Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

[ehh]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

Because I usually work out alone I started using the Smith Machine when I do squats and I love it. It helps me to concentrate on my form and I can go as high as I want weight wise because I just hook.

Smith Machines, especially for squating, really aren't good for you. I strongly suggest you go to a regular squat rack. Also, don't worry about lifting too much weight - you don't have to train to failure every time.

You need to find a new gym. One squat rack? What, do they have 2 benches?

As a matter of fact, you're right! I still belong to a more hardcore gym near my apartment, but the gym I usually go to is a small cardio-type place right next to my work that I go to during lunch breaks. The clientele is mostly females and older guys who don't lift. On most days I'm the only person lifting from 1pm-2pm so the convenience factor usually outweighs the lack of equipment.

The best part is, when I actually joined they gym they didn't have a squat rack. I made a request and boom, two weeks later they had a squat rack in there.

[USF11]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

Smith Machines, especially for squating, really aren't good for you. I strongly suggest you go to a regular squat rack. Also, don't worry about lifting too much weight - you don't have to train to failure every time.




As a matter of fact, you're right! I still belong to a more hardcore gym near my apartment, but the gym I usually go to is a small cardio-type place right next to my work that I go to during lunch breaks. The clientele is mostly females and older guys who don't lift. On most days I'm the only person lifting from 1pm-2pm so the convenience factor usually outweighs the lack of equipment.

The best part is, when I actually joined they gym they didn't have a squat rack. I made a request and boom, two weeks later they had a squat rack in there.

I disagree I used to squat all the time for football using the regular cage, Now that I use the smith machine I feel in more in the places am I suppose to without putting strain in the wrong places.

[ehh]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

I disagree I used to squat all the time for football using the regular cage, Now that I use the smith machine I feel in more in the places am I suppose to without putting strain in the wrong places.

I'm not trying to be an a-hole, but if you feel more in the places your suppose to when you're using a smith machine you must have had very poor squat form when you were in a cage.

You can read any information Smith Machine's from lifting professionals and they all tell you to shy away from them. It is also not nearly as safe as most people think it is.

As the Smith machine constrains the body to a single plane of motion, it does not develop the stabilization skills, or ability to force the bar into proper form, so lifting ability on it does not translate into freeweight lifting ability, whereas one can always lift on a Smith machine whatever one can freeweight. Weight that requires stabilization, generally freeweights, are thought to be more 'functional', in that they better mimic most physical tasks that the body would normally be asked to accomplish.

Due to the necessity of perfect placement under the bar for proper vertical arc, it is difficult to attain perfect form on the machine, which can result in the force loss, and also result in unusual strains on the body. For those who don't believe some exercises have a perfect vertical lifting line, but rather a slight arc (such as certain bench pressing methods), it is by design impossible to do it this way on the Smith machine.

This article actually lists squating in a smith machine as one of the nine least affective exercises you can do.

Squats on the Smith machine. This is a squat you do standing at a machine that has a barbell on a sliding track. The barbell rests on your shoulders, behind your head.
In a true squat -- done as you hold a barbell at your shoulders -- the bar doesn't go straight up and down as it does with the Smith machine, Warpeha says: "Looking from the side, the bar has some sway."
"On the machine, the bar doesn't give, so it forces the body into disadvantageous biomechanical positions," he says. People also tend to put their feet further in front of their bodies when doing squats on the machine, which adds to the problem.
Considering that today's adult population is wrought with knee and back problems, says Danberg, the last thing you want to do is an exercise that might aggravate weakness and injury.
A safer alternative: It's not necessary to use weights when doing a squat. But, if you are able to perform squats with good form, adding weight will intensify the move.

And another one....

Thumbs down - Experts FastTrack; Smith Machine for Squats

Most guys like the Smith cause they can pile on plates without a spotter. Feels cool, right? So does dipping your sac in yogurt, but both are bad ideas. During a regular squat, your body doesn't move in a straight line, up and down-it's more of an arcing motion. The Smith won't allow this. The victim: your delicate lower back, which feels most of the stress.

Again, I'm not trying to be an a-hole, just pass on good information so people can lift as safely as possible.

[oakfan162]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

I'm not trying to be an a-hole, but if you feel more in the places your suppose to when you're using a smith machine you must have had very poor squat form when you were in a cage.

You can read any information Smith Machine's from lifting professionals and they all tell you to shy away from them. It is also not nearly as safe as most people think it is.






This article actually lists squating in a smith machine as one of the nine least affective exercises you can do.




And another one....



Again, I'm not trying to be an a-hole, just pass on good information so people can lift as safely as possible.

Good info. Thanks. Next time I do squats, Monday, I'll stay away from the smith machine and use a little less weight.

[Scottdau]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

Rest that gives you muscles time to heal and eat right and that will get you bigger.

[USF11]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

I'm not trying to be an a-hole, but if you feel more in the places your suppose to when you're using a smith machine you must have had very poor squat form when you were in a cage.

I'm fine when I have a spotter, the whole point of doing squats in the smith machine is being able to do those extra important reps when your by yourself.

When it comes to weight lifting you will always have 1000's of experts telling you completely opposite things. Just have to do what works.

[TheGamingChef]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

I'm fine when I have a spotter, the whole point of doing squats in the smith machine is being able to do those extra important reps when your by yourself.

When it comes to weight lifting you will always have 1000's of experts telling you completely opposite things. Just have to do what works.

Just find someone to spot you and if you can't, do a little less weight that day. The squat is the most important lower body lift IMO and if you're not doing it correctly (like on a Smith machine) you're missing out big-time.

Where I lift there are 3 squat racks, 5 flat benches, 2 incline benches and a decline bench, along with an area for cleans and another one for plyometrics. Oh yeah, there's also 20 machines but I don't care about those. I love how easy it is to find something to use.

[ehh]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

Is it a chain gym? Gold's or anything similar?

[USF11]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

Just find someone to spot you and if you can't, do a little less weight that day. The squat is the most important lower body lift IMO and if you're not doing it correctly (like on a Smith machine) you're missing out big-time.

Where I lift there are 3 squat racks, 5 flat benches, 2 incline benches and a decline bench, along with an area for cleans and another one for plyometrics. Oh yeah, there's also 20 machines but I don't care about those. I love how easy it is to find something to use.

I am telling you the smith machine works just as good as the regular squat rack.

[TheGamingChef]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

Is it a chain gym? Gold's or anything similar?

Nope it's actually my old HS's weight room. All alumni get free use of it, and if you request, you can get a key to the school and weight room so you can use it 24/7. Pretty much the best deal of all time

And USF, you may think so, but it's just the way the machine works. If it feels exactly like a normal squat, you were never squatting right in the first place. It's just not working the correct muscles in the correct way. You're simply cheating yourself, I'm sorry to say.

Correct form with half the weight is better for you than loading up the weight and not lifting right.

[USF11]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

Nope it's actually my old HS's weight room. All alumni get free use of it, and if you request, you can get a key to the school and weight room so you can use it 24/7. Pretty much the best deal of all time

And USF, you may think so, but it's just the way the machine works. If it feels exactly like a normal squat, you were never squatting right in the first place. It's just not working the correct muscles in the correct way. You're simply cheating yourself, I'm sorry to say.

Correct form with half the weight is better for you than loading up the weight and not lifting right.

Dont knock it till you try it. The whole point of the smith machine is perfect form every rep. I'm not using alot of weight right now anyways since I'am rehabing from a torn ACL/MCL almost a year ago and just now getting back to trying to strengthen it.

On a side note I blame my knee injuries(as well as the amount of knee injuries happening all around us) on the leg extension machine. It's an awful machine everyone should avoid.

[ehh]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

When it comes to weight lifting you will always have 1000's of experts telling you completely opposite things. Just have to do what works.

That's certainly the case for most things in lifting but this is an exception. Find me one article that says doing squats in a Smith Machine is beneficial.

Dont knock it till you try it. The whole point of the smith machine is perfect form every rep. I'm not using alot of weight right now anyways since I'am rehabing from a torn ACL/MCL almost a year ago and just now getting back to trying to strengthen it.

Personally I used to do them in a Smith Machine as well which is why I'm so against it now. Plus if you read the articles I posted earlier, every single one of them said it is physical impossible to have perfect squat form on a Smith Machine.

But to each his own, good luck and I hope you don't get hurt.

[USF11]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

That's certainly the case for most things in lifting but this is an exception. Find me one article that says doing squats in a Smith Machine is beneficial.



Personally I used to do them in a Smith Machine as well which is why I'm so against it now. Plus if you read the articles I posted earlier, every single one of them said it is physical impossible to have perfect squat form on a Smith Machine.

But to each his own, good luck and I hope you don't get hurt.

This is from Bodybuilding.com which has articles on both sides of the arguement.

"As for Smith Machine squats, some say they are for wimps, but Dorian Yates preferred them to barbell squats, and his thighs were massive beyond belief!

Squatting in the Smith machine allows you to place less stress on your hips, glutes and lower back because you can position your feet forward in front of the machine and then lean back into the bar - with the bar high on your shoulders - making it a very pure thigh exercise (especially if you use a narrow stance - say, with your feet six to 12 inches apart).

The machine's design lends itself to deep, full squats, so take advantage of that. Depending on what part of the thigh you want to develop, push off at the bottom from either your heels, for outer-thigh mass, or the balls of your feet, for middle-thigh development."

I think the smith machine is just not considered a "macho lift" among strength coaches, however the opinion is much different among bodybuildings.

One is about building muscle(smith) the other is about building functional explosion for sports(regular squats).

[ehh]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

This is from Bodybuilding.com which has articles on both sides of the arguement.

"As for Smith Machine squats, some say they are for wimps, but Dorian Yates preferred them to barbell squats, and his thighs were massive beyond belief!

Squatting in the Smith machine allows you to place less stress on your hips, glutes and lower back because you can position your feet forward in front of the machine and then lean back into the bar - with the bar high on your shoulders - making it a very pure thigh exercise (especially if you use a narrow stance - say, with your feet six to 12 inches apart).

The machine's design lends itself to deep, full squats, so take advantage of that. Depending on what part of the thigh you want to develop, push off at the bottom from either your heels, for outer-thigh mass, or the balls of your feet, for middle-thigh development."

I think the smith machine is just not considered a "macho lift" among strength coaches, however the opinion is much different among bodybuildings.

One is about building muscle(smith) the other is about building functional explosion for sports(regular squats).

As for the comment on Yates, it's very misleading. He likes Smith Machine squats, hee-ya! How about we ask him how he got those massive thighs. I'll guarantee you it was doing barbell squats.

Also, the biggest proponent to BB squats is that it's a compound exercise while this article states that Smith Machine's turn squats into an isolation thigh exercise. Bodybuilders are known for doing tons and tons of iso exercises to build muscles in places most people can't even dream of. They probably do smith machine squats in addition to BB squats and built their massive foundation on compound (bb) exercises.

[PlayaHataSupreme]

Re: Workout questions...time between workouts & machines

I see a "rage against the machines" as far as working out is concerned.......

For you guys, are machines not at all beneficial for your abs exercises? For some reason, when I do situps, I'm finding more strain on my back/neck than I do in my abdominal area, and I think that's a problem.

Is there a way to avoid the machine AND avoid massive strain on the neck area when working out abdominals?