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Smith machine?

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  • bound4beauty
    bound4beauty Posts: 274 Member
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    My Y has a dual axis squat rack. Nothing wrong with this.

    maxrack_picture1.jpg

    This is actually a type of Smith machine:

    http://www.everythingfitnessequipment.com/gym-advice/smith-machine-shake-up-what-are-the-real-differences/

    The bars that guide the path of the barbell have some movement to them, but the bar is still guided.

    Never mind. This is not exactly what they have at my gym. The one I use does not have the bar bell attached like a Smith Machine. It has adjustable "hooks" for the bar and uses a regular Olympic barbell. It does have the side rails though which I will now use in case I get in trouble and need to dump the weight.
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    Nice! The cage can also do a lot of other stuff with an adjustable bench. If you can find an attachment for pullups, that's an added bonus.

    It has it. It also has things to hang the weights on.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
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    When we got to the warehouse to see the squat rack, they had a cage too. We both noticed the cage would actually take up less room...so he bought it for me. :love: He also bought a bench there. I think we are going to buy the weights at ****s because his were more expensive.

    You're right down the road from me.....

    Dick's has the Oly and free weight set 340lbs for 189 I think.... that's where I got mine a few weeks ago!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    When we got to the warehouse to see the squat rack, they had a cage too. We both noticed the cage would actually take up less room...so he bought it for me. :love: He also bought a bench there. I think we are going to buy the weights at ****s because his were more expensive.

    Awesome! I'm jelly. :flowerforyou:
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    When we got to the warehouse to see the squat rack, they had a cage too. We both noticed the cage would actually take up less room...so he bought it for me. :love: He also bought a bench there. I think we are going to buy the weights at ****s because his were more expensive.

    You're right down the road from me.....

    Dick's has the Oly and free weight set 340lbs for 189 I think.... that's where I got mine a few weeks ago!

    Yes! I see you live in Charlotte. We went to the D1ck's at Northlake because the warehouse was in that area. Are you on that side of town? We live in Harrisburg, not far from the University area of Charlotte.
    Yeah, that's where we got it. We got 300 for $209. They had a set with 225 for $189 but their sales change all the time.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Dick's has the Oly and free weight set 340lbs for 189 I think.... that's where I got mine a few weeks ago!

    Clever way of getting around the 7-words-you-cannot-type-on-MFP checker.
  • paprad
    paprad Posts: 321 Member
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    I noticed the leg press mentioned a couple of times upthread as an alternative. I was somehow under the impression that it was better to squat with free weights and to avoid leg press - just as it is better to do bench press with free weights and avoid the machine bench press. Is it okay, after all, to use the machine leg press then? I have one in our gym but was avoiding it under the "machines are evil" assumption.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    I noticed the leg press mentioned a couple of times upthread as an alternative. I was somehow under the impression that it was better to squat with free weights and to avoid leg press - just as it is better to do bench press with free weights and avoid the machine bench press. Is it okay, after all, to use the machine leg press then? I have one in our gym but was avoiding it under the "machines are evil" assumption.

    Here's a nice article on some leg press-related stuff by Lyle McDonald.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/squat-versus-leg-press-for-big-legs.html
  • paprad
    paprad Posts: 321 Member
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    bumblebums - thanks for that! i am now keen on trying a one-legged leg press.

    also read this : http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/is_the_leg_press_worthless
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I noticed the leg press mentioned a couple of times upthread as an alternative. I was somehow under the impression that it was better to squat with free weights and to avoid leg press - just as it is better to do bench press with free weights and avoid the machine bench press. Is it okay, after all, to use the machine leg press then? I have one in our gym but was avoiding it under the "machines are evil" assumption.

    Squats usually > Leg Press as a 'main lift', but leg presses have their place.
  • paprad
    paprad Posts: 321 Member
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    "machines are evil" assumption.
    Squats usually > Leg Press as a 'main lift', but leg presses have their place.
    Thanks Sara. Any benefit to doing both? If I am doing AllPro, can/should I do a set of Leg Press too, in addition to squats?.

    Also, can i use the leg press to do a calf-raise, since I don't have a calf raise machine?
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Also, can i use the leg press to do a calf-raise, since I don't have a calf raise machine?

    You can do single-leg calf raises on an elevated surface or a step, holding (a) dumbbell(s) instead of a machine.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Also, can i use the leg press to do a calf-raise, since I don't have a calf raise machine?

    You can do single-leg calf raises on an elevated surface or a step, holding (a) dumbbell(s) instead of a machine.

    Yeah, I do my calf raises standing on the floor, with a 45 lb plate in each hand, or dumbbells or kettlebells if I want some more weight. If you want a bigger challenge, try doing calf raises standing on one foot with nothing but dumbbells for balance.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    "machines are evil" assumption.
    Squats usually > Leg Press as a 'main lift', but leg presses have their place.
    Thanks Sara. Any benefit to doing both? If I am doing AllPro, can/should I do a set of Leg Press too, in addition to squats?.

    Also, can i use the leg press to do a calf-raise, since I don't have a calf raise machine?

    I would prefer the leg press over DB/plate variants since grip fatigue is not an issue with a leg press. Holding DB's you may run into a problem in that your grip can become fatigued before you calves do. This may not be an issue with some people but it certainly is for others.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    "machines are evil" assumption.
    Squats usually > Leg Press as a 'main lift', but leg presses have their place.
    Thanks Sara. Any benefit to doing both? If I am doing AllPro, can/should I do a set of Leg Press too, in addition to squats?.

    Also, can i use the leg press to do a calf-raise, since I don't have a calf raise machine?

    I would prefer the leg press over DB/plate variants since grip fatigue is not an issue with a leg press. Holding DB's you may run into a problem in that your grip can become fatigued before you calves do. This may not be an issue with some people but it certainly is for others.

    Yeah, I think of my calf raises as a sort of standing farmer's walk. The reason I like doing them "free style" rather than on a leg press machine is because free calf raises train balance. Though I think I've seen a dude at my gym do calf raises with a barbell on his back, too.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    "machines are evil" assumption.
    Squats usually > Leg Press as a 'main lift', but leg presses have their place.
    Thanks Sara. Any benefit to doing both? If I am doing AllPro, can/should I do a set of Leg Press too, in addition to squats?.

    Also, can i use the leg press to do a calf-raise, since I don't have a calf raise machine?

    I would prefer the leg press over DB/plate variants since grip fatigue is not an issue with a leg press. Holding DB's you may run into a problem in that your grip can become fatigued before you calves do. This may not be an issue with some people but it certainly is for others.

    Yeah, I think of my calf raises as a sort of standing farmer's walk. The reason I like doing them "free style" rather than on a leg press machine is because free calf raises train balance. Though I think I've seen a dude at my gym do calf raises with a barbell on his back, too.

    Yep. Nothing wrong with any of the above, it just depends on goals really. For example one could make the argument that you could get better calf training by training calves without training balance because you could arguably load heavier/increase intensity by not having to worry about balance.

    Now that doesn't make one approach right and another wrong -- they are different approaches and which one you choose should be goal dependent.
  • renwicker
    renwicker Posts: 158 Member
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    This all great info. Thanks for the read, everyone who posted solid advice! I have one of those dual axis smith machines at my gym and tend to use that for deadlifts and squats and certain press variations. I know it's far superior to a reg smith machine since it moves front to back as well, but perhaps I'll move to power rack since I'm not as new at these lifts now and I think my form is pretty decent. I started out on this dual axis smith because it was much less intimidating. Just havent made the switch.

    Anyone have thoughts on this? Is the difference just pretty much balance and stabalizer muscles not being worked with the machine I'm currently on? I dont think my form is really suffering on any of my lifts because I'm not using a power rack. I do have full range of motion. If anything I think it's helped me focus on form by being stablized side to side.....the main reason I chose to start out on that rack instead. But I have been relying on it for about a year now. Perhaps I should move on
  • paprad
    paprad Posts: 321 Member
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    I would prefer the leg press over DB/plate variants since grip fatigue is not an issue with a leg press. Holding DB's you may run into a problem in that your grip can become fatigued before you calves do. This may not be an issue with some people but it certainly is for others.
    Thanks. Yes, I have that problem. My calves are tougher than my arms - so I could easily take on a higher load in a calf raise, but currently, if I hold a dumbbell (I do stand on a step and do them), I have a problem with grip and if I hold them with both hands, I lose balance.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    Balancing on a ledge holding a quarter ton has it's disadvantages.
  • hungryhobbit1
    hungryhobbit1 Posts: 259 Member
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    OP: please do lobby for a cage or squat rack. I know you said you didn't think they'd listen to you. I've been pushing for one at my gym and have not gotten anywhere, but here's the thing: if nobody says anything, they won't change. And if only one person says anything, that one person looks like an outlier. Chances are, you won't be the first person to ask and who knows how many people it takes to get them to take action?
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