how much does a smith machine bar usually weigh?

[oatdust]

i keep meaning to get an estmate while at the gym but keep forgetting. how many lbs does the bar of a smith machine usually weigh?

[Emmortal]

Not enough to bother counting it. There are different types, some counter balanced, but most weigh about 5lbs or so. I don't' ever count the bar on the smith.

[Mindi912]

Not enough to bother counting it.

exactly

[oatdust]

damn. no shortcuts. just gotta keep lifting

[aldinton]

The one at my gym weighs 20 lbs...at least that's what the instructors say

[Dominik]

i keep meaning to get an estmate while at the gym but keep forgetting. how many lbs does the bar of a smith machine usually weigh?

Who cares? It's going to vary.

I never count the bar on smith exercises. I just try to use the same machine all the time so I can consistently measure my progress.

[DJAuto]

I've seen between 5-35 pounds. The one I use is 15 pounds.

In the end, it doesn't matter like the above users stated.

[timberwolf]

Who cares? It's going to vary.

I never count the bar on smith exercises. I just try to use the same machine all the time so I can consistently measure my progress.

Same. With a regular bar, I'll count the weight of the bar. With smith, just the plates.

[akiles]

i keep meaning to get an estmate while at the gym but keep forgetting. how many lbs does the bar of a smith machine usually weigh?

44pounds

[1/2man1/2amazin]

i dont bother counting it... id say like 20lbs... at the most

[DoubleWide]

I've seen between 5-35 pounds. The one I use is 15 pounds.

In the end, it doesn't matter like the above users stated.

x2

If you know the model, you should be able to find it on the internet. Some models do have multiple bars though.

[hockeyplaya13]

That's odd, the one at my house weights 45. I weighed it myself. hmmmmmm.

[pm39120]

That's odd, the one at my house weights 45. I weighed it myself. hmmmmmm.

it must not have any counter balances...the cybex smith where i work at weights 15lbs

[ironman1964bc]

The counter balance loses its effect when heavy weight is used. At the machine at my gym, if you drop the empty bar, it will slowly drop to the springs because of the counter balance. Put 400lbs on the bar and drop it and it will fall just like a free weight bar.

Smith machine bars (the 7ft olympic ones) are the same as a free weight bar (unless you are using 100lbs or less on a counter balanced machine), they feel lighter because the weight is balanced. Having said that, there are a couple of guys at my gym who bench 405lbs on a free weight bar but can't do it in the smith machine. If the bar didn't weigh nothing, they would be able to do it easy, even if they aren't used to the straight up and down motion.

[gympunk]

I always tack 15 LBS onto my Smith Machine lift #'s & 45 LBS onto Olympic BB lift #'s...Funny, as long as I've been lifitng I never thought about it till acouple years ago, I always thought "Why are my BB benches so weak compared to DB benches?!!" I only use Smith for Shrugs

[jked4life]

Who cares? It's going to vary.

I never count the bar on smith exercises. I just try to use the same machine all the time so I can consistently measure my progress.

Yeah, I agree here. I guess it doesn't really matter.

In my log, I always indicate that it was a smith machine exercise, not to be confused with free weight exercises when looking back months later.

I personally count it the same as a regular bar as it is just how I've always done it (wouldn't make sense to change now). However, I don't go around spouting how much I can bench on the smith machine. It's just a way for me to keep track (whether its "accurate" or not).

[Dominik]

Yeah, I agree here. I guess it doesn't really matter.

In my log, I always indicate that it was a smith machine exercise, not to be confused with free weight exercises when looking back months later.

I personally count it the same as a regular bar as it is just how I've always done it (wouldn't make sense to change now). However, I don't go around spouting how much I can bench on the smith machine. It's just a way for me to keep track (whether its "accurate" or not).

Nothing wrong with counting it as +45 or 0, so long as you're consistent.

And it's not just the bar weight/counter-balancing that varies, some are vertical and some are angled slightly. The one I do shoulder press on is angled and has a thick bar. Took some getting used to.

[hockeyplaya13]

it must not have any counter balances...the cybex smith where i work at weights 15lbs

Yea, it doesn't. That must be it.

[jked4life]

Nothing wrong with counting it as +45 or 0, so long as you're consistent.

And it's not just the bar weight/counter-balancing that varies, some are vertical and some are angled slightly. The one I do shoulder press on is angled and has a thick bar. Took some getting used to.

Yeah that's kind of what I've been thinking. I just consider it a completely different exercise, so I just do it for consistency. Since I've been counting it that way for a long time, it seems silly to change now, even if the change is more "accurate".


On another note, I do like the smith for shoulder press. I think this is one of the best exercises to do on the smith.

[jack90]

The counter balance loses its effect when heavy weight is used. At the machine at my gym, if you drop the empty bar, it will slowly drop to the springs because of the counter balance. Put 400lbs on the bar and drop it and it will fall just like a free weight bar.

Smith machine bars (the 7ft olympic ones) are the same as a free weight bar (unless you are using 100lbs or less on a counter balanced machine), they feel lighter because the weight is balanced. Having said that, there are a couple of guys at my gym who bench 405lbs on a free weight bar but can't do it in the smith machine. If the bar didn't weigh nothing, they would be able to do it easy, even if they aren't used to the straight up and down motion.

i just switched from seated bb shoulder press with free weights to smith machine that is supposedly counter balanced for 15lb take off weight. so i tried adding 30lbs of plates ontop of what i normally do on free weights and no dice lol.

i only ended up beign able to do about 15-20lbs more

[ctx]

the one in my gym weights 15lbs it says it on the instruction thing but many people dont count the bar when they talk about lifting on the smith

[Omfgorzzz]

15-25lbs

[ImBunky]

That's odd, the one at my house weights 45. I weighed it myself. hmmmmmm.

Ditto.

So, I guess the consensus is that they widely vary.

[belairdfence99]

Same. With a regular bar, I'll count the weight of the bar. With smith, just the plates.

my dear lord you are ripped

[JamesH71285]

nothing. a piece of paper falls faster than that thing, seriously. count it as -5 pounds.

[Manachi]

My gym says the one there weighs 20kg's, but to me it feels like less than half the weight of the olympic bar.

[hsorial]

20kg

[kitpapa]

At my gym it's 20lbs. Says it right on the machine

[gfry]

If you really want to know the weight of your Smith Machine bar weight, use, (or buy), a spring-loaded luggage scale and hook it up to the bar and "LIFT".
(Mine is 25lbs.).

[DCSpartan]

If you really want to know the weight of your Smith Machine bar weight, use, (or buy), a spring-loaded luggage scale and hook it up to the bar and "LIFT".
(Mine is 25lbs.).

Thanks. OP has been waiting patiently for 11 fracking years for you to come in with such wisdom.