Your thoughts on the smith machine?
When it comes to machines there are so many that can actually help you isolate the target muscle, after all that's what we are trying to do as bodybuilders. One machine sticks out more than most and it's the smith machine.
The smith machine can be used in nermous way to hit many different muscle groups. I personally love using it for legs. Don't get me wrong I do free bar squats too but I feel that the smith machine helps me isolate the quads more. I don't have to worry about balancing the weight or allowing other muscles to come into play when squating like the lower back, abs, or hams. For me front squats on the smith machine really puts the pump into my legs as does free bar BUT like I said earlier I don't have to worry about that other stuff coming into play.
What do you guys feel about this machine?
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I love the Smith for ONE exercise only...and that's a few finishing sets to a shoulder workout occasionally...behind the head military presses. Crank out several reps after already destroying the shoulders for 45 min., great polisher to the workout!!
I would have to agree that it is a useful tool in your weight lifting arsenal but shouldbt be solely relied on
Smith machine fantastic for front and rear shrugs!
Anything else? Not so much!
If you are able to do real squats bro, than you should focus on free bar squats...
Make sure you take them slowly with perfect form (very important), and focus on the depth... If you break parallel with your thighs as in a power lifting competition (I used to compete so low squats are second nature to me) you will find that there is no other exercise in the world as good for building size and strength in your legs!
For that matter, done right, squats generate growth, strength gain and endurance in entire body like nothing else you can do in the gym or anywhere else...
I'll say it again, if you are physically able, make squats the corner stone to your workout routine!!!!
Personally I don't like to use the smith machine, it just feels like an unnatural movement of the weight for me.
Does anyone feel like it effects thier form negatively ?
I might have to change to a gym that has no squat rack and only a smith, just want to know what people think ?
AnonI like it!! I have bad shoulders and use it for over head press and barbell incline. It's less stress for my shoulders. Is it that bad to use the smith does it not target the muscle that much??
No it's not bad at all man, just dont always use it haha. mix it up. as far as targeting the muscle, it does a good job.
I think its great for shrugs to get to get the full range of of motion. Doing free weights your ass or balls can get in the way whether your doing front or behind back. On the smith you can lean to get those parts out of the way. The Smith at my gym is at a slight incline so I do 3 sets of front and back on both sides of the machine for a total of 12 sets.
Also use it for squats, but I've been an upper body only guy most my lifting life and skip legs if I have to miss a day so I have problems with full range of motion on free weights if I go over over 135.
Navy, eh?
It's a good tool to help switch things up, not something you want to base your workout around. Hammer, smith, dumbbell, barbell, cables, use em all my friend.
AGREED!
Anoni fucking hate the smith machine, but i'm at PF, and they don't have weight racks. so, i'm stuck on one for chest, some shoulders, and some legs...
the smith machine is unique from most other machines. not only does it move along a fixed axis, so there's less secondary muscle involvement, but the pulleys at the top, imo, limit the speed of our contractions.
free weights are always better, unless you're younge, injured, just starting out, or trying to isolate a muscle group (which is physically impossible). controlled contractions benefit the muscles in many ways. slower contractions will deplete enery sources much more rapidly per contraction, as well as increase size. from a CNS standpoint, faster contractions are where you truely get your strength; it's about overloading the muscles being worked with the right load, and pushing that weight with an explosive strength. (trying to dumb this down a bit so it's easy to understand). slow or fast contractions both have their advantages, but the smith machine imposes limitations on the contraction speed. or maybe i'm just imagining it..
I can agree with this on a certain level but not with all of it. Most people say you cant build legs with a smith machine or this and that. I on the other hand (when using the smith machine) have built up my legs pretty good in my own eyes but im always looking for improvment in all areas.
Anonsounds like you're a planet fitness rat. lol
I sure as hell hope you're not talking to me? I'm currently deployed to Afghanistan right now. So on top of working out in a combat zone I don't always have the luxury of awesome equipment and saftey as you do! As for my gym in the states, if I were to post pics you would probably get tetanus from just looking at it my friend....
AnonWhatever you say bro
I like using for lunges, and standing calf raises. thats it
It's good for burning out IMO but I'd never use it for power movements. The bar should adjust to you on a power movement you shouldn't be adjusting to the bar.
mr127superdeei hate the smith machine for eveything besides close grip presses way too unnatural movement always get injured using it
It's pretty awesome when you don't have a spotter for squats