Er guys, first time stepping in to the gym today. Fatigued! That aside, one quick question.

The gym is near and nice but with one problem, there's no squat rack only a smith machine.

Tried squatting with that, felt weird and unsure if I'm doing it correctly as in facing the correct direction.

There's a tilt on the machine, it's angled like this \ so which way should I face?

\ face <- or -> ?

I did this \ <-

found a vid of jay doin the smith. Looks like I'm facing the wrong direction @1:30 mark of the vid



This post has been edited by GameFr3ak: Feb 24 2013, 04:32 PM

yesterday first time steppin into gym...

Bench press, pendlay row, squat

now, mother of all soreness................ legs, back, chest.... jellified

aww.. I think I did my benches with elbows flared out too much.... shoulder joint sore liow.......

Alright, heavy day for me yesterday. While benching, I tried hitting my 11 reps on my last working set, to my surprise, this last rep is my failure. I tried resting the bar on my chest then tried to rack it, nop can't lift no more.

There's a guy there who often gym here as well. So I asked him for help to rack up the bar. I told him "woah, that was my failure!". He then told me that barbell is very dangerous and I should try the smith instead. He further explained that his friend have an uneven shoulder cause one side is stronger cause of barbell. He then point out what's good with the smith and it's safer. Though I've done my reading and barbell activates more muscle fibers compared to smith. So I'll still continue my barbell benches, and probably move on to DB.

I mostly agreed on the safety points but about the uneven shoulders, I thought it's normal? So I did some reading and it's indeed normal as most people wrote.

So guys, what's your opinion on this?

Alright noted thanks.

I've nvr went to the extend of going failure. But ya, learned my lesson there. I'm following Allpro's newbie routine. This includes adding reps every week. I'm on the fifth week (12 reps) and it doesn't look like I'm gonna make it.

I'm not gonna put on the clips next time, I could slide the weights off at least.

I'm on a program that works all body parts on the same day. But the program incorporate progressive deloads on the second and third day (non consecutive).

allpro's simple beginner's routine.

Do you guys incorporate the bar's weight on the smith machine? Or just treat is as 0 and just count them plates?

It can hold olympic plates. I asked the guys around there.. they just treat it as 0 weight lol. I found myself stupid then, I counted the bar as 20kg all this while thinking I'm squatting 40kg. Apparently, I'm not. I'm gonna have to reset my entire cycle with some adjustments to my programs.

I tried finding it on the machine. No labels no nothing. I'm still torn between cleaning up my weights with the barbell vs angled smith.

If it's the free weight olympic bar, definitely must count in. It's a big number, 20kg.


Ya I get that but what about smith's?

Mine is definitely not 20. Could easily lift it with one hand. Though felt more than 5. Ah screw it, I'll just continue my training till I'm strong enough to neglect the weight of the bar.

Yeah, but before that I'll try clean + jerk with 40kg for the back squat. But I can't do this for long, prolly gonna stall near my body weight and it's unsafe.

I did 32 today. Seems alright. Might try when someone's around so when shit hits the fan, someone's there to help.

Try Allpro's A simple beginner's routine?

Need opinion about my diet too. Is it shit to gain mass? I'm 172cm, 71kg, BF 27%.

Breakfast
white coffee with oats - 10g
sandwich loaf with wheat germ (4 slices) + sardine 1 can - 33g
2 bananas

Lunch
Anything with rice/noodles with meat (chicken/beef/pork) and eggs - 26g

4-5pm
2 chines herbal eggs (whole) - 14

Dinner
Salmon + salad + 3 eggs + HL Milk (around half carton) - 37.25

This post has been edited by GameFr3ak: Apr 2 2013, 03:39 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I'm now tracking what I eat closely on myfitnesspal. Trying to achieve caloric deficit everyday with high protein. According to calculation, my maintenance calories should be around 2000-2200, I'm consuming around 1800-1900 and trying to hit 140g protein everyday.

I actually meant lean mass, my bad on that. Definitely trying to cut for sure.

Alright, buff looking uncle in the gym (he works there, not sure as what) gave me some advices about the angled smith machine (yes, no squat rack, have to make do). He said I should face the other direction from what I'm doing. I've did my fair share of research before deciding my 'correct' direction.

I'm facing away from the machine like below pics.




While he said I should face the opposite direction, facing in to the machine. I've looked around BB.com, I can see some or most agreed on my current direction (refer above pics) instead of the opposite (uncle's advice).

I guess he's the one who assembled the machine and he should be the trainer/owner there.

I need 3rd party opinions, thanks

So from what you're saying is, both ways can be correct, provided I find a good comfortable form for myself? I've asked the gym twice, they have no plans to get one. There's simply no place for them to put it.

Need advice on my diet... I work nightshift sometime and this is pretty much what I eat when I work night shifts. I'm trying to figure out what else I could eat without bloating myself too much while being able to pack calories to avoid too much deficit.

Yes, I'm cutting now from 27% BF. Daily maintenance is around 2200 or so.



Any good food with decent amount of calories? Best if it's easily obtainable. Thanks~

Try "allpro's simple beginner routine" ?

A lil form check on my smith squat please. Should I go lower to break parallel? I've read about how it's dangerous to squat above parallel and it's gonna hit the patella very hard.

Alright, thanks. Figured I need to go lower. Will work on the buttwink if I do have this problem.

Yes, I've checked tons of videos, articles and forums about this. Most of them have it the other way. I used to do it the other way until the buffed uncle owner told me that its the other way. I'll see how it goes. Facing the wall is good cause the mirror is there, I need to see how low I'm going. Right now I've generated some pain above the knee cap, read a few and it's caused by not going lower than parallel. The tension and shit is all transferred to the knee.

I could break parallel as well, it's just that I didn't notice about this problem and got lazy until the recent knee pain

While some of the people agreed that Scott's direction is correct, but some also agreed that it depends on which is comfortable for me. Thanks!