Never thought of it like that! How much do you deadline?0 -
singingflutelady wrote: »piperdown44 wrote: »No way to really assess your form since the smith machine has you locked in a specific range of motion.
There are only a few lifts I'd consider using a smith machine for and deadlifts or squats are not one of them.
I do shrugs and inverted rows on it. Are shrugs ok on the Smith?
I feel like shrugs is the go to lift on the smith machine for some reason, everyone loves to load it up with as many plates as possible and do shrugs with their wrist wraps.
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No straps for me lol1
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richardpkennedy1 wrote: »That's 2 plates by the way. 100kg (225 lbs)
I would think it would make the lift easier since you aren't starting as low so have less space to travel for the lift, besides that I feel like you are missing all the good parts of deadlift since it is just a fixed motion, and you don't get to use all those cool stabilizing muscles.
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