Military press - with a bar or on the Smith machine?

[mrmark]

For my shoulder work out which begins with military press, what do you guys think is best?

Standing military press with a bar or seated military press on a smith machine?

It is often said free weights are better but I wonder if the smith machine allows extra control over the weight.

Many thanks for any help.

 

[P-funk]

anything but the smith machine. there is no way to press in the proper line on a smith machine. The bar needs to move around the head and then over the head during lockout. This is more of a surve than a straight line. This doesn't happen on a shit machine.

 

[Gazhole]

Barbell or Dumbells. Never the "shit machine" as P put it

 

[Witchblade]

Rule #7: Never, ever, use the smith machine.

 

[DiGiTaL]

I love how everyone uses the smith machines and no one uses the bench press ever in my gym (Except me that is)

 

[Double D]

Absolutly hate the smith machine. I have one at home and it sits in the corner and hasnt been used since I got it a few years ago. It was a gift from my mom. Nice of her, but for the same amount of money I couldve gotten a squat rack.

 

[Seanp156]

I love how everyone uses the smith machines and no one uses the bench press ever in my gym (Except me that is)

Where I work, this is often the case... I see some people doing quarter squats in the smith machine... I've learned to just ignore it anymore...

 

[katt]

I only use the smith machine for ATG squats - just cause I can't seem to balance the darn bar on my shoulders

 

[Nate K]

I only use the smith machine for ATG squats - just cause I can't seem to balance the darn bar on my shoulders

You can do ieeet!

 

[vortrit]

I only use the smith machine for ATG squats - just cause I can't seem to balance the darn bar on my shoulders

Have you tried on of those shoulder pads? I think, it's called a manta ray pad. Very comfortable and easier to balance a barbell.

 

[KentDog]

I prefer dumbbells.

katt - try to get someone to help you out with your form, freeweight squats are so different than SM squats.

 

[P-funk]

I only use the smith machine for ATG squats - just cause I can't seem to balance the darn bar on my shoulders

are you trying to set it high bar or low bar?

 

[DOMS]

are you trying to set it high bar or low bar?

Maybe he's leaning forward or backward too much? Flexibility issues, perhaps?

 

[P-funk]

Maybe he's leaning forward or backward too much? Flexibility issues, perhaps?

lol....Katt is not a 'he'!!

 

[DOMS]

lol....Katt is not a 'he'!!

Doeth!

I saw that mark was the thread started and I assumed...

 

[ALBOB]

I only use the smith machine for ATG squats - just cause I can't seem to balance the darn bar on my shoulders

Have you ever tried front squats. They take a bit of getting used to, but having the bar on the front of your shoulders helps a great deal with balance. I found that once I perfected my form on fronts I did much better on back squats too.

Back on topic: I'm gonna throw out a double no-no. I occasionally use the Smith Machine to do behind the neck military presses. By using the macine I don't have to worry about my shoulder joint hyper-extending in the rearward direction. I find it's a great change up to my normal routine, but I use it very sparingly.

 

[CowPimp]

I prefer not to use the smith machine at all. I don't particularly like machines period, but they have their place in bodybuilding programs. If you are going to use a machine, then you might as well use those which are designed specifically for the exercise you plan on doing so there is some semblance of a natural line of action.

 

[Perdido]

Rule #7: Never, ever, use the smith machine.

 

[vortrit]

I don't agree. Yes, go for the free weights first. But if I were in a situation were all I had to work on was the smith-machine it would be okay once in awhile. I'm not saying it would be okay everytime, but once in awhile is fine.

I was at the gym last week and this guy ranted on and on and on about how great the smith machine was for shoulder press because it was better on your rotor cuffs. Funny thing is, I've noticed my shoulders popping a lot less (actually never at all) since using free weights. So, yeah free weights are the way to go, but smith machine once in awhile, I think, if fine. I actually had to do shoulder press once last week on the smith because nothing else was available and I was in a rush.

So I agree, but I'd rather use the smith than skip something altogether...

 

[Perdido]

So I agree, but I'd rather use the smith than skip something altogether...

The reason I agreed was that I've only had a sore lower back and shoulder joints from using that machine. IMO the purpose of using a machine is to insure perfect form which that one fails at.
If I was forced to use it for whatever reason, I'm going to another gym or workout at home rather than risk getting hurt.

 

[vortrit]

The reason I agreed was that I've only had a sore lower back and shoulder joints from using that machine. IMO the purpose of using a machine is to insure perfect form which that one fails at.
If I was forced to use it for whatever reason, I'm going to another gym or workout at home rather than risk getting hurt.

As I said I noticed my shoulder popping problem went away since getting away from it. However, it don't seem to bother me to use once in awhile, not all the time. I personally have not noticed pain from using it the one time in the past few months. In a rare event I will use it.

But personally I'd rather see your attitude about it than a lot of the people around here. There are a lot who think it's the greatest. This one guy from the gym is always doing close grip bench on it. I told him I never use it for tri work, and the dumbass told me my arms look like sticks. My arms are probably an inch smaller than his, not to mention the fact I've been growing like a week the past six months, and I also don't have his beer belly... etc.

The only thing I've used it for on a regular basis is standing calf raise. If anyone can point out how that would be bad, I'd be glad to find another way to work my calves...

 

[vortrit]

I prefer not to use the smith machine at all. I don't particularly like machines period, but they have their place in bodybuilding programs. If you are going to use a machine, then you might as well use those which are designed specifically for the exercise you plan on doing so there is some semblance of a natural line of action.

Are your feelings the same for an ab machine? I ask because I've noticed a lot of BB's claim to hate machines, but still seem to like the ab machines. It's the only machine I am still using on a regular basis. Except for leg stuff, of course.

 

[P-funk]

this was just covered in another thread.

The idea of an ab machine is the silliest thing I have ever heard. Just think about it....the muscles that provide the stability to your body are now asked to not work in that fashion at all......doesn't that seem stupid....I mean really. just think about it.

 

[CowPimp]

Are your feelings the same for an ab machine? I ask because I've noticed a lot of BB's claim to hate machines, but still seem to like the ab machines. It's the only machine I am still using on a regular basis. Except for leg stuff, of course.

Nope, don't use that either. The closest I get to a machine is cable equipment.

I have never used machines regularly. The leg press a little sporadically, and some lower body machine work when I was coming back from a shoulder injury. I never liked them. They always felt akward to me. I benched on a smith machine one time, and that was it. I was 13-14, and I didn't know shit, but I knew it felt unnatural.

 

[P-funk]

Nope, don't use that either. The closest I get to a machine is cable equipment.

I have never used machines regularly. The leg press a little sporadically, and some lower body machine work when I was coming back from a shoulder injury. I never liked them. They always felt akward to me. I benched on a smith machine one time, and that was it. I was 13-14, and I didn't know shit, but I knew it felt unnatural.

I don't consider cable equpitment a machine though becasue it allows for joint stability and moves in all three planes.

 

[CowPimp]

I don't consider cable equpitment a machine though becasue it allows for joint stability and moves in all three planes.

I agree. The freedom of movement is there. That's why I said the closest to a machine, heh.

 

[vortrit]

Nope, don't use that either. The closest I get to a machine is cable equipment.

I have never used machines regularly. The leg press a little sporadically, and some lower body machine work when I was coming back from a shoulder injury. I never liked them. They always felt akward to me. I benched on a smith machine one time, and that was it. I was 13-14, and I didn't know shit, but I knew it felt unnatural.

I like doing cable crunches. They don't seem that different from good mornings.

 

[P-funk]

I like doing cable crunches. They don't seem that different from good mornings.

a crunch (flexion) is the complete opposite of a good morning (extension).

 

[vortrit]

a crunch (flexion) is the complete opposite of a good morning (extension).

I was refering to the kind were you stand straight and bend down in a forward motion. Maybe it is different, just seems close... bending down in a forward motion.

 

[P-funk]

I was refering to the kind were you stand straight and bend down in a forward motion. Maybe it is different, just seems close... bending down in a forward motion.

It is the complete opposite movement. read my last post. think about the concentric and eccentric of each of those exercises. they are in opposition.