Smith machine trainer: basic exercises, how to use, pros and cons

Inexperienced athletes are often intimidated by unfamiliar machines, although many of them are very useful for training different muscle groups. When you master new equipment, the training plan will be replenished with different exercises, the performance of which will affect the figure in the most positive way. Today, together with a fitness trainer, we will tell you about the Smith machine – what it is and why to use it.

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What is a Smith machine?

The machine is used both in fitness and bodybuilding. It consists of a barbell, fixed on guides, thanks to which the barbell moves strictly in a given trajectory (vertically or at a slight incline).

Smith looks quite massive, but it is easy to use. It is less variable than dumbbells or a barbell, but it is more difficult to get injured when working.

مدرب لياقة بدنية على مستوى عالمي

“Isolated execution of exercises allows you to remove the load from large muscle groups and redirect it to smaller ones. Movements for the isolated development of individual muscle groups, improving their shape and relief are often used in professional training by bodybuilders. Beginners with poorly developed cortical muscles or people with contraindications to heavy axial load will also benefit from such training. Smith is considered safer than free weights, as there is no risk of dropping the projectile.”

What muscles can be worked in the Smith machine?

Depending on the exercises, different muscle groups will be worked. The Smith is a multifunctional machine that can be used for bench presses, sit-ups, chin ups, lunges and squats. And this is only a small part. With the help of the machine you can work the buttocks and quadriceps, biceps and triceps, shoulders and back muscles.

Warm up before training

Do cardio for about 7-15 minutes, you need to raise your heart rate, thus activating the central nervous system and preparing the body for the loads. In simple words, when you awaken the CNS, your body realizes that it’s going to have to exert itself soon and goes into fight mode. Don’t forget to pre-stretch the working muscle groups as well.

Always start training with an empty shell and a large number of repetitions, even if you are used to serious loads. After the warm-up approach, gradually increase the weight.

Who can work out in the Smith machine?

Since the projectile is as universal as possible, practically everyone can work out in it – from bodybuilders to beginners who have recently discovered the gym.

Smith is ideal for those who are unable to perform exercises with free weights for a number of physical reasons. Stabilization on the machine is much higher than when working, for example, with a barbell.

Complex of exercises for legs in the Smith machine

Often athletes turn to the Smith to pump the muscles of the legs and buttocks, and for good reason. You will be able to perform a lot of interesting, and most importantly effective training.

Boris Ilyin: If the machine is vertical, without inclination, then you can choose the following exercises.

القرفصاء

التقنية

Stand so that the bar, or rather, a soft roller on it was on your shoulders, put your hands around the bar.
Put your feet about shoulder width apart.
When squatting on the inhalation, slightly bend in the lower back, bend your legs to a level parallel to the floor.
Make sure that your knees do not buckle, but look straight ahead.
وأثناء الزفير عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

الاندفاع

التقنية

Put one leg forward, the other leg back. They should be half-bent.
Place the bar on your shoulders, making sure that it does not press on your neck. Grasp it with your hands.
As you exhale, do a lunge on the front leg, tilt the body slightly forward.
The knee of the back leg can slightly touch the floor.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

Romanian pull

التقنية

Lower the bar down, bend over, keeping your back straight and grab the apparatus with your hands.
As you exhale, unbend, lifting the bar up to the level of your lower back.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.
The main load should be on the hips.

Gluteal bridge

التقنية

Place a bench next to the exercise machine. Rest your shoulder blades on it, lower the bar to the lower abdomen. For convenience, you can put a mat under the apparatus. Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
As you exhale, slowly raise your pelvis and stay in the upper point for a few seconds. Tense your buttocks and abs.
As you inhale, slowly return to the starting position.

Front squats

التقنية

Cross your arms in front of you and place the bar on your collarbones.
Place your feet about shoulder width apart. Keep your gaze forward.
As you inhale, bend your legs at the knees and squat with a straight back so that your thighs are parallel to the floor at the bottom.
Exhale and return to the starting position.

Perform all of the above exercises in three to five approaches for 12-20 repetitions.

Boris Ilyin: The complex should be composed based on what muscle group should be emphasized. If you want to pump quadriceps, you can do frontal squat, if you want to work the muscles of the back of the thigh, I advise you to do Romanian pull. And if you need to work on your glutes, try gluteal bridge.

Back exercises in the Smith machine

As we have already said, the back muscles and shoulders can also be loaded very effectively on this machine. Be sure to stretch before the exercise so that you don’t tear your back. Also, use the rule of minimum weight – start with the lowest threshold and gradually increase the load.

Chin Pull

التقنية

Set the bar at waist level. Stand almost close to it.
Grasp the bar with a grip about shoulder width apart. Keep your back straight and look forward.
As you exhale, pull the bar to your chin, raising your arms so that your elbows are facing up.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

Pulling the bar to the waist in a bend

التقنية

Place the barbell at the level of the calf muscles.
Tilt the body forward, straighten the back, grab the bar with your hands.
On exhalation, without changing the position of the body, pull the bar to the waist.
وأثناء الشهيق عودي إلى وضعية البداية.

How to perform the Smith bench press?

Boris Ilyin: Itis better to perform the bench press in an inclined machine. First try to perform several times without weight to build the correct starting position. With an exhalation, squeeze the bar, and on the inhalation – smoothly lower it. Ideally, at the top point of the amplitude, the projection of the bar should be strictly above the shoulder joints.

You can do a vertical press at an angle of 45, 60 or 75 degrees or horizontal. Since the trajectory of the projectile does not change, it is necessary to choose the correct position of the bench. In the horizontal press, the lowest point of amplitude starts from the lower third of the chest. With the shoulder blades drawn in and lowered, this will be the highest point of the chest. At a 45 degree incline, the bar should start from the upper third of the chest. If you want to perform a vertical bench press, position the bench so that the exercise starts from the collarbone.