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Back-and-forth Smith machines
- Thread starter Punchy71
- Start date
JDid23
New member
smith machines? idk i wouldn't pay too much attention to these if i were you. They take your stabilizer muscles out of the picture, have a fixed ROM.. i can probably go on forever on why they aren't as good as free weights.. Yes, you can probably use more weight with them, but it is a shitty piece of machinery and usually the people who use them aren't properly educated about lifting. Look at the smith machines all day, just don't lift on them.
slimjim1985
New member
every experienced lifter hates on machines/hammer strengths. mainly because they suck but they serve some purposes. They are good for inexperienced lifters like yourself. Think of it as training wheels but don't get too accustomed because you will eventually have to move to free weights.
slimjim1985
New member
oh misread...smith machines? ya they suck some balls
JDid23
New member
some? they suck more balls than the detroit lions
djeclipse
New member
Are you looking to buy a smith machine, or just looking at them in your gym?
Another name for smith machine is "over priced coat and towel hanger" as that is about all they are good for.
Don't use a smith machine for anything. Stick to the squat rack and a olympic bar. The smith machine has a shitty fixed range of motion and doesn't allow you to use your stabilizer muscles which will get you hurt when you go to lift something in the real world.
slimjim1985
New member
ya the only exercise I use the smith machine for are calf raises.
me too, and rack chins
Oh come on you guys need to chill out they are not that bad!
musketeer
New member
The 2 way smiths are called "Jones Machines" and they are better than the regular ones but really, just looking at clueless idiots using them makes my knees/back/shoulders hurt.
jones machine
jones machine
like nearly every machine in the gym, they all have a purpose. smith machines are not bad equipment to use. very helpful for people with sore joints and injuries.
lol at people making statements about those who use smith machines being clueless. the same people who probably hop on pec decs for rear delt, hammer strength shrugs, and pretty much every arm isolation machine around. anyone use cables for biceps? if you do, dont call the smith machine users out.
lol at people making statements about those who use smith machines being clueless. the same people who probably hop on pec decs for rear delt, hammer strength shrugs, and pretty much every arm isolation machine around. anyone use cables for biceps? if you do, dont call the smith machine users out.
djeclipse
New member
right. what a true comparison if ive ever posted.
djeclipse
New member
You're kidding right?
sarcasm is non-existant on computers. thats why young peoples sense of humor sucks. they dont learn the art.
musketeer
New member
I don't use ANY machines, ever (not for 2 years now, anyhow.)
Smiths will wreck your shoulders, knees and back.
If you're training around an injury then 99% of the time something else is going to be better.
Now I can accept that if you're Jay Culter and you do your Front Squats for sets of 10 with 400lbs and know exactly how to utilize the groove of the machine, then probably it's got a useful application for you because it uses less energy (think reduced calories, pre-contest) than a barbell front squat and allows a professional level bodybuilder (on drugs) to focus a pump on the quads. BUT he's not even 1% of the weight training population, and the vast majority of people would be much better served with nothing more than a lifting platform, a rack, a bumper oly bar set and a decent coach.
The clueless idiots I'm referring to are the weekend warrior types who read the "super smith workout" in Men's Health and then stomp over to the smith and do:
CHEST & LEGS:
5 x 10 smith flat bench
3 x 10 smith incline bench
3 x 10 smith behind the neck
3 x 10 decline bench
5 x 12 smith back squats
3 x 10 leg extensions
3 x 10 leg curls
3 x 10 smith stiff legs dead lifts
Usually bouncing the weight/using 50% ROM - because they're lifting too much weight, but think they're hot shit, because their 1/4 smith squat is equal to your full bar front squat. They usually have the nerve to tell you (or their friends) that full squats will hurt the knees, barbell bench to the chest will tear the shoulder capsule and that the smith is "stricter" because you're "locked into a guided path".
Forget LOL at them - I'm crying when I see those workouts...
Smiths will wreck your shoulders, knees and back.
If you're training around an injury then 99% of the time something else is going to be better.
Now I can accept that if you're Jay Culter and you do your Front Squats for sets of 10 with 400lbs and know exactly how to utilize the groove of the machine, then probably it's got a useful application for you because it uses less energy (think reduced calories, pre-contest) than a barbell front squat and allows a professional level bodybuilder (on drugs) to focus a pump on the quads. BUT he's not even 1% of the weight training population, and the vast majority of people would be much better served with nothing more than a lifting platform, a rack, a bumper oly bar set and a decent coach.
The clueless idiots I'm referring to are the weekend warrior types who read the "super smith workout" in Men's Health and then stomp over to the smith and do:
CHEST & LEGS:
5 x 10 smith flat bench
3 x 10 smith incline bench
3 x 10 smith behind the neck
3 x 10 decline bench
5 x 12 smith back squats
3 x 10 leg extensions
3 x 10 leg curls
3 x 10 smith stiff legs dead lifts
Usually bouncing the weight/using 50% ROM - because they're lifting too much weight, but think they're hot shit, because their 1/4 smith squat is equal to your full bar front squat. They usually have the nerve to tell you (or their friends) that full squats will hurt the knees, barbell bench to the chest will tear the shoulder capsule and that the smith is "stricter" because you're "locked into a guided path".
Forget LOL at them - I'm crying when I see those workouts...
You know whats funny to me?
Idiots who use free weights and don't understand that lifting a weight too heavy forces bad form and bad form will not allow for a reasonable workout and proper development of muscles!
Those are the idiots I laugh at.
Idiots who use free weights and don't understand that lifting a weight too heavy forces bad form and bad form will not allow for a reasonable workout and proper development of muscles!
Those are the idiots I laugh at.
By the way I use the Smith Machine at the gym for squats and I go down all the way and I don't bounce the weight off the bottom me and this old Oakland Raiders Cornerback oh yeah and this full back that is now in his 17th year in the NFL and started almost everyseason. So just because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it doesn't work!
musketeer
New member
WTF has that got to do with smith machines? - or my post that you quoted?
JDid23
New member
yeah that is stupid.... people should use free weights that they can handle and use good form with...
the way you put that is pretty stupid imo. No disrespect, but when we're talking about using machines vs free weights, your argument shouldn't be the people who use stupid form. You also mentioned proper development of muscles, and if you think this is done using machines, well i disagree.
I don't know if you're just making a counter statement or actually think machines are superior to free weights, so please don't take that the wrong way if i am misunderstanding you.
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