Smith Machine

GuitarJerry
GuitarJerry Posts: 6,102 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This post is out of interest only. There is no right or wrong answer, but I am interested to know why you use a Smith Machine?

Everything you can do on a Smith Machine, you can do without it. I see people Bench Pressing, Deadlifting, Sitting Military Press, Squatting, and some other moves. But, all of those can be done with a barbell. A barbell, in my view, allows for the freedom of movement, which is extremely important in doing the movements correctly.

Again, I am not criticizing. The Smith machine is very popular at my gym, and is constantly in use. I am interesting in your reasons for using the Smith Machine. Are there advantages I am not aware of? Are they good for people with injuries?

And, besides all that, I am also interested in the real purpose of the Smith Machine. Why was it created?

Hopefully, this will be a respectful thread. I'm truly not trying to stir up trouble or anything. Just interested.

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    in for responses...I have never used one and have heard bad bad things about them esp for squats...
  • terrie_k
    terrie_k Posts: 406 Member
    I used one because I was a gym newb, read a book telling me to use a squat rack for squats and assumed that is what a smith machine was. It wasn't until someone mentioned on a board that they "don't know why anyone uses a smith machine for squats" that I googled what one was and realized that I was one of those people. I now use the squat rack and my weights never changed between the two.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    Basically, the smith machine takes away the stabilizer muscles and allows more concentration on the target muscle. With that being said, I only like them for presses if I want to go to failure or do rest-pause without a spotter. And yes, I think they are terrible for squats
    http://www.ptdirect.com/training-design/training-fundamentals/movement-mechanics-and-motor-learning/moment-arms-force-vectors-and-a-squat-analysis
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  • SapiensPisces
    SapiensPisces Posts: 992 Member
    I use the smith machine for bench presses when I want to push heavier than I normally do, and I don't have a spotter.
  • nightshutter
    nightshutter Posts: 54
    My gym doesn't have a squat rack. They should its a national gym!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I use it for inverted rows, towel holder- and a seat.

    otherwise- it's just in the way.
  • mscotthay
    mscotthay Posts: 1
    I had a low back injury years ago that prevented me from squatting. But I really wanted to start squatting again. So, I started out on the Smith just to start to use those muscles without risk of re-injury and to enforce muscle memory. Then after using it for a while to nail my form, I started squatting again the traditional way with a bar. In other words, I used it for rehabbing.

    Some people use it to hammer non-stabilizers.

    Those are the only two reasons I've seen. Otherwise I agree. Not sure why it gets used so much outside of those two possibilities.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Pinched a nerve in the right side of my neck which completely paralyzed my right arm and left me with complete atrophy of my tricep and stabilizer muscles. I went through therapy (doctor did not feel surgery was required, just needed therapy and time for the nerve to heal). All pressing movements were severely diminished to the put I could not even press a 3 lb. dumbbell... After 3 months of therapy I was able to graduate up through resistance bands to light dumbbell work but was intentionally put in the smith machine for incline/flat/decline bench, to work on upping my strength with the main muscle groups. Taking the stabilizer muscles out of the equation allowed me to work on regaining my tricep(pressing movements). Fast forward 8 months now and just this week I am working my way out of the smith machine and back to free weight barbell benching.. I am doing my warm up set and light sets on the barbell bench and my heavier sets still in the smith machine... The nerve is not completely healed and probably won't be for another 4-6 months (granted I don't have a setback) but for me the smith machine has been a godsend allowing me to continue to progress.....
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    A couple of things I use it for:

    Pressing heavy weight without a spotter. Hard to dump a barbell on inclines or seated shoulder presses.

    Vertical leg press. A really "old school" movement. They used to make machines for this, but haven't seen one in ages.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wog_JGD0ypc

    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
  • JodieP13
    JodieP13 Posts: 94 Member
    I use the smith machine for bench presses when I want to push heavier than I normally do, and I don't have a spotter.

    This
  • TheEffort
    TheEffort Posts: 1,028 Member
    I believe the benefit is more from a safety factor i.e. less risk of going to failure without a spotter.
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  • Spaghetti_Bender
    Spaghetti_Bender Posts: 509 Member
    I belong to Planet Fitness, and they don't have regular benches or squat racks, so i use the Smith Machines. I feel it's better than nothing.....
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    I will hit it up for safety reasons at certain times. If there is no one I really trust pulling a bar of my throat then I move on to the smith machine.

    I also do most every lift I can with dumbells so my stabilizers can take a back seat every once in awhile if I feel like pretending to be he-man on the smith machine.

    Also, if you want to work on really explosive movements without accidentally throwing a bar sideways and taking people out...smith machine is good.

    Oh, and shoulder shrugs.....call me lazy...whatever...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    the only thing I use the smith machine for is calf raises, because I can load a crap ton of weight on the bar…..
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Today I used it for inverted rows.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    A couple of things I use it for:

    Pressing heavy weight without a spotter. Hard to dump a barbell on inclines or seated shoulder presses.

    Vertical leg press. A really "old school" movement. They used to make machines for this, but haven't seen one in ages.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wog_JGD0ypc

    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


    I cant see the video but my gym has a vertical leg press.
    But my gym is supah old school.


    I've seen people use it for pull ups.
    Typically the shorter females who would have a hard time jumping up to the ones on the cages.
    But thats at my more commercial gym.

    I dont think the old school gym has one... I'll have to look
  • frangrann
    frangrann Posts: 219 Member
    I am moving from the machines to the "free weight" area of the gym and I feel like I have better control of the bar with the smith machine than just the bar. Once i feel better i will probably go to just the bar. I am doing squats, toe raises, upright row.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    I am moving from the machines to the "free weight" area of the gym and I feel like I have better control of the bar with the smith machine than just the bar. Once i feel better i will probably go to just the bar. I am doing squats, toe raises, upright row.

    Check out goblet squats. The movement is more similar to a barbell squat than what you're going to get with the Smith machine so it will carry over a lot better when you get to barbell work.
  • nightshutter
    nightshutter Posts: 54
    I belong to Planet Fitness, and they don't have regular benches or squat racks, so i use the Smith Machines. I feel it's better than nothing.....

    Yes, it's a bummer they don't.
  • SapiensPisces
    SapiensPisces Posts: 992 Member
    I am moving from the machines to the "free weight" area of the gym and I feel like I have better control of the bar with the smith machine than just the bar. Once i feel better i will probably go to just the bar. I am doing squats, toe raises, upright row.

    Check out goblet squats. The movement is more similar to a barbell squat than what you're going to get with the Smith machine so it will carry over a lot better when you get to barbell work.

    ^ This is solid advice. Goblet squats are easy and a nice transition into barbell squats.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Trainers at my gym teach people to do quarter-squats with a padded bar on the smith machine. Oh, and incline push ups using the bar in the power rack. I can't believe people pay for that sht, but they do.
  • DizzieLittleLifter
    DizzieLittleLifter Posts: 1,020 Member
    I use it for donkey kicks.....
    Some people use it for mobility issues, or because they are lifting really heavy without a spotter.
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
    This post is out of interest only. There is no right or wrong answer, but I am interested to know why you use a Smith Machine?

    Everything you can do on a Smith Machine, you can do without it. I see people Bench Pressing, Deadlifting, Sitting Military Press, Squatting, and some other moves. But, all of those can be done with a barbell. A barbell, in my view, allows for the freedom of movement, which is extremely important in doing the movements correctly.

    Again, I am not criticizing. The Smith machine is very popular at my gym, and is constantly in use. I am interesting in your reasons for using the Smith Machine. Are there advantages I am not aware of? Are they good for people with injuries?

    And, besides all that, I am also interested in the real purpose of the Smith Machine. Why was it created?

    Hopefully, this will be a respectful thread. I'm truly not trying to stir up trouble or anything. Just interested.

    It's just a tool. It's safer, and your quads will get massive if you use it correctly.

    Also, pushups. I see people doing pushups in the smith machine, so apparently that's also a use. :tongue:

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