# Bringing back the smith ?



## AdmiringMYlats (Oct 4, 2010)

Whatsup fellas ?

Due to my hectic work schedule me and my gym partner will no longer be able to workout together until december . Im wondering if i were to use the smith machine to bench press and shoulder press for the next 8 weeks will it hinder my strength and muscle gains ?

I bench press 275 for reps and shoulder press 185 for reps ...

Both free weight .


----------



## MyK (Oct 4, 2010)

stick to free weights.

lol that all you care about is your bench numbers.


----------



## gtbmed (Oct 4, 2010)

Why not just bench without your partner?


----------



## AdmiringMYlats (Oct 4, 2010)

gtbmed said:


> Why not just bench without your partner?


 
I tore my pec before and im not taking any chances benching without any supervision .


----------



## gtbmed (Oct 4, 2010)

How does having your partner around prevent you from tearing your pec?  I don't see how the two are related.


----------



## LAM (Oct 4, 2010)

AdmiringMYlats said:


> Whatsup fellas ?
> 
> Due to my hectic work schedule me and my gym partner will no longer be able to workout together until december . Im wondering if i were to use the smith machine to bench press and shoulder press for the next 8 weeks will it hinder my strength and muscle gains ?
> 
> ...



I haven't trained with an actual "training partner" in like 15 years..you need to get used to training with intensity by yourself.  no need to go from free weights to smith just because you don't have a spotter


----------



## 200+ (Oct 4, 2010)

oh boy, here we go with another smith machine thread


----------



## nova1970sb (Oct 4, 2010)

i lost my spotter/ gym partner a few months back. best thing that ever happened to me!


----------



## MDR (Oct 4, 2010)

AdmiringMYlats said:


> Whatsup fellas ?
> 
> Due to my hectic work schedule me and my gym partner will no longer be able to workout together until december . Im wondering if i were to use the smith machine to bench press and shoulder press for the next 8 weeks will it hinder my strength and muscle gains ?
> 
> ...



Agreed.  Stick to free weights and take enough off the bar to perform the exercise correctly.  I never use a spotter unless I'm doing a max lift or negatives.  I train at the same time each day, and there are always a few guys I trust to spot in a pinch.


----------



## OTG85 (Oct 4, 2010)

I have a training partner I wish I could loose.Slows me down to much I think I will have to break his heart pretty soon


----------



## gtbmed (Oct 4, 2010)

I just failed on squats today and I lift by myself...

Learn how to fail properly and you'll be fine training on your own.


----------



## MDR (Oct 4, 2010)

gtbmed said:


> I just failed on squats today and I lift by myself...
> 
> Learn how to fail properly and you'll be fine training on your own.



Very true on most lifts.  Flat and incline bench presents a few problems, however.


----------



## vortrit (Oct 4, 2010)

nova1970sb said:


> i lost my spotter/ gym partner a few months back. best thing that ever happened to me!



The last partner I had was so stupid I don't think I'll ever use one again. I tore the rotar cuff in in my shoulder because he was too stupid to spot me correctly.


----------



## cshea2 (Oct 4, 2010)

Why not just ask someone around the gym to spot you? I only get a spot for triples, doubles, and singles.


----------



## ScorpionKing (Oct 5, 2010)

I use a smith rack at my own gym due to the fact that I train to failure. It's a personal choice for me due to the lack of a spotter. I do have a free weight bench just for those special occasions when I can get someone to show up to work out. It's sad when you invite people over to workout and they are so lazy they don’t show up.


----------



## Gazhole (Oct 5, 2010)

Solution: Bench in a rack. If a rack is being used for something more important (Squats) grab somebody to spot you. If that isn't possible, don't train to failure. In fact, don't train to failure anyway - it's dangerous, unnecessary, and requires a spotter you obviously don't have!

Not trying to spark up yet another stupid debate on failure training, and for the record i love HIT/Heavy Duty training. Just saying theres a time and a place for this type of training, and for most people/programs the risk > the reward.


----------



## MDR (Oct 5, 2010)

Gazhole said:


> Solution: Bench in a rack. If a rack is being used for something more important (Squats) grab somebody to spot you. If that isn't possible, don't train to failure. In fact, don't train to failure anyway - it's dangerous, unnecessary, and requires a spotter you obviously don't have!
> 
> Not trying to spark up yet another stupid debate on failure training, and for the record i love HIT/Heavy Duty training. Just saying theres a time and a place for this type of training, and for most people/programs the risk > the reward.



Very true.  Almost never train to failure, and the attempts for new PR's are more and more seldom as I get older, as are negatives.  Easy enough to guess your 1 rep max from how many times you can perform a lift 5 times.  Maxing out is almost entirely an exercise for the ego, IMHO.  Not to say it's not fun!


----------



## 200+ (Oct 5, 2010)

Gazhole said:


> Solution: Bench in a rack. If a rack is being used for something more important (Squats) grab somebody to spot you. If that isn't possible, don't train to failure. In fact, don't train to failure anyway - it's dangerous, unnecessary, and requires a spotter you obviously don't have!
> 
> Not trying to spark up yet another stupid debate on failure training, and for the record i love HIT/Heavy Duty training. Just saying theres a time and a place for this type of training, and for most people/programs the risk > the reward.



Agreed.  I don't have the experience you guys have, but I do notice my body responds better without failure training


----------



## AdmiringMYlats (Oct 5, 2010)

ScorpionKing said:


> I use a smith rack at my own gym due to the fact that I train to failure. It's a personal choice for me due to the lack of a spotter. I do have a free weight bench just for those special occasions when I can get someone to show up to work out. It's sad when you invite people over to workout and they are so lazy they don???t show up.


 
I used the smith today for chest and my workout went smoothly . When me and my partner's schedules are back in sync i ll go to freeweight . Im not sure why the smith got such a bad wrap ... I saw Victor Martinez and Kai Greene working out together last summer at my gym they were using the smith for behind the neck presses so i dont think its all that bad . If it works for you it works .


----------



## fraseram (Oct 6, 2010)

I like the smith IF YOU FORGET ITS THERE !!! if you keep your form in the same line as free weights it works. for ex:  sqauts its easy to lean back into the smith instead of going straight down and I think that is why some dont like it  ..... it can be easy to cheat or have improper form leading to no gains or even injury


----------



## Flathead (Oct 6, 2010)

At the gym I go to there's a smith machine in what's called the Power Room. It's been placed there for nothing more than profiling purposes!!!

On a serious note, you do not need a spotter to get bench work done. But if your that worried about it, set up a power rack as Gaz suggested.


----------



## HeavyBomber (Oct 6, 2010)

I love the smith, it keeps the numb-nuts out of the cage.


----------



## Gazhole (Oct 7, 2010)

HeavyBomber said:


> I love the smith, it keeps the numb-nuts out of the cage.





I never thought of it that way, but after how busy my gym was last night i wish we had one to act like a gym bug-zapper.

They just can't resist the sweet aroma and comforting blue glow of the smith machine...watch as they mindlessly float towards it and BAM. Torn rotator cuff. Another bug down.


----------



## assassin (Oct 7, 2010)

200+ said:


> oh boy, here we go with another smith machine thread



Much better than Bicep Curls thread ... ... I think...


----------



## assassin (Oct 7, 2010)

Well I never use a spotter except rarely, it has some benefits

1-You will have full control wich means you will be more concious and aware as nobody is behind you wich I think means more muscle recruitment...

2-When you reach failure, You will learn and get used to use all your strength and concentration to push the bar back to the rack..

3-You will not depend on anybody, AKA you can workout anytime and anywhere you want, wich means less variables to think about while going to the gym and while in the gym..

4-you are subjected to less stupidity..


Only Disadvantage is that you have to be so careful..


----------



## Mark Lomas (Oct 7, 2010)

I'm sure someone around the gym will spot you


----------



## HeavyBomber (Oct 7, 2010)

Gazhole said:


> I never thought of it that way, but after how busy my gym was last night i wish we had one to act like a gym bug-zapper.
> 
> They just can't resist the sweet aroma and comforting blue glow of the smith machine...watch as they mindlessly float towards it and BAM. Torn rotator cuff. Another bug down.



lmao yes.


----------



## Merkaba (Oct 8, 2010)

Hey Smith Machine!


----------



## pwloiacano (Oct 10, 2010)

I like to use the smith machine in the gym that I workout at for incline bench presses.  The free weight incline rack they have is too high up and I am able to use an adjustable bench to make the incline lower so I feel the exercise more in my chest and not as much on my front delts.


----------



## gtbmed (Oct 10, 2010)

Training Alone, Part 3: Benching Alone


----------



## 200+ (Oct 10, 2010)

assassin said:


> Much better than Bicep Curls thread ... ... I think...



 just as bad I suppose.  I wish the tards doing curls at the squat rack would do them at the Smith.  

To each his own... I stay away from the Smith like the plague


----------



## assassin (Oct 15, 2010)

200+ said:


> just as bad I suppose.  I wish the tards doing curls at the squat rack would do them at the Smith.
> 
> To each his own... I stay away from the Smith like the plague



yes !!! ... and then th smith threads are going to be combined with Curl Threads forming "Lame threads" having people doing curls on the smith lol .. ...


----------

