New trainer & the Dreaded Smith Machine

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  • Joocey
    Joocey Posts: 115 Member
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    It also depends a little bit on what kind of smith machine we're talking about.

    There are those with a slight incline/decline which make no sense. The ones that are straight up and down which are a little better... but I've used a smith machine that allowed for some front/back movement as well which made doing squats on them... weird, but passable.

    I don't know how a smith machine would work for deadlifts though.
  • Joocey
    Joocey Posts: 115 Member
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    Addendum to my above post:

    It was one of THESE THINGS:

    bodycraftjonesclub.jpg
  • squirrell79
    squirrell79 Posts: 154 Member
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    I've often found with trainers that you have to sometimes put your foot down. They tend to make all kinds of assumptions in my experience. With my wife, she said she wanted to do free weight because she intended to work out with me...but her trainer was hell bent on having her start with the machines, largely because he made the assumption that "this chick only thinks she wants to do free weights"..."she'll ultimately be doing the machines, so that's what I'm going to start her on." My wife really had to put her foot down and say...I want to do Olympic barbell lifts, period...then he had to cave.

    That's awesome that your wife was assertive; it's definitely something I need to work on. Sigh.....

    Am enjoying the responses here...she knows I am not wanting to shilly-shally on this machine and we only have five total sessions, so hopefully things will progress apace.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    You can't really learn form on a Smith Machine because you don't learn how to balance the weight and the bar path isn't going to be perfectly up and down, AND you won't be able to set up correctly. How the hell do you deadlift on a smith machine? ugh... Stand strong... Your trainer's response leads me to believe they really don't know how to teach good form.
  • dare2love81
    dare2love81 Posts: 928 Member
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    i learned to "squat" on a smith because it was all the gym had. it was a bad idea.

    when i decided to learn to do real squats, I had to start over from square one.

    ^^This
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    I've never used a smith machine. I see tons of girls at my gym doing real squats. the only thing that gets done is some college bros put a bench in there, or you can use to for pull ups. Mostly I think the smith machine is great to do pull ups on, or possibly lean against between sets.

    Ask them to get you on just a barbell, or find a trainer who will.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    And this. This right here is why I stopped trying to work with trainers. I never met a one who could teach a squat or deadlift without instantly wanting to go to the smith.

    My next step is to leave the commercial gym and it's "no chalk" and other B.S. rules altogether, and find a powerlifting gym. Or just build my own in a garage. So much damn focus on doing things wrong so it's "easy" rather just teaching people how to do it right from the beginning.
  • bokchoybaby
    bokchoybaby Posts: 62 Member
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    I had my first session with my trainer last Saturday. We didn't work on any lifts, though. Mostly talked about my goals, her experience and I did her fitness assessment so she could have an idea as to where I am currently (first session was free so I didn't pay for this). She seemed to be cool with the fact that I didn't want to use the Smith machine for squats but I must admit I already had my mini speech prepared as to why I preferred not to use the machine since I know some people really like to push it. Sometimes it helps me to be more assertive with people if I already have talking points in my head. You should just keep in mind that she's working for you. Yes, you'd like to have a good relationship with her, but at the end of the day you really need a trainer you can speak to so you may have to keep searching to find one you mesh well with.
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
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    Yahoo. I talked to my trainer no more smith machine!
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
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    I dont know how you can "learn" form from a smith machine. Free weight barbell squats and SM squats are like night and day.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    I would find a new trainer. Sorry but if she knows anything about Compound lifting then she should know better than to use a Smith Machine. That said, is she knowledgable enough to show you proper form on these lifts? Obviously I don't know the girl but my guess would be no.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    Wow, I would get a new trainer.. straight up!!!
  • CoachDreesTraining
    CoachDreesTraining Posts: 223 Member
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    So how would everyone recommend that a person learn to squat? Grab a barbell and start squatting till the client figures it out?

    "Chest up"
    "Weight on your heels"

    The body does not learn a motor pattern well from coaching cues, it learns best from doing. This can be done with a smith machine, a stability ball, a deloaded squat with a resistance band, or any other form of assisted squat. Once the body learns the pattern, then you can start loading the squat with a counterweight squat (goblet/front squat), and eventually transition to a back squat. This process could take one session, or it could take one month, all depends on the client.

    OP's trainer may or may not be a complete idiot, but using the smith machine to learn the motor pattern does not make them that.

    In all honesty, I'm sure most people on this thread have never performed a squat to parallel.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,655 Member
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    Addendum to my above post:

    It was one of THESE THINGS:

    bodycraftjonesclub.jpg
    This ISN'T like the Smith Machine though since it planes of motion can change. I'd prefer this much more than a Smith machine.

    As for a Smith machine, they have their place. Lots of people train alone and don't ask for spotting help, so the machine helps with safety.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • SusanB148
    SusanB148 Posts: 72 Member
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    If I was to hire a personal trainer, one of my requirements would be that they listen to what I did and didn't want in a workout.

    If your trainer does not respect your wishes, fire them and find one that does!
  • pamelak5
    pamelak5 Posts: 327 Member
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    I have seen a lot of terrible trainers. I have myself had two that were stellar, and both of them had degrees in sports physiology/kinesiology. Neither of them had me use machines, except for rehab purposes (I did some single leg extensions following an injury when I was just getting back into strength training). A very good friend of mine was a trainer and I learned a lot from her!
  • LongIsland27itl
    LongIsland27itl Posts: 365 Member
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    It's fine to put a newb on the smith machine IMO.
    I've been training for years and I get the best DOMS after I hit a smith machine workout
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
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    My gym only has a Smith - no barbells at all. I live miles from anywhere so getting another gym isn't really an option.

    I was told on here to do hack squats instead if I had to squat on a machine, and they do seem not to put pressure on my knees like attempting to squat properly in the Smith did. Also do split-squats and goblet squats with a kettlebell.

    I now also use the smith for rowing - I used to just do dumbbell rows, but my gums dumbells only go up to 20KG (about 45lbs) and so I progressed past them pretty quick.

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