2 simple questions, and Im fckin clueless.....

[MotoLifter]

First of all i switched afew exercises to the smith machine cause progress was slowing alittle. now i thought machines were sort of a cruch (no stabalizer muscles used, less chance for disaster, etc.) and usually more weight could be used, but my weights seem to have dropped considerably when i went to the smith machine!!! What the fck is up here? anyone have any insight cause im totaly confused?


second question was: I have increased the weights on my lifts considerably in the last year or so using DC training. but it has gotten to the point where i dont feel the individual muscles working as much, its more a shit load of muscles all helping the muscle im trying to work.

would it be a good idea to drop the weight to a level where i can really concentrate on the individual muscle im trying to work, or should i just keep blasting away?


Thanks everyone.


Moto

[6ft5]

Iv read DC trainig. Maybe your not recovering fast enuf for his routien? Hence being able to feel other muscles working. Maybe overtraining??

[kingkong21]

Dosen't make much sense. When you switch to the Smith Machine you should be able to do more weight. I'm not sure if that's what you're saying. If you're saying that your strength went down after you switched to the SM that makes sense because your not working to stabilizers as much as you should.

[spoiledone]

???? when I bench on the smith machine I usually go up at least 25 pounds in weight

[MotoLifter]

yeah thats whats confusing me about this whole thing. my squat, incline, and flat bench have all gone down in terms of the amount of weight i can use. It doesnt make any sense to me Anyone else have this problem? ideas?


Moto

[thisbmine]

Moto - happens to me (hence I like to throw a few machines in to mix it up a little).

Ive just put it down to machines using some different muscles? Ive tried to make sure the machines would be as similar to Free weights (ie handgrips where they should be.. im at correct height etc...) and made sure my movements were the same.

[rocheey]

now i thought machines were sort of a cruch (no stabalizer muscles used, less chance for disaster, etc.) and usually more weight could be used, but my weights seem to have dropped considerably when i went to the smith machine!!!

Turn around, you're facing the wrong way.

[MotoLifter]

Turn around, you're facing the wrong way.

is that wat it is!?!?!?! i thought it seemed alittle strange. haha.

[BigBuck6]

is that wat it is!?!?!?! i thought it seemed alittle strange. haha.

Really? I have only used smith machines maybe a handful of times is there really a right and wrong way?

[lovbyts]

When it comes to the machine I never focus on how much it is. Only with free weights. The machines are not accurate. Some I can do 50+ lbs more on, some 50 lbs less. It's all dependent on the design, pulley system, cables, cable tension etc. I have never found any two machines I though felt the same.

There is one machine at my gym I can do nearly 200 doing triceps press down. I'm only 180 bls so it should be lifting me off the ground instead of me pressing it down. LOL