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Ok -- Smith Machine vs Regular Bench....
Advantages and Disadvantages to both?
Advantages and Disadvantages to both?
Smith vs Reg
- Thread starter automaticj5
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needtogetarmy
CEO of Project Mayhem
I really see no advantages to using a smith machine for benching.
automaticj5
New member
Disadvantages?
araiber
New member
Disadvantages: You are barely hitting any of the supporting muscles - Tris, Lats, Shoulders, your even limiting the power that your legs put into it. You also have a restricted motion. Normal bench, you would bring the bar to over your chest, and when you push it up, its ends up a bit higher than your chest.
Advantages: Having the whole gym look at your for using the smith machine for benching (Not necessarily a good thing in this case).
Smith machine for bench? Perhaps, JUST perhaps, if you have some injury. Otherwise I dont see a point in it at all.
If you cant lift heavy its because of the stabilizing muscles, not your chest. Work on those muscle groups and your bench will go up with it.
Advantages: Having the whole gym look at your for using the smith machine for benching (Not necessarily a good thing in this case).
Smith machine for bench? Perhaps, JUST perhaps, if you have some injury. Otherwise I dont see a point in it at all.
If you cant lift heavy its because of the stabilizing muscles, not your chest. Work on those muscle groups and your bench will go up with it.
Please observe the following rules when using the Smith Machine:araiber said:Disadvantages: You are barely hitting any of the supporting muscles - Tris, Lats, Shoulders, your even limiting the power that your legs put into it. You also have a restricted motion. Normal bench, you would bring the bar to over your chest, and when you push it up, its ends up a bit higher than your chest.
Advantages: Having the whole gym look at your for using the smith machine for benching (Not necessarily a good thing in this case).
Smith machine for bench? Perhaps, JUST perhaps, if you have some injury. Otherwise I dont see a point in it at all.
If you cant lift heavy its because of the stabilizing muscles, not your chest. Work on those muscle groups and your bench will go up with it.
1) Don't
mustang_00
Well-known member
i use smith machine if i don't have a spotter but there's not really a range of motion besides pushing straight up. That's probably why it seems like you can go heavier on it. work your chest without it and 2 days later do the same routine at almost half weight on the smith and you can feel the body parts that aren't working that should be on regular flat bench. I actually prefer DB's over both but my right wrist gives me problems.
silver_shadow
New member
lol!PoweredUp said:
automaticj5
New member
Haha -- good enough -- the reason I asked is cause I dont always have a spotter... so I feel like I do less then I should for big gains if I dont have a spotter...
automaticj5
New member
al420 said:
I'd have to disagree... To take off weight requires rest between finishing your reps... If you have a spotter, you can do reps you arent sure you will be able to finish, whether you do or dont they are there to assist you, not grab the bar and pull up, but barely keep you moving, it torches your muscles...
Elementality
New member
What do you guys think about squatting with the smithy? I do everything free, but for squats i feel like i can angle it better and take some of the stress of my knees and really focus it on my big ass.
jumpmaster82
Well-known member
i try not to use the smith machine when i dont have to. ill only use it if im lifting really heavy and dont have a spotter. cuz some days ill do one or 2 rep maxes and go extremely heavy, and its not safe try to go really heavy with no spotter.
mad_monkey59
New member
With a spotter choose the reg everytime.
If you are serious about what you do, why use something which negatively affects your results?
If you are serious about what you do, why use something which negatively affects your results?
automaticj5
New member
with a spotter of course ill use reg everytime -- but I want to push myself each and every set and I feel that I dont if I dont have a spotter -- which is why I asked if smith would be more benefitial cause I could go til failure..
silver_shadow
New member
where are you at now al (weightwise)? if i remember correctly, you were at nearly 240 a few mths ago.al420 said:
automaticj5
New member
Damn -- I wish I could see 215 and under 15%
al420
New member
automaticj5 said:
Clean diet is all I needed.
Try this for 1 week and weigh yourself daily. Weight train AM and do cardio PM. Cardio 4x per week. 2 llow intensity sessions that last 60 min and 2 HIIT session that last 20-30 min.
AM: During Work Out shake. 2 scoops whey 16oz gatorade
meal 2: 1hr after training - 6oz chik, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1 cup spinach
meal 3: same as 2
meal 4: same as 2 but kill the rice and add a hanful of almonds
meal 5: same as 5
meal 6: 2 tbsp all naturaql peanut butter.
if you have HEART it is easily done. If you lack HEART i feel sorry for you.
silver_shadow
New member
how many???!al420 said:Clean diet is all I needed.
Try this for 1 week and weigh yourself daily. Weight train AM and do cardio PM. Cardio 4x per week. 2 llow intensity sessions that last 60 min and 2 HIIT session that last 20-30 min.
AM: During Work Out shake. 2 scoops whey 16oz gatorade
meal 2: 1hr after training - 6oz chik, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1 cup spinach
meal 3: same as 2
meal 4: same as 2 but kill the rice and add a hanful of almonds
meal 5: same as 5
meal 6: 2 tbsp all naturaql peanut butter.
if you have HEART it is easily done. If you lack HEART i feel sorry for you.
al420 said:
It the spotter touches the bar too much you could be on fast track to injuries too.
If your form is good you should be able to do bench pretty good alone. I train late at night without anyone around and I still get a good bench workout. I don't use collars so if I failed I can just slide the weights off (haven't needed to yet).
It surprising how you can get those last reps when there's no one around to help you if you fail.
thebadguy54
New member
automaticj5 said:
I wouldn't hang my coat on a Smith Machine.
Machines (in general) have set the fitness industry back. People like them since they are easy. People think they are specialized, safe and user-friendly. BUT, no matter how well it is designed, a machine can’t duplicate human movement.
Free weight and body weight exercises promote neuromuscular development since you have to balance the weight and keep it steady in a free range of motion.
Free weight exercises are FAR more functional! Lying on your back to perform a leg press does nothing in terms of carry-over into daily life, work, sports etc. Trust me, I know since I spent years doing the leg press as my bread and butter exercise for quads. I built some great LOOKING quads, but the leg press wasn’t making me better at sports, improving overall strength/power, explosiveness, agility and core strength. The abs and obliques, as well as the deeper muscles get worked hard from a free bar squat were weak.
On a machine, you are conforming to the movement of the machine, not vice versa. Free weights allow for the subtle but necessary changes in joint positioning. That is why machines can actually INCREASE the risk of injury. By continually moving a weight in a fixed motion, you can potentially risk overloading joints. Yes, this can also happen with free weights but a machine is worse.
Gym owners need machines to fill up their big box gyms. I don't know how many square feet my gym is but I know I don't use anything often except the barbells, dumbbells, power cage, pull-up bars, dip station. Some guys on here value form over function and that is cool. I just don’t see the point in having deltoids like watermelons if you can’t put 300 lbs. over-head. Form is nice but function is what matters to me. I’m sure most military personnel, firefighters, swat cops and REAL athletes would agree with me.
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