Smith Machine vs. Free Weights

[Dante]

Unfortunately the last couple of months I haven't had a spotter. Because of this I moved to the SM for flat, incline & decline bench press- I still use DB presses and flies in my chest routine. I was wondering if sticking with the smith machine is alright- for my goals to increase bp.

 

[Machher]

ya its fine. Only diff is you will be using less of your synergist muscle in smith machine movements.

 

[thatguy]

Why not just use the free weights, and then when you think you're gonna reach failure on a set of BB Bench, call someone to help you? Then, when doing DB Bench, just drop them if you can't finish the set.

 

[dakota]

makes sence, unless theres nobody around to help out! you could also prefatigue,( cable crossovers) before benching so you dont have to lift as much weight but still get the same results. also, if benching on the smith alot, just do some db presses on the swiss ball afterwards, to incorporate your synergist muscles. or you could drive to your workout partners gym on chest day. then you could probably catch up to him, na, probably not!

 

[Dante]

this might sound dumb but are synergist muscles just surrounding muscles like front delts and serratus?

 

[dakota]

i think muscles that help stablize and surrrounding musc. like delts, abs, ect. thats why you would do abs after a chest workout, you use them on your bench press

 

[Dante]

thanks d

 

[P-funk]

this has been debated many times. even in a thread just last week. do a search.

 

[Dante]

P-Funk- search on what- smith machines? can you give me a link?- thanks man

 

[P-funk]

do a serach under smith machines using the search option at the top of the page.


also, if you scroll to the bottom of this page it lists like the last 5 threads about smith machines. you can check those out too.