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Planet Fitness
Pinupdollrawr
Posts: 137 Member
OK guys so I am not new to lifting at all. But I am just starting SL 5X5 . I currently being to planet fitness. It was affordable. It's not that bad except for the fact that you can't do hard intense work . Prior to joining planet fitness I would lift Olympic style weights. I know the difference between the movements and the fact that the Smith takes away weight bc it is fixed. Example 45 lb olympic bar to a 15 lb Smith bar. However my membership is not over till June. Until then I am stuck. Has anyone had success with progress on Smith machines with SL ? I know how to use the Smith machine accurately enough to avoid injuries. Thanks guys.
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Anyone?0
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i wish i had something to say . . . i've always been kind of scared of the smith. i use the one in my rec centres for pullups and stretching, basically. 0 -
And I've never seen one, except online - sorry!0
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It's definitely not great for squats.
There are other uses where I think the smith machine is handy. I use it to do negative pull ups because the bars on the cable machine are way too far off the ground for me. But the bar set up on the top rack on smith machine is enough that I can reach it but still hang some as I slowly lower myself.
I've also seen guys use the smith machine to work calves at a smaller gym where they didn't have a standing calf machine. Also saw a woman use it to do a standing row, which was interesting.
With squats, as you probably know, it's not the same movement pattern and stabilization as a regular barbell squat. Once at a gym with a regular bar, you'll have to decrease the weight and work up from there as the balance and such are very different, working on the form. It's useable when have nothing else but not a great option. Does your PF have dumbbells? You could also supplement with a few sets of goblet squats if they have more than 20 lb dumbbells available, as you just hold one db when doing the squat. It's a little closer to the front squat as opposed to back but is something to help work a little on the movement without having the machine. Still not quite the bar, but you do what you can with what is available. There are a couple of ways to get a bar up that doesn't have a place but chances are the gym doesn't have the equipment and some gym goers might find it "intimidating" if plausible.
The PF here had a row of dumbbells in the corner, though he didn't take me over to see those. I didn't even see a smith machine at that location, though there might have been one near the dummbells. We spent more time near the tanning beds despite my saying I had no interesting in tanning... yeah.0 -
There's dumbbells here and I know the different angles on how to use the Smith machine. I just wasn't sure if anyone else has used it and received decent results. Once it's over I'll find an affordable gym with a regular squat rack or cages.0
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I'm new, but I've heard that if you do use the smith machine, when you go to start using regular oly weights you'll have to deload ALOT. Maybe some of the veteran lifters here can confirm or deny.
Best of luck! :flowerforyou:0 -
There might have been but they may not be active anymore. I tried the smith machine once at my coworker's gym when I first started lifting. Had to ask the one guy in the weight lifting area (it's a small gym that rarely has many people in it) to show me how to even use it. I just didn't like the feeling, so haven't gone back to it since that gym does have 1 power cage and my gym has a cage and a rack. However, I have seen someone at my gym use the smith machine for squats that involved a different foot placement. She has her feet close together and a little in front, which would not work out well balance wise with just the bar. Also, goes more for reps than high weight, but it does look interesting.
Not ideal but working the weights till June, you should still see progress. Even if you de-load at new gym and rework the form to match the equipment, it's not like you'll have nothing from the months of working hard at PF.0 -
^ I have seen this too by quite a few of the trainers at the gym.
Treating it as more of a wall sit - but obviously with the bar. Looks odd to me, I'm pretty sure I'd fall over.
But essentially having legs stretched out straight in front and then during the squat your thigh goes parallel and the shin becomes perpendicular to the floor.
Can definitely see the merit in it, but I don't know how transferable it would be to squatting with the bar.0 -
tiffanylacourse wrote: »I'm new, but I've heard that if you do use the smith machine, when you go to start using regular oly weights you'll have to deload ALOT. Maybe some of the veteran lifters here can confirm or deny.
Best of luck! :flowerforyou:
A bit late, but I wanted to chime in on the Smith machine just in case you were looking for more opinions/info.
So, the quoted is pretty much right. The Smith machine is not great for compound lifts because it supports part of the weight. You don't have to activate as many muscles to stabilize yourself (mainly core and back). When you get out of the Smith machine into a regular squat rack, you'll almost need to start over at the beginning because your stabilizer muscles won't have the training that your quads and glutes do.
If I were you, I would do one of the following:
1) use the Smith machine with the knowledge that once you get to a regular rack you'll need to deload and basically relearn how to squat without the support
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2) do other variations of squats with dumbbells in the meantime.0 -
I've squared and dealing before planet fitness at a gym on post using regular squat racks and my deadline was awesome at a higher weight my squats not so much I would always hear and feel the cracking in my knees and my form was correct my bf is a trainer and would always go and train with me.but I don't have access to that gym. I know the regular Olympic bar is 45 lbs as to Smith machines 15 lbs.but the core and back info I did not know. Thanks for that info.0
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Squatted and deadlifted*0
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Pinupdollrawr wrote: »I've squared and dealing before planet fitness at a gym on post using regular squat racks and my deadline was awesome at a higher weight my squats not so much I would always hear and feel the cracking in my knees and my form was correct my bf is a trainer and would always go and train with me.but I don't have access to that gym. I know the regular Olympic bar is 45 lbs as to Smith machines 15 lbs.but the core and back info I did not know. Thanks for that info.
You're welcome. I'm happy I could give you some more info. It was a bit of info I didn't know either until I had a consult with a trainer and asked about all the equipment they had in the gym I was going to at the time.0
This discussion has been closed.