Smith Machine

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iamkass
iamkass Posts: 122 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a new lifter. Can someone tell me why the Smith Machine is bad for squats? I thought the whole purpose of it's existence was to teach proper form (and to be safe and stuff)

I'm training with my boyfriend and he makes me use it "because I'm a beginner", I have way better form than him for squats though. He also thinks lifting heavy will make me and bulky :grumble: so I feel like he holds me back, but that's another story.. lol

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  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Takes your body through unnatural movement
    robs you of the opportunity to use your body to stabilize... your body.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    I'm a new lifter. Can someone tell me why the Smith Machine is bad for squats? I thought the whole purpose of it's existence was to teach proper form (and to be safe and stuff)

    http://stronglifts.com/smith-machine-squats-power-rack-free-weights/
  • Arleigh7
    Arleigh7 Posts: 150 Member
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    Best thing would be to get some time with a trainer and work with a standard barbell. Smith Machines force you to move in only one way and it might not be the best way for your body. I'm going to have to have shoulder surgery and it's because of shoulder presses I did on a Smith Machine at a new gym I went to while traveling. Using Barbells and dumbells allows your body to naturally move in a way that prevents injuries (provided you keep good form and don't overload on the weight).

    Good luck with your lifting. It's great for both men and woman and will do more to make you look and feel great than any other type of excercise! (IMHO)
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
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    If you got a dollar every time someone used good form on a Smith machine you would have 0 dollars...
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    If you got a dollar every time someone used good form on a Smith machine you would have 0 dollars...
    Wrong. I do push-ups using the smith machine bar at three pins off the ground and I do it with good form. :laugh:
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    One of the most difficult (and interesting) things about squatting with a free bar is keeping the bar path vertical and straight without overbalancing forward or backward. It requires tremendous leg and core strength, and you will never learn how to do it if the bar is attached to guide rails.

    The Smith Machine also misleads you into thinking that you can squat a lot more than you are capable of. If you have only ever used a Smith Machine and then try a free barbell, you may very well overestimate what you can lift and will hurt yourself.
  • Alphastate
    Alphastate Posts: 295 Member
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    Does your boyfriend secretly feed you testosterone? Because you will not get bulky unless he is.
  • wonderbolt
    wonderbolt Posts: 48
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    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/01/24/rage-against-the-machine-how-to-switch-from-exercise-machines-to-free-weights/

    Both informative and amusing!
  • Melissa11412
    Melissa11412 Posts: 145 Member
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    Takes your body through unnatural movement
    robs you of the opportunity to use your body to stabilize... your body.

    these up here^

    i've used the Smith a couple of times when I first started lifting. The feeling I get when using it is that i'm just pushing my feet into the floor to drive the weight up. When I squat with a barbell across my back going ATG i can feel my entire body engaging (especially my butt, legs and core) in order to drive the weight back up out of "the hole" if that makes any sense
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I'm a new lifter. Can someone tell me why the Smith Machine is bad for squats? I thought the whole purpose of it's existence was to teach proper form (and to be safe and stuff)

    I'm training with my boyfriend and he makes me use it "because I'm a beginner", I have way better form than him for squats though. He also thinks lifting heavy will make me and bulky :grumble: so I feel like he holds me back, but that's another story.. lol

    Time for a new trainer. :flowerforyou:
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
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    To mimick what everyone else is saying; it's an unnatural movement for your body. When we bend down and stand up, it's not in a straight vertical line, we lean more fowards or backwards or side ways. I used it once when I was first starting out, because I was scared of the rack, hurt my back for a week. Never again. I only use it for inverted rows to take some strain off of my shoulders when doing pull ups.
  • Fr3shStrt
    Fr3shStrt Posts: 349 Member
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    What about using the Smith Machine to bench press???
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    What about using the Smith Machine to bench press???

    It's the same problem as with any other free bar lift--you should be using your muscles to control the bar path, not rely on rails to do it.

    The Smith Machine gives you an illusion of safety, I guess. But you can bench in the power rack instead and use the catch pins to save you in case you fail the lift. And then all the bros will be impressed. (Seriously, I think I am the only person in my gym who uses the power rack to bench.)
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    (Seriously, I think I am the only person in my gym who uses the power rack to bench.)
    Really? That's weird. Unless I'm at the gym with my trainer spotting me, that's really the only place I bench!
    Time for a new trainer.
    You won the thread.
  • iamkass
    iamkass Posts: 122 Member
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    Thanks everybody. I mentioned it to him and he said he was planning on not using the Smith Machine next week anyway. He doesn't do legs often (because he has these lean rock hard legs), so I guess he was also worried about himself.

    And don't worry, I don't think I'll get bulky. We argue about it every day at the gym, lol

    ETA. It's only been two weeks, so I'm glad I asked. People are crazy for saying all you get on forums are snarky remarks and unhelpful comments. Thanks again.

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