???

weird reason, cause i just felt more comfirtable doing it in the smith machine..lol

psychological feeling ? hehe.. cuz when u think u cant lift anymore u can just hook it back ?

or maybe the bar of the smith machine is lighter than normal free benching barbell..

or also maybe u don't need to use your smaller muscles to balance the free barbell with weights..

i personally like the free barbell as i go up on a small arch when im pushing upwards.. and plus the balancing part is good for smaller muscles groups think i..

There's no wrong with using the smith machine, as long as you don't injure yourself.

I'd either do free weights, or use specific machines.
Smith machine simply doesn't suits my workout. I feel damn weird when I was trying to squat using it last time.
And most people don't squat properly in the smith machine anyway... just half squat.

Most forumers here don't hold the smith machine in high regard.
I'm not sure whether I want to encourage you to try free weights... it might be good for you, but that would mean more people queuing to use the power cage/squat rack. =P

the trap that most people fall into when using the smith machine is that when one hand uses more strength than the other(during bench presses eg.).

I prefer using the smith machine over barbell when I'm alone during my workout and I dont have anyone around to spot me incase i cannot lift the bar back up during those final reps.

Do a combination of both and you'll be alrite

The Smith machine does the job of balancing the bar for you. All that you need to do is push it up.

Therefore, you normally find that you can add more plates to the Smith machine when you perform a certain exercise because there is no balancing involved. I've stopped using the Smith machine for that very reason.

Try doing the regular bench press with the standard-size Olympic bar. If it's your first time, you might have difficulties pushing the bar up straight.

Smith machine to bench press = Can't feel the koyak orgasm

Smith machine can do a lot of things.

I have used both with smith machine and squat rack for my full squats.

If you get tired stabilizing the bar, smith machine is better as it can somewhat isolate the effects.

However, I don't really like doing full squats on the smith machine.



This post has been edited by kianweic: Mar 28 2009, 08:10 AM

They both have their uses and place in the gym. Personally, I will only use them if I'm either pressed for time (read: idiots taking up the benches, rushing to an appointment, etc) or the most common reason, right after I do free weights. Do all the free weights you can first, then move on to machines.

I use smith machine to do calf raise.

The only reason i use smith is because there is no spotter around, free weights are the best no doubt.

However, safety comes 1st. Don't try to push your limits without a spotter, you might get yourself killed.

People who have used the Smith even for squats:-
Dorian Yates
Wong Hong
Bob Cicherrillo

Some forummers are against the Smith because of the wannabe hardcore mentality that the Smith is for pansies. Try incline benching close to 300lbs on the Smith, it doesn't make it any easier despite the anticipated arguments of counter weight.

darkie..u can do incline bench press with 300 lbs??!..u're a cyborg man!!
giler kuat...

This post has been edited by D_Predator: May 16 2009, 10:58 PM

darkie's level is a totally different level.
he has been training for a decade.
well, i somehow feel harder to bench press using a smith machine compared to normal bench press.
is it coz of the friction on the slides of the machines?
or the angle which i push is making it harder?
or... the smith machine in mmu melaka gym sucks. =.=
hahaha...

i can bench press around 70kg 10-12 reps, but i cant do incline smith 60kg.
i get so frustrated... maybe i need to figure out why...

ya la..why is it when i tried to do my incline i feel kinda weak..i'm sad to say that even if i put 25kg on each side for smith machine..i canot tahan la..is sumthing wrong with my technique?or am i lifting the wrong weight?or is it that's my limit to push is only 25kg per side?..damn..u guys are strong la..

i can do 70kg 12 times on normal bench press.
but i cant even do incline smith 45% for even 60kg.

so what's ur weight for incline? ..damn..u mean 70kg plus both sides with the olympic bar izit?

yeah... 70kg for all...
incline around 50kg... =.=
hahaha

nice..wait till we hear how heavey darkie bench press and incline..hahaha..pengsan..

u can see his journal for his normal workouts.
bout his 1rm, i not sure its in there or not...

btw wats a 1rm?i read it on the net..but i dun understand..

1RM = 1 rep max...
meaning if u can bench press 80kg for 1 time only...
then thats ur 1RM.

285lbs x 9 reps. =) You can calculate my 1RM max from there.

320lbs-340lbs. =.=
haha... have u tried ur 1rm?

blardy hell..bapak berat...hahaha..wait..285lbs means how many kg's?

129k. Nearly twice my weight.

round it up, its 130kg.
so his 1RM would be 150kg or so

I don't do 1RM's. I'm not a powerlifter. All my poundages, I've got to this level just going high volume, never low reps. Strength gains will come gradually, cause and effect.

wow...dat's wicked..

its really hard to find bb'ers like u dude
sticking always to the basic
i guess people now go for quantity than quality

what did you mean dude? bodybuilder alwaysssssssss do high reps


Chow

i second that but not referring to darkie's high vol with hi reps tho...i can see a lot of ppl at my workout place, went for high vol but never done it the right way because they were lifting too heavy...this past few weeks i reduced my vol a little, maintain the reps but went for slower tempo...fast tempo is ok but i felt much more pain on the particular muscle with slow reps...

That's because they try to lift too heavy too fast. And they don't use correct form even if they're using sufficient volume. They do half assed reps or cheat too much. Then the accessory muscles get more worked more than the target muscles. You know how much was my starting incline bench? The bar alone. My starting dumbell press, 20pounds. When you do proper form, you may feel like a pu$$y with such baby weights but the target muscle gets hit and your strength gains come MUCH faster compared to half assed rep strength progression. Hypertrophy first always, that's our target, BUT the strength will come. Which is why people like Ronnie Coleman and Dexter Jackson can hold their own among powerlifters. Which is why i can hold my own among the powerlifters at my gym. And the public gym i work out at have a lot of hardcore people.

Heavy weights yes, but done with proper form.

This post has been edited by darklight79: May 19 2009, 01:43 AM

+1
very true...
been looking around in my gym and i notice the same thing.
i guess many of us like to go heavy due to ego also.
wanna push as much as we can as fast as possible.
when i started 2 month ago, i was the same.
but i not going to bother bout the weights anymore instead learn how to feel.
will test my max reps once a month, but most of the time will go high reps.
thanks for the advise. =.=

Terry couldn't stress this enough to me during my first visit. He saw the way I was lifting and he told me you want size, you want to get big. Lift like a bodybuilder, not a powerlifter. He changed all my exercises.
I was doing military presses, he told me to switch to seated presses. I was doing pull ups, he told me to switch to pull downs for better mind muscle connection.
I was experimenting with some Oly lifts for fun, he told me drop it, they do absolutely nothing for mass as the negative phase in not emphasized. I just listened, humbled myself and I grew.

Under his tutelage, from a measly bodyweight of 70 kilos after a bout of life threatening pneumonia where i was hospitalized for 2 weeks coughing out blood continuously, I exploded in growth to hit 85 kilos. And now I'm 87kg. Can you imagine, meeting a pro bodybuilder can transform your physique. His gym, there's definitely a lil' magic in there. Lol.

hehe... guess he really is ur foundation of ur body building heh?
hehe... well, starting next week, i am going to train hard.
oh ya... bout this topic again...
hahaha... anyone has any say on smith machines?
i feel its kinda hard to squat using smith.
maybe i am doing it wrongly.
i normally squat freeweights.
hmm... darkie, u use smith to squat rite, wat would u say in comparison to the freeweight squat?

somehow i found that your post is inspiring bro...this maybe due to your experience not just from some reading on some webbies or books...thanks for the explainations...it add values into my workout...now i'm working out with a piece of mind...

Have not tried 1RM, I think I can do 60kg or 65kg 1 rep. Usually for bar bell press I don't go more than 50kg.

Dumb bells yes.

Now you dumbbell press more than 50kgs already? Or squat?

wow... i am wondering the same.
if he says he dumbell bench press, then salutes!

Dumb bells in lbs. Typo there, should just type lbs.

It's funny, when comes to bar bell bench press or incline press, I can't do heavy. But dumb bells I can push more.



This post has been edited by zeist: May 25 2009, 10:41 PM

Anyone tried doing deadlifts using the smith machine before?
I'm damn curious to see how it's like. X^D

They say the shortest route is to lift straight up mah!

No. Worst mistake you can ever do. You'll kill your back. It's common sense, i don't think i need to explain.

yeah, the movement is not in linear.

Worse is tat i saw the trainers did tat in my gym . The client paying 100+ a session for spoiling his back.

Hang on a minute, after reading the thread, the proper method is to go 'acceptable' weights but high reps? Did I understand correctly?

As a person whom just started out, obviously I cannot lift heavy weight (currently only using LifeFitness machines, unsure whether these are better or free weights are better)

Anywho, I'll use myself as an example (please don't laugh too hard )

For the 'chicken wings' machine (the one for shoulder) I find that with a weightage of 20Kg (44 pounds) I can do 3 sets of 12, perhaps even 15 reps per set before the muscle burn really hits.

Should i increase to 25kg (55 pounds) I can't seem to finish the last set, meaning it would like something like

25kg x 12 times
25kg x 11 times
25kg x 8 times

So are you guys saying it's better to do the former rather than the latter?

time to increase the weight.
try doing 10 reps for 3 sets.
if u can do that with ease, then increase a few kg.
if u cant maitain 10 reps each set for 3 sets, then reduce a little.

---

Added on May 26, 2009, 12:48 pmjust my opinion...
wait for other seniors to comment... hehe

This post has been edited by JonYeap: May 26 2009, 12:48 PM

Understood. I know anyone with a common sense wouldn't try it. But since this is a Smith machine thread, maybe some not-so-well-informed people might have tried it. X^D

You couldn't be serious, right?

If you can complete 10 on the last set, why not? Or as long as you can do 12 reps with that weight on your first 2 sets, and reduce slightly on the third set why not? Nothing's set in stone.

You would be surprised how stupid and pathetic some PT's are. I screwed up 2 PT's at commercial gyms for teaching their clients wrong shit. Normally I adopt the "mind my own damn business" attitude but IF i see something potentially hazardous or lift threatening, I'll damn well step in.

smith deadlift



link here

sure a lots of body movement just to stabilize yourself.. lightweight can la..

Bro, it doesn't matter. Just because it's on the internet, it doesn't mean it's correct. That is a potential for injury, the movement is not in a natural arc and one is not supposed to go light on deadlifts.

yup.. you're right. last time i have tried squad using smith machine.. very awkward, some more my knee hurt.. i also feel uncomfortable when using hack squat machine. maybe its related to body posture. i do have some lordosis problem (arching), but already fix it.

that why some build are good for squating and deadlift.

i sometime use smith machine for heavy bench press, closed grip bench press and seated press.

The Smith machine is an excellent tool mate. There are even several threads on bodybuilding.com dedicated to it. There are some probodybuilders who use just the Smith for their squats. They allow you to target the quads even more while not contributing to oversized hips. I use them for squats, shoulder presses, incline presses, rows (rarely), CGBP, many more.