Smith machine?
christianteach
Posts: 595 Member
I just started lifting today. Our gym doesn't have a squat rack but it has 2 Smith Machines. Is this okay to use? If not, I could try to talk my husband into buying what I would need to do this at home, although I don't know if he will go for it especially since we would probably still keep our Y membership since I enjoy the classes, our son likes the to run on their treadmill and use the weight machines and dh likes to do cardio there better than at home. But I have to say I was a little uncomfortable in the weight area today since I was the only female over there. All the other women were on the cardio machines, which is where I headed once I finished.
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can you not lobby them for a proper power rack?0
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can you not lobby them for a proper power rack?
2nd'd!
Around here, there is a used fitness equipment center so you could see if there's one near you to point the Y too or yourself - there's also Craigslist (tho I doubt the Y would go for that due to liability issues)0 -
http://stronglifts.com/smith-machine-squats-power-rack-free-weights/
Try this, it's written by the guy who created Stronglifts.0 -
You'll hear mixed opinions, though more likely than not, people would say that Smith machines are worse than doing nothing. You do not get a real workout with them, and you might develop some bad habits that you have to work to undo later.
That's not the only choice, though--you can do all of your upper body work with dumbbells. There is a thread about dumbbell alternatives by Sara in the sticky post on very important posts. The harder part is compound lifts such as deadlifts and squats. You need more grip strength to do those with dumbbells, though it is possible. But your grip will give up before your legs and torso, so you will inevitably hit a brick wall with dumbbells.
If you are serious about strength training, eventually you will outgrow your current gym's limitations and either buy your own equipment or seek another, better equipped gym.0 -
people would say that Smith machines are worse than doing nothing.
I think that's ridiculous.0 -
people would say that Smith machines are worse than doing nothing.
I think that's ridiculous.
Your opinion has been noted.
Here's a more elaborate post on the value of Smith machines. They even cite science! Enjoy,
http://www.liftbigeatbig.com/2012/09/squats-barbell-vs-smith-machine.html
P.S. I just remembered I have snapshots of some choice instructional diagrams from the side of a Smith machine. Here they are:
The "good morning":
The "front squat":
And the "power clean":
I cannot decide which I like better, but I'm leaning towards the "front squat".0 -
You'll hear mixed opinions, though more likely than not, people would say that Smith machines are worse than doing nothing. You do not get a real workout with them, and you might develop some bad habits that you have to work to undo later.
That's not the only choice, though--you can do all of your upper body work with dumbbells. There is a thread about dumbbell alternatives by Sara in the sticky post on very important posts. The harder part is compound lifts such as deadlifts and squats. You need more grip strength to do those with dumbbells, though it is possible. But your grip will give up before your legs and torso, so you will inevitably hit a brick wall with dumbbells.
If you are serious about strength training, eventually you will outgrow your current gym's limitations and either buy your own equipment or seek another, better equipped gym.
I only need it for squats and bench press. They also have a squat rack (not sure if that's what it's called) I can use for everything else. I just don't feel secure without some kind of protection for bp and squats. I live in a small town. I could check with the other gym to see what they offer. Otherwise I would have to drive a few miles and I know I wouldn't want to deal with that. I would rather buy my own. I saw a power rack on Amazon (PowerLine PPPR200X Power Rack for $387 and ****s has a couple power cages in the $400-$450 range. Would any of them be any good or would they be junk? I wouldn't really know what to look for if I bought something. I have also found some used stuff on Craigslist. But again, I'm not sure what I should be looking for and how much I would need to spend.0 -
You'll hear mixed opinions, though more likely than not, people would say that Smith machines are worse than doing nothing. You do not get a real workout with them, and you might develop some bad habits that you have to work to undo later.
That's not the only choice, though--you can do all of your upper body work with dumbbells. There is a thread about dumbbell alternatives by Sara in the sticky post on very important posts. The harder part is compound lifts such as deadlifts and squats. You need more grip strength to do those with dumbbells, though it is possible. But your grip will give up before your legs and torso, so you will inevitably hit a brick wall with dumbbells.
If you are serious about strength training, eventually you will outgrow your current gym's limitations and either buy your own equipment or seek another, better equipped gym.
I only need it for squats and bench press. They also have a squat rack (not sure if that's what it's called) I can use for everything else. I just don't feel secure without some kind of protection for bp and squats. I live in a small town. I could check with the other gym to see what they offer. Otherwise I would have to drive a few miles and I know I wouldn't want to deal with that. I would rather buy my own. I saw a power rack on Amazon (PowerLine PPPR200X Power Rack for $387 and ****s has a couple power cages in the $400-$450 range. Would any of them be any good or would they be junk? I wouldn't really know what to look for if I bought something. I have also found some used stuff on Craigslist. But again, I'm not sure what I should be looking for and how much I would need to spend.
Depending on how much your gym membership costs, it might be a better investment to get a power rack. You can do everything you need in a power rack, squats and bench presses and so on. You can definitely get some decent bargains on Craigslist, especially on Olympic barbells and weights.0 -
people would say that Smith machines are worse than doing nothing.
I think that's ridiculous.
Your opinion has been noted.
Here's a more elaborate post on the value of Smith machines. They even cite science! Enjoy,
http://www.liftbigeatbig.com/2012/09/squats-barbell-vs-smith-machine.html
Obviously if you put the Smith against a barbell there is no comparison.
What I think is ridiculous is arguing that the Smith is worse than nothing. Sub-optimal as it may be, if I'm adding weight to the bar of a Smith machine exercise, I'm getting stronger.0 -
can you not lobby them for a proper power rack?
No, I'm sure they wouldn't listen to me.0 -
Another thought: if you or your SO or any of your friends are handy with tools, you could build your own power rack following the plans in the Starting Strength book.0
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Another thought: if you or your SO or any of your friends are handy with tools, you could build your own power rack following the plans in the Starting Strength book.
Not! lol Hubby always hires someone to fix everything. I just showed him one I found on Craigslist and his response was, "Where are you going to put that?" I figured we could put it in the garage but he didn't agree. I have also mentioned putting it in our workout room before and he wasn't thrilled with that idea either, although I doubt the ceiling is high enough upstairs. He doesn't lift and doesn't see why I want to. And he certainly doesn't understand why the equipment at the Y isn't good enough.0 -
Another thought: if you or your SO or any of your friends are handy with tools, you could build your own power rack following the plans in the Starting Strength book.
Not! lol Hubby always hires someone to fix everything. I just showed him one I found on Craigslist and his response was, "Where are you going to put that?" I figured we could put it in the garage but he didn't agree. I have also mentioned putting it in our workout room before and he wasn't thrilled with that idea either, although I doubt the ceiling is high enough upstairs. He doesn't lift and doesn't see why I want to. And he certainly doesn't understand why the equipment at the Y isn't good enough.
Hahah--I would tell him, "I am lifting so I am strong enough to carry you to the bathroom when you are old and frail."0 -
Another thought: if you or your SO or any of your friends are handy with tools, you could build your own power rack following the plans in the Starting Strength book.
Not! lol Hubby always hires someone to fix everything. I just showed him one I found on Craigslist and his response was, "Where are you going to put that?" I figured we could put it in the garage but he didn't agree. I have also mentioned putting it in our workout room before and he wasn't thrilled with that idea either, although I doubt the ceiling is high enough upstairs. He doesn't lift and doesn't see why I want to. And he certainly doesn't understand why the equipment at the Y isn't good enough.
Hahah--I would tell him, "I am lifting so I am strong enough to carry you to the bathroom when you are old and frail."
LOL I just called the other gym in our area and they don't have one either. So what should I do? My husband won't buy me one (wouldn't want him to have to park his car outside...), there aren't any gym's in our area that have them and I don't have a spotter.0 -
Another thought: if you or your SO or any of your friends are handy with tools, you could build your own power rack following the plans in the Starting Strength book.
Not! lol Hubby always hires someone to fix everything. I just showed him one I found on Craigslist and his response was, "Where are you going to put that?" I figured we could put it in the garage but he didn't agree. I have also mentioned putting it in our workout room before and he wasn't thrilled with that idea either, although I doubt the ceiling is high enough upstairs. He doesn't lift and doesn't see why I want to. And he certainly doesn't understand why the equipment at the Y isn't good enough.
Hahah--I would tell him, "I am lifting so I am strong enough to carry you to the bathroom when you are old and frail."
LOL I just called the other gym in our area and they don't have one either. So what should I do? My husband won't buy me one (wouldn't want him to have to park his car outside...), there aren't any gym's in our area that have them and I don't have a spotter.
You have an actual squat rack at gym #1, right? What I would do is use that for squats and the barbell overhead press (you need the bar at sternum level for that). And use dumbbells for the bench press. There's gotta be a bench with barbell supports at the gym, right? Eventually, you might find a gym buddy who will spot you on the barbell bench press. But in my opinion, you can get pretty far ahead by benching dumbbells.0 -
On a more serious note re: your husband... you could explain about sarcopenia and osteoporosis in women of middle age and older. The cheapest and safest way to prevent both is strength training, and the most effective form of strength training is free weights. They help with balance, too, which is another thing that tends to get worse as you get older. Even if he isn't interested in any of these things for himself, he might consider being more supportive regarding your goals.0
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Another thought: if you or your SO or any of your friends are handy with tools, you could build your own power rack following the plans in the Starting Strength book.
Not! lol Hubby always hires someone to fix everything. I just showed him one I found on Craigslist and his response was, "Where are you going to put that?" I figured we could put it in the garage but he didn't agree. I have also mentioned putting it in our workout room before and he wasn't thrilled with that idea either, although I doubt the ceiling is high enough upstairs. He doesn't lift and doesn't see why I want to. And he certainly doesn't understand why the equipment at the Y isn't good enough.
Hahah--I would tell him, "I am lifting so I am strong enough to carry you to the bathroom when you are old and frail."
LOL I just called the other gym in our area and they don't have one either. So what should I do? My husband won't buy me one (wouldn't want him to have to park his car outside...), there aren't any gym's in our area that have them and I don't have a spotter.
You have an actual squat rack at gym #1, right? What I would do is use that for squats and the barbell overhead press (you need the bar at sternum level for that). And use dumbbells for the bench press. There's gotta be a bench with barbell supports at the gym, right? Eventually, you might find a gym buddy who will spot you on the barbell bench press. But in my opinion, you can get pretty far ahead by benching dumbbells.
Yes, we have a squat rack but couldn't I get hurt or at least look really stupid (if I got into trouble) doing squats without a cage? I watched a youtube video of a guy that ended up on the floor trying to do squats. :O What do you mean by a bench with "barbell supports? They have a few different benches in there, some inclined and some are flat. I really don't know my way around the weight room and what everything is called. I have always either went straight to the cardio equipment or even more often, back to the fitness classes. I guess I could use dumbbells for now. I would really prefer doing this at home anyway, because I was really self-conscious yesterday doing this in front of the guys that were there.
I'm still working on hubby. I don't get why he cares if our older car is outside. I drive our new car, so neither of us want mine outside. Besides, I actually leave for work early in the morning (during the school year) and he works from home so he doesn't drive it that often anyway. Our teenage son drives it more than anyone so I really don't see what the big deal is. I also brought up putting it in our exercise room. If we did that we would have to buy a new one because it's upstairs. I'm not sure how high those things are either. I even brought up a third option...we have two rooms downstairs (with high ceilings) with big, flat tvs. We really don't need two family rooms. I suggested we sell the furniture, except the tv and 1 char, in the smaller of the two, which is in the back of the house but just off our kitchen, and put it in there. That way we would still have 2 nice tv's for when we want to watch something different, yet not waste two whole rooms. It would give me a nice tv to watch my exercise videos on too, when i want to do those. Between selling that and the total gym that's currently in our workout room, we could make a good dent in the cost of it too. The total gym has never been used. What a waste of money! That's probably going through his mind too. However, the elliptical gets used a lot (by me) and he uses the bike all the time, so it's not like we always buy equipment and never use it. I just didn't like the total gym.0 -
people would say that Smith machines are worse than doing nothing.
I think that's ridiculous.
Your opinion has been noted.
Here's a more elaborate post on the value of Smith machines. They even cite science! Enjoy,
http://www.liftbigeatbig.com/2012/09/squats-barbell-vs-smith-machine.html
Obviously if you put the Smith against a barbell there is no comparison.
What I think is ridiculous is arguing that the Smith is worse than nothing. Sub-optimal as it may be, if I'm adding weight to the bar of a Smith machine exercise, I'm getting stronger.
Yes, but what exactly is getting stronger? Using a barbell works your entire body and drastically increases your core strength, which affects everything you do.
A Smith Machine squat forces you into an un-natural movement and might increase leg strength, but the machine is taking the role of your trunk muscles.
Next time you go to the gym do your Smith Machine routine, then for the last set do barbells. Note, you should drop the weight about 40% and expect to struggle mightily to complete the movement.
To the OP, the squat rack should be set up to allow you to de-load the weight safely by leaning forward onto the pins. You really shouldn't be doing weights that would result in failure until you perfect your form and are more comfortable with the movement. That is probably a long way down the road.0 -
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To the OP, the squat rack should be set up to allow you to de-load the weight safely by leaning forward onto the pins. You really shouldn't be doing weights that would result in failure until you perfect your form and are more comfortable with the movement. That is probably a long way down the road.
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So, I should be facing the rack? I haven't used it for squats but when I have used it I had my back to it. You would think one of the employees would have said something to me.0 -
Woah people, lets take a step back here.
You do not have to do back squats.
There are loads of alternatives. They may not be quite as effective as bb back squats, but they are effective. Its not as though someone's core is not being worked on the other compounds.
Alternatives:
1) if you can get the bar up, do zercher or front squats
2) leg press
3) hack squats 9although I would only suggest doing these on a machine as form is really important for these)
4) pistol squats
5) Bulgarian split squats
6) leg extensions + leg curls0 -
Woah people, lets take a step back here.
You do not have to do back squats.
There are loads of alternatives. They may not be quite as effective as bb back squats, but they are effective. Its not as though someone's core is not being worked on the other compounds.
Alternatives:
1) if you can get the bar up, do zercher or front squats
2) leg press
3) hack squats 9although I would only suggest doing these on a machine as form is really important for these)
4) pistol squats
5) Bulgarian split squats
6) leg extensions + leg curls
^^This...
I'll also lobby for goblets, as that's what I did without a bb. I supplemented with leg presses, Bulgarian splits and lunges0 -
My Y has a dual axis squat rack. Nothing wrong with this.
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I just started lifting today. Our gym doesn't have a squat rack but it has 2 Smith Machines. Is this okay to use? If not, I could try to talk my husband into buying what I would need to do this at home, although I don't know if he will go for it especially since we would probably still keep our Y membership since I enjoy the classes, our son likes the to run on their treadmill and use the weight machines and dh likes to do cardio there better than at home. But I have to say I was a little uncomfortable in the weight area today since I was the only female over there. All the other women were on the cardio machines, which is where I headed once I finished.
I'd go for a squat rack over a Smith Machine. They're great. If I was absolutely stuck I'd use the Smith but I don't like the fact it cancels out using some of the stabilizer muscles and doesn't really help improve your balance as much which I think is important when lifting heavy things. A barbell would strengthen more muscles so just remember if you use that guy and switch to a barbell you'll have to drop your weight significantly to compensate.
If you're really nervous over weights and you have back problems a Smith machine is a nice place to start. But you may find you wish you got a squat rack by the end. I'm pretty sure that's how I'd feel. Anything you can progressively add weight to will help your strength in general and preserve lbm.0 -
Used the Smith machine once and didn't like it. It felt extremely unnatural. About the guys in the weight room... I let my fear of what they would think keep me from starting my lifting program for a long time. I can tell you that they don't really notice and could care less about my being there. If anything they have been extremely nice and very helpful. If and when you do start I would start with just the bar. Get a feeling for the form and the movement and add weights slowly. You'll see that some of your fears are unfounded!! Good luck!!0
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My gym has a squat rack and a smith machine, and I just use the squat rack. You face into the rack so that you unrack the weight by stepping backwards and then stepping forwards to rerack. A true squat rack has supports for catching the weight if you fail (well, the ones I've seen), so you stand between those, and you're good to go.
I do bench presses outside of the rack and just use a normal bench press set up. I'm comfortable without a spotter since you can do a "roll of shame" or dump the weights off the end of the bar (don't use clips if you're lifting by yourself so that you have this option). In fact, I did the roll of shame yesterday. :sad:
Roll of shame:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_OdXKfSp-Y 0 -
Yes, but what exactly is getting stronger? Using a barbell works your entire body and drastically increases your core strength, which affects everything you do.
A Smith Machine squat forces you into an un-natural movement and might increase leg strength, but the machine is taking the role of your trunk muscles.
First, I already acknowledged that a barbell was preferable to a Smith machine. I commented on the point of the Smith being inferior to nothing.
Also, core stability can be trained separately from a leg movement.0 -
My Y has a dual axis squat rack. Nothing wrong with this.
You learn something new everyday! This is what we have at my gym and what I've been using for my squats. What I didn't realize until just now is that I should be setting the rails so that if I can't get back up, they will catch the barbell. Is that right? Sometimes I amaze myself at how dense I can be
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You set the rails so the bar won't hit it on the way down but high enough so you can dump it off your back and it will only fall a short distance vs all the way to the floor0
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Very true. Which is why I don't get the Smith Machines are useless mentality. You just have to know the differences and train accordingly.Yes, but what exactly is getting stronger? Using a barbell works your entire body and drastically increases your core strength, which affects everything you do.
A Smith Machine squat forces you into an un-natural movement and might increase leg strength, but the machine is taking the role of your trunk muscles.
First, I already acknowledged that a barbell was preferable to a Smith machine. I commented on the point of the Smith being inferior to nothing.
Also, core stability can be trained separately from a leg movement.
Still prefer a rack tho. That weird picture thing someone posted looks interesting.0 -
Unless you want to work on your side to side stability without extra reps and sets of things. Interesting contraption tho, never seen one before. It's called a Y? Do you know Y? Is it to do with the axis it's stabilizing? If so cute idea.My Y has a dual axis squat rack. Nothing wrong with this.0
This discussion has been closed.