Smith Home Gym

For starters lets give a brief description of the Smith Machine for those of us who may not have actually ventured into that section of the weight room or for any relative newbie out there who is looking for a heap of good instrumentation to get them started. Like the power rack the Smith Machine is an iron cage you enter from the front. The main exception is that the full length weight bar is permanently embedded into rails that act as guides for the bar. Another distinctive feature of this dynamic machine is that there are hooks attached to the bar and with a simple 15° twist of your wrists you may hook the bar onto one of 14 metal rungs that are embedded inside of the rails. That’s right it is fundamentally a self spotting mechanism. In addition, the rails act as a guide for the bar; it only moves perpendicular to the ground and stabilizes the bar for you rather of the established power rack which requires you to use your stabilizer muscles and remainder to maintain your proper form. Your range of potential exercises is comparatively the same e.g. bench press, incline press, shoulder press, shrugs, dead lifts or squats. Are you with me so far? If so, you are now prepared to enter into the fray of controversy surrounding this machine.

There are masters and cons to the Smith Machine just like there are good points and bad points to just when it comes to everything; whether it be books, electronics or restaurants. Yes, the spectrum of views to choose from is a wide one, just like the spectrum of home gym buyers and their fitness goals intended to be attained is far and wide. Some workout fanciers put a premium on form and safety; others put old school work ethic at the top of their list and contend that your technique must be built from the ground up on established instrumentation without the aid of anything with the occasional exception being made for the humane spotter. Let’s take a look at both sides of the debate.

Pros:

First off, home gym fanciers may not have a established humane spotter that is standing by at the ready. Since your neighbors may not be capable to listen your cry out for support (It will be more of a whimper because your wont have too much vocal power is a 275 lb squat goes awry and your butt becomes glued to your heels). Modern engineering has introduced us to the Smith Machine to address just this sort of issue. With the wrist activated self spotting mechanism you have a safety mechanism that ought to cover your back if you determine to stack on the plates or max out the reps.

Another more debatable positive attribute is the guide system, which fundamentally locks the lifter into proper lifting form and you plainly need to concentrate on the perpendicular motion of the machine and not worry with regards to remainder and stabilization.

Cons:

OK watch out because not everyone mechanically jumps on board when engineering makes something easier. But the old school mentality may have a good point here. If you have a good spotter handy or you are sticking with weight loads that you recognise you may effortlessly handle, you may be OK with the established power rack in the home gym environment. In addition, more than just a few experienced weight lifters believe that the remainder and stabilizer muscles are necessary for well rounded workout. However, the godfather of body building Arnold Schwarzenegger was an advocate of using the Smith Machine for doing squats. So if body building and not power lifting is your fitness goal to be attained then Arnold may have some words of wisdom for you!

To conclude: the home gym passionate can not ignore safety issues. The wrist activated spot mechanism will provide a backstop for you if you are going it alone. The point that you are not benefiting because your stabilizer muscles will be neglected, is debatable. Evidently, the Terminator didn’t need too a good deal of stabilizer muscles to win body building championships. Thus, when push comes to shove the Smith Machine is the right choice for any home gym weight lifting enthusiast.

Smith Home Gym Photo

Smith Home Gym Picture

Smith Home Gym Picture