Smith Machine or Barbell - Which one should you use?

Free Weights vs Machines... Is one really better than the other?

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Smith Machine Bench Press vs. Barbell Bench Press ?
Smith Machine Squat vs. Barbell Squat ?
Smith Machine Shoulder Press vs. Barbell Shoulder Press ?
Etc...

When it comes to your basic muscle building exercises which variation is better and which one should you use in your workouts? That's what we're going to cover in this video.

If you've been around the bodybuilding iron game for any length of time than you have heard countless debates over Free Weights Vs. Machines.

The Pros of using Free Weights is that they require you to balance and stabilize the weight in addition to lifting it. So it places your body in a more realistic 3 dimensional training environment.

The Pros of using Machines, such as the smith machine, is that it makes the exercise easier to learn because the weight is traveling along a fixed path and there is less risk of injury of dropping the weight or losing your balance while lifting.

Now personally I'm a big fan of using a free weight barbell over a smith machine. I like the fact that you're not locked into a fixed bar path and that you have to balance and support the weight. And for exercises like rows, curls, deadlifts, etc. using a barbell is superior to a smith machine because with these moves the natural bar path isn't straight up and down.

But there are some very advanced bodybuilders who have gotten incredible results using the smith machine for bench presses, shoulder presses, squats, etc. One person in particular is former Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates. He was known for doing his squats, bench presses, and shoulder presses in the smith machine. It obviously worked for him because he went on to win the Mr. Olympia 5 times!

So you can't say that the smith machine "doesn't work", because it certainly does. You can still stimulate muscle growth using machine exercises in your workouts. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference.

Now another issue that often comes up is people sometimes say that they are stronger with a smith machine. But this isn't always the case because most modern smith machines have the barbell set up on pulleys and this actually reduces the weight of the barbell.

How much does the bar on the smith machine weigh?

The typical smith machine barbell only weighs about 15 pounds when you factor in the pulley set up. Whereas a free weight barbell weighs 45 pounds. So if you have the same weight plates on a smith machine compared to a barbell it's going to feel lighter simply because you are lifting less weight.

However, there is an exception with older smith machines that do not have a pulley set up. These old smith machines are actually heavier because not only do you have the 45 pound barbell, but you also have the weight of the hooks and berries that attach the barbell to the machine. In these cases the old school smith machine bar could weight upwards of 60+ pounds, significantly heavier than a free weight barbell. So just keep that in mind when using a smith machine, take note of the type of machine you are using and how heavy the bar feels before attempting your top heavy working weight.

Видео Smith Machine or Barbell - Which one should you use? канала Total Fitness Bodybuilding