Stronglift on a Smith rack

Slamdunkpro

Yeah i know he says not to but I don't have the space for a cage and since I live in the land of litigation no gym in the area has (or allows) free squats. They all require a smith rack.

Anyone doing Stronglifts on a Smith rack and if so how have you adapted?

IronSmasher

They actually stop you doing front squats?

Slamdunkpro

They actually stop you doing front squats?

No, but you have to do them on the Smith rack (bar on vertical rails)

auddii

I think what he meant was, if you steal the bar from the bench press, hoist it up to your collar bones and start squatting, will you get kicked out? That might be a better alternative than the smith machine. Several websites have mentioned that it's easy for newbies to hurt themselves on a smith machine.

Slamdunkpro

I guess we'll find out Monday. I've used the Smith rack for squats and never had any issues with my knees or back but I wasn't doing huge weights. I'm want to try the Stronglift program but I don't want to get started with it if only being able to squat on the Smith Rack is a non-starter.

Laces_0ut

Washington Sports Club in Springfield doesnt have a squat rack? ive been to others in the No. Va area that have had them.

IronSmasher

It is what I meant.

My brain is struggling enough with the concept of a gym with no squat rack.

Staff that stop you exercising may be too much.

Slamdunkpro

Washington Sports Club in Springfield doesnt have a squat rack? ive been to others in the No. Va area that have had them.

They just replaced it with a Smith rack. They said it's due to liability and all the WSC's are going that route.

lwagnitz

Planet Fitness. I'll say no more.

Laces_0ut

Washington Sports Club in Springfield doesnt have a squat rack? ive been to others in the No. Va area that have had them.

They just replaced it with a Smith rack. They said it's due to liability and all the WSC's are going that route.

wow thats crazy.

IronSmasher

Washington Sports Club in Springfield doesnt have a squat rack? ive been to others in the No. Va area that have had them.

They just replaced it with a Smith rack. They said it's due to liability and all the WSC's are going that route.

wow thats crazy.

Yeah. You'd have to know very little about law AND exercise for that decision.

amonkey794

Consider another gym?

IronSmasher

Consider another gym?

Or another program.

On reflection, stronglifts is a 5 rep max program isn't it? Cleaning your 5 rep max is pretty damned advanced stuff. Front squats and cleans are great exercises, but likely incompatible with most stronglift exercisers.

meshashesha2012

steinborn lift?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCpfNI-QgLM

Slamdunkpro

Consider another gym?

I'm going to start stronglifts on the Smith rack and if I really like the program I may go that route, but if I have to travel a distance in DC area traffic it can get problematic.

Slamdunkpro

steinborn lift?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCpfNI-QgLM

Yeah, if they won't go for a regular squat outside of a Smith rack I doubt they'll go for that. Impressive though.

amonkey794

Consider another gym?

I'm going to start stronglifts on the Smith rack and if I really like the program I may go that route, but if I have to travel a distance in DC area traffic it can get problematic.

Hm, never been to DC. Is that the only gym/workout room near you?

amonkey794

Consider another gym?

Or another program.

On reflection, stronglifts is a 5 rep max program isn't it? Cleaning your 5 rep max is pretty damned advanced stuff. Front squats and cleans are great exercises, but likely incompatible with most stronglift exercisers.

I personally just started the program. It is a challenge, but not impossible. I start with very low "baby-weights" (ie only doing 55 on bench) because I am new. However, I can build up the strength the same way others do with heavier weights.

auddii

Consider another gym?

Or another program.

On reflection, stronglifts is a 5 rep max program isn't it? Cleaning your 5 rep max is pretty damned advanced stuff. Front squats and cleans are great exercises, but likely incompatible with most stronglift exercisers.

I personally just started the program. It is a challenge, but not impossible. I start with very low "baby-weights" (ie only doing 55 on bench) because I am new. However, I can build up the strength the same way others do with heavier weights.

Ha, you're doing better than me. I'm starting today, and I plan on doing bar only except for Pendlays (65lbs).

OP, if they got the Smith machine to reduce liability, I would guess they aren't going to allow you to squat with the bar from a bench press. The guy who wrote the SL program is slightly extremists (never mind that women don't exist in his world except to date him), so I would imagine if you are able to achieve proper form with the Smith machine and not hurt yourself then you can use it. Just keep in mind the bar doesn't weigh anything. And I think your plan of trying the program and seeing how it goes and switching gyms later if you feel the Smith Machine is holding you back is a good one.

Good luck with the program.

IronSmasher

Consider another gym?

Or another program.

On reflection, stronglifts is a 5 rep max program isn't it? Cleaning your 5 rep max is pretty damned advanced stuff. Front squats and cleans are great exercises, but likely incompatible with most stronglift exercisers.

I personally just started the program. It is a challenge, but not impossible. I start with very low "baby-weights" (ie only doing 55 on bench) because I am new. However, I can build up the strength the same way others do with heavier weights.

Ha, you're doing better than me. I'm starting today, and I plan on doing bar only except for Pendlays (65lbs).

OP, if they got the Smith machine to reduce liability, I would guess they aren't going to allow you to squat with the bar from a bench press. The guy who wrote the SL program is slightly extremists (never mind that women don't exist in his world except to date him), so I would imagine if you are able to achieve proper form with the Smith machine and not hurt yourself then you can use it. Just keep in mind the bar doesn't weigh anything. And I think your plan of trying the program and seeing how it goes and switching gyms later if you feel the Smith Machine is holding you back is a good one.

Good luck with the program.

I don't understand the women don't exist comment, does he make sexist remarks or something?

amonkey794

Consider another gym?

Or another program.

On reflection, stronglifts is a 5 rep max program isn't it? Cleaning your 5 rep max is pretty damned advanced stuff. Front squats and cleans are great exercises, but likely incompatible with most stronglift exercisers.

I personally just started the program. It is a challenge, but not impossible. I start with very low "baby-weights" (ie only doing 55 on bench) because I am new. However, I can build up the strength the same way others do with heavier weights.

Ha, you're doing better than me. I'm starting today, and I plan on doing bar only except for Pendlays (65lbs).

OP, if they got the Smith machine to reduce liability, I would guess they aren't going to allow you to squat with the bar from a bench press. The guy who wrote the SL program is slightly extremists (never mind that women don't exist in his world except to date him), so I would imagine if you are able to achieve proper form with the Smith machine and not hurt yourself then you can use it. Just keep in mind the bar doesn't weigh anything. And I think your plan of trying the program and seeing how it goes and switching gyms later if you feel the Smith Machine is holding you back is a good one.

Good luck with the program.

I don't understand the women don't exist comment, does he make sexist remarks or something?

I know nothing about this guy's philosophies. I just follow the app on my iPhone