I've recently been talking to my dad about finding a cheap power rack to squat in for my gym at home. Today he pulled up with something like pic related in the back of his truck and told me he traded a bunch of shit from his garage to get it. He wants to help me set it up tomorrow and I'd feel like a dick if I declined.
I'm wanting to know is the Smith machine really as big a meme as everyone makes it out to be? And will I be at a major disadvantage using it for stuff like OHP or squats?
>I'm wanting to know is the Smith machine really as big a meme as everyone makes it out to be?
Yes and beyond that. It is nothing but a colossal fucking waste of space and materials. Anti-gravity piece of shit literally fucks up you and your gains.
Now what comes to your problem which I believe is not making your old man sad, you could try to disassemble the junk and try to turn it into a regular rack. If that doesn't work then just sell it and tell your dad the pos broke down.
>is the Smith machine really as big a meme
Yes, absolutely. It's only good for pullups, not even kidding.
Make sure to thank your dad profusely, but do explain to him that Smith machines are fucking worthless.
I seriously doubt anyone would trade one of those shitheaps for a proper power rack, but you can sell it to to some normie and buy a rack with the money.
It's not as good as a normal power rack but it's better than not squatting at all.
Don't listen to this faggot.
I've been lifting for 8 years and a smith-machine is great, though a regular cage is optimal
You could definitely work something out with this and modify it to work as a regular rack while maintaining its regular function
Your dad hates you
smith machine is good for seated behind the neck shoulder presses.
Big ramy uses Smith machine occasionally. It's not the end of the world.
all memes, all the big guys in my gym use the smith machine regularly for any kind of exercise. It's a machine, it's not free weights. It's not going to be end of the world and I seriously hope you don't want to perpetrate the myth of the "unnatural movement".
post body
Can you modify it at all and take the barbell out to use it like a regular power cage?
just try and make the best of it, you could just use it as a normal rack - the front two rack handles can be adjusted right? And thank your dad, it's not to be taken for granted that he buys stuff for you
he also uses a lot of other stuff namsayin
Sorry I don't reply to underaged anime posters, though I'll make an exception just to point out that you're an anime poster
I don't use the smith machine because I'm not one of those big guys, I'm just intermediate according to symmetricstrength
I just noticed that, all of them
To be honest, none of them do diddies nor free weight squat
Just some db incline press, curls, french press, ab slider, cable fly and all the other compound in the smith machine. OHP, squat, behind the neck press, "bench" press, whatever. Even if there's a squat rack availabl.e
I've been lied all along
>I just noticed that, all of them
*I just noticed that it's used by all of them
I had to go to a Planet Fitness while saving up for a home gym so I had to use a smith machine before switching to a barbell. Every lift dropped about 20 to 30 pounds and it was a bitch learning how to balance the shit on my own because I could no longer get away with bad form.
That being said, I was still significantly stronger than if I did nothing at all. So it's not as effective or efficient as a regular barbell, but it does something and it means you don't need a spotter which isn't half bed for a home setup. Also you don't need bumper plates.
Overall, I'd rather have a regular barbell, but a smith machine used correctly can still net gains.
post body
that gif still haunts me and I've seen it a lot
I suspect this thread is bait but...
1. Yes smith machines really suck because they hamstring your stabilizers, but you've got the frame, is there and way to add j hooks to the back and some safety bars? if it's like pic related I could easily weld or bolt those on.
2. This . Smith is better than nothing, and it can be good for helping you feel the groove of a vertical bar path.
3. Do NOT use smith machines for bench press because the bench uses a non vertical path. You're asking for impingement and or joint problems. It's ok for any lift where you want a vertical path (ohp, squat, dead, row).
And obviously don't be a dick, thank dad profusely.
this
Nice try fatty mcgravyface, your autistic reply wont get you out of posting your body
hopefully its one of those smith machines where your movement isn't limited by that track that moves the bar just up and down. Ive seen a smith machine that is basically a power rack but with the tracks following you.
>Make sure to thank your dad profusely,
Yup. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
>but do explain to him that Smith machines are fucking worthless.
Don't fucking do this you autist. What possible benefit does it bring to anyone?
It's not that bad. It is very different, especially the angled variants. Go into it eyes-open that it isn't freeweights and that there's only one way the weight can move: "arguing" with that movement is a good way to get hurt.
Depending on how your specific machine is made, certain exercises may or may not be comfortable. Switching exercises is a much better idea than hurting yourself.
Finally, do *not* assume that your movements will translate over to freeweight strength/movement. Your stabilization and weight is going to be very different one to the other and its easy to bite off more than you can chew if you forget that.
tl;dr it's okay if you don't get hurt, so don't get hurt.
my nigga. OP appreciate your life you ungrateful fuck.
or buy a bar OP you fucking baby