Smiths Machine - only option for squats

Got any cable machines? Dual Handle preferably?

Got any cable machines? Dual Handle preferably?

yeah there is a big cable machine with dual handles... haven't used it yet mind but I use the tricep push down and lat pull down so far (along with resistance machines).

Cable Machines if the stacks are are weighty enough, my gym goes to 150k total - 75K each stack. You can do squats and deadlifts and chest pressing on a cable machine, in fact pretty much anything and then tons more than free weights (without the super weights of barbell obviously)- make the routine heavy - strength, medium - hypertrophy, low - endurance lactic burn.

Check out

Functional Patterns - top end of dynamic 3D training

Scott Herman Cable workouts - always good for the beginer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9WQwk725Zg - - little more advanced

thederrickprice - nice relaxed style and excellent at getting knowledge across

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd3Fj-RmovI&feature=related - all levels and tons of vids

Hate my gym when the level II pt's come and show the noobs, tricep press down, bicep curl on the cable machine like that is all it does.

Dumbbells are free weights, many gyms will have DB's to 30K but those weights do not interest real llifters, maybe for some nice arnold presses. But they avoid having barbells with heavy weights, mainly due to lacking proper coaching or because they just do not want the client base of strength athletes, plus strength athletes go where they know the weight will never run out.

Pretty sure the cable machine stacks will have sufficient weight for you to maximise strength in the big lifts and find unlimited ways to develop the compound exercise

pendulum DB swing squat with row on bosu ball for example is very taxing.

Yes, a gym where they have a cable machine but then limit your range of movement by packing other stuff in. grrrrrrrrrrr

I would start with squat row

then pendulum

then progress to bosu ball - all stages of development

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/4-day-power-muscle-burn-workout-split.html

Where I started - high weight low rep, medium weight medium reps, low weight high rep

Do it right, it works big time.

while I am losing weight I am not going for muscle hypertrophy or pure strength, inadequate nutrients to really get results "FOR ME" does not mean that for others it works.

Good stuff, but I realise my last post went a bit odd.

I meant, the link I posted is the first routine I tried and I really enjoyed it. However, I am losing weight (fat) and do not currently take on board enough nutrients to warrant strength training nor muscle hypertrophy. Which does not mean that people just getting started losing weight and wanting a good workout cannot do the one I posted, because it is a great workout.

So, my workouts are more cable based cardio incorporating medium weight high reps but not to failure. And I love to do ladders.

Which is choosing exercises and then counting down and then counting back up, or with the example below, just counting down and always trying to increase DB weight but you can do less exercises, go faster, less weight and start at 12

For example --

8 Front squats - 30kilo DB
8 Right Leg (RL) Lunges 22.5 kilo DB
8 Left Leg (LL) Lunges
8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=MpSMNzfN9H4&NR=1 of these but with high knee raise and with off-set DB, one on my shoulder and one by my side. Shoulder DB is the one that is stepping up 15K on shoulder 17.5K by side
8 Chest Press - Swiss Ball
8 Chest Fly - Swiss Ball
8 Tricep something or other - Swiss Ball - hard to explain and cannot find a video as I do not have a name. Never Mind.
8 Shoulder Press - Swiss Ball

This takes me 40 minutes, heart rate rises from 95 to 150 plus, which is getting to my MHR so i take short rests and heart rate allowed to fall to 142 before resuming (sometimes faster, depends if it is upper body or lower body exercises next) - the flies, triceps are like mini breaks anyway.

You go from 8, to 7,6,5,4,3,2,1

If it were less exercises you go back up the ladder,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Super conditioning,body recompostion and cardio at the same time! yeah.

Let me guess. Planet Fitness.

Unless you NEED Smith Machines for stabilizing (which I do for some exercises but not squats) It is ALWAYS best to use free weights of some sort. Use dumbbells instead.

A gym without a couple power racks or at least half racks, barbells, and dumbbells is not a gym.

Does the bar on a Smith Machine even weight 45lbs? I had read somewhere that it was only a 15lb bar, but perhaps that depends on the brand of Smith Machine.

Smith Bars are 20lbs starting weight.


Also i would choose Dumbbell deadlifts over using that machine as well.

The biggest recommendation I see for Smith machine squating is Bulgarian Split Squats