I only have a Smith Machine at my gym, should i switch to dumbell's?
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03-31-2011, 06:21 AM #1
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03-31-2011, 06:28 AM #2
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03-31-2011, 06:53 AM #3
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03-31-2011, 06:57 AM #4
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I would just use dumbells, IMO smith machine is bad for you as far as bench goes. It does not allow you to move in the natural position you should for bench press. It kinda cramps you up. Plus dumbells are a better workout that just doing regular bench, because you end up using yoru stabilizer muscles as someone said above.
I don't play rugby anymore, work has taken over my life. So i just lift and think about hitting people.
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03-31-2011, 06:58 AM #5
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03-31-2011, 07:35 AM #6
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03-31-2011, 07:40 AM #7
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03-31-2011, 07:43 AM #8
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03-31-2011, 07:44 AM #9
Do both. Neither of them are very good at building bb bench strength (unless you are also performing bb bench, which you can't), but both are excellent for chest development. I don't use the smith very often, but the one time I tried it for bench press, it was one of the best chest workouts I have ever had.
Btw, someone advise where the stabilizer muscle is located.i'm hungry
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03-31-2011, 07:48 AM #10
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03-31-2011, 08:28 AM #11
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03-31-2011, 08:30 AM #12
It's okay if thats all you have but also try to do some DB work too.
The problem with smith is that its not going to hit your stabilizers, and it's easy to cheat with your stronger side, which leads to you being uneven.
My left pic is much larger than my right because I used a smith machine for a year when starting out. I've been using DBs a lot more lately.
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03-31-2011, 08:36 AM #13
I had the same dilemma for awhile too. I would do DB bench and use the Smith. I think it's good to utilize both. But be careful with the Smith. I didn't even realize it at the time, but when I was loading it with heavy weight, I was bringing the bar too low on my chest, which put way too much stress on my shoulders. As a result, I had a lot of shoulder pain for awhile. Since I've gotten away from the Smith, it's gotten better, but they still bother me. So like some have said, it can be useful, just remember to be careful with it since it doesn't necessarily give you your free range of motion with the press
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03-31-2011, 08:38 AM #14
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03-31-2011, 08:47 AM #15
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03-31-2011, 08:59 AM #16
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You "gym" doesn't have a single barbell? I think the sales team lied to you when they were trying to sell you that "gym" membership.
As for your question, I think DBs would be a bit more applicable to bb bench strength than the Smith since they have a free range of motion as opposed to a fixed one.Strength + Speed = Power
If you never fail, you aren't truly pushing yourself to the limit. If you never push yourself to the limit, how do you know what you're truly capable of?
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03-31-2011, 09:07 AM #17
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03-31-2011, 09:20 AM #18
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03-31-2011, 09:23 AM #19
What are these "stabilizers" that some posters seem to be so concerned with, and exactly where on the body are they located?
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03-31-2011, 09:25 AM #20
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Did you read this or make this up?
Questions of the day:
1). What are stabilizers? What is their function?
2). Name at least (1) stabilizer that has an active roll during pressing motions, be it DB or Smith Machine?
3). Does bench pressing actually to anything to strengthen the stabilizers?
Disclaimer: PT's please don't answer. I learned all this from you guys.
Winner to recieve a certificate from BroScience University.
Smith Machine and DB's are just fine. Your muscles can not differeniate if your using DB's, BB's, or Smith Mach. in whatever workout you have planned in your regime. Resistance training is resistance training, no need to reinvent the wheel.
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03-31-2011, 09:29 AM #21
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03-31-2011, 09:30 AM #22
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03-31-2011, 09:37 AM #23
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03-31-2011, 09:43 AM #24
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03-31-2011, 09:47 AM #25
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How I see it, some muscle fibers are left to stabilize instead of pulling the weight in the main muscles worked like the Pectoralis major, deltoid anterior and tricep. So at the end of the day, it might all be just neurological. Once the body has built the pathways to stabilize the weight, it becomes very easy.
And the official stabiliser for db press /smith press is the Biceps Brachii, but the degres in which it stabilizes a db over a smith press would be considerably different IMO.
This is how I see it, it might be a LOAD of crap.
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03-31-2011, 09:50 AM #26
I will use it at the end of workout.
For instance, Ill do
BB flat
DB incline
Dips
flat or incline flyes
skull crushers
THEN....
go back and do flat or incline on smith. I dont know why I do it like this or where I got the idea, but those last smith sets feel great.
I find that I can really focus on hitting chest only with it, like a chest press as someone mentioned. I would not use it as a primary means of benching though. Its too easy to cheat.
But.....if thats all you have, I would alternate b/w DB's and smith, but mostly DB's.
FWIW, I dont know where the stabilizers are or anything like that, but there is no denying that the stretch you can get from DB's is unmatched by BB or smith.
2 cents.
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03-31-2011, 09:55 AM #27
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03-31-2011, 09:56 AM #28
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03-31-2011, 10:11 AM #29
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I think for the bench press you can't really say that muscle-x is being worked in the free weight version but not in the Smith one. However I think all can agree that one has to do more work when using a barbell since in addition to pushing the weight up (which is all you do on the Smith), you have to keep the bar in place and balanced. Plus of course you always have to be training for that moment when someone comes up to you and asks "whaddya bench".
Strength + Speed = Power
If you never fail, you aren't truly pushing yourself to the limit. If you never push yourself to the limit, how do you know what you're truly capable of?
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03-31-2011, 11:02 AM #30
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