Difference between Smith and Barbell

[se11]

I was on a site looking at different types of workouts and I seen Smith and Barbell. What is the difference between these two?

[Kärnfysikern]

I assume that with smith they mean exercises done in a smith machine

[sp9]

Smith bar runs along a guide bar so it is more of a machine than free weights. It is very safe to workout with. I only use mine for certain exercises. I think it can be bad to use for others. For example If using a smith for flat bench like the one pictured you have a pretty bad range of motion when comparing it to the natural range of motion. Also if you see those hooks you need to rotate your wrists to get the hooks in the holes. If you are pressing say 400lbs and you are on your last rep to failure now you have to break your wrists with 400lbs of weight on them in order to catch the hooks, that stress can damage your wrists over time. The limited range of motion will most likely accumulate damage to your front shoulder as well. Dumbbells all the way for me. I would use a power rack instead of smith if you need saftey while lifting alone.

[Warrior]

Fuk the Smith... it takes away from the negative... and positive... and locks you into a strange ROM - its useless in my book... base everything around proper form on free weights...

The best use for machines: melting them down into more dumbells!

[Kärnfysikern]

doing squats in a smith is the number one knee killer exercise for me. So I have to aggre stay out of the smith. But I do get a nice pump from doing inclines in the smith

[se11]

allright thnx. i dont use a smith machine, but mabye i will only for squats since I can't stand doing them regularly.

[Kärnfysikern]

allright thnx. i dont use a smith machine, but mabye i will only for squats since I can't stand doing them regularly.

Learn how to do pl style squat if your having troubble with regular squats, the smith sux for squatting it will injure you sooner or later squatting in the smith is a wierd unnatural movement

[doby48]

yeah i'm with johan on this... squats in a smith machine are no good, its harder to maintain proper form cause your feet have to be so far ahead to prevent you knee from going over your toes. you knees will suffer if you do squats in a smith for too long. if you hate squats work out your legs in other methods that target the same muscle groups like leg press or 45 degree (sled) hack squats. both of those are good and are much easier on the knees if you hate regular squats.

[sp9]

See I like smith squats and heard the opposite that it was good on the kness compared to regular squats and still produced about the same work on the muscle.

[Warrior]

Only time i use the Smith machine is when im doin squats with my feet straight together to work the quad head close to the knee cap. Works wonders.

I have heard this doesn't effect the vastus muscles as much as originally thought. EMG results are showing this. And when I suffered a major knee injury (lots of pain and clicking) I read something that shows that putting your feet together and in front can cause an unatural pulling in the knee area which could have resulted in my injury... I haven't used that type of foot stance on leg presses or hack squats since... and my knee has pretty much fully recovered (I kept off leg movement for awhile and one day it clicked real loud and then it was fixed - like it snapped back into position... weird... but I was relieved).

[nsa]

No one has even brought up the fact that the smith machine stabilizes the weight for you, so your not working the stabilizing muscles at all using the smith machine. And the starnge ROM is the cause of more stress on the knees.

[Jack87]

Only thing I ever use the smith machine for is sometimes to do seated
behind the neck presses... It just wrecks my delts for days like nothing
else...

[doby48]

No one has even brought up the fact that the smith machine stabilizes the weight for you, so your not working the stabilizing muscles at all using the smith machine. And the starnge ROM is the cause of more stress on the knees.

good call.

[znak]

OK, OK we can stop trashing the smith machine now.

I use it once every blue moon when I am in a strange gym and don't have a partner. I use it for the last couple flat bench presses or military presses. I use it for squats and lunges sometimes just to change things up.

I really doubt that there is anyone that uses this site and is over 200 lbs that will say that machines are the way to go, but I will bet that everyone here would agree that machines have their place if used for the right thing at the right time.

[Jack87]

I agree... I'm pushing 240lbs and machines have a place in my workouts...
They will never replace free weights, but no doubt have alot of benefits
when I'm trying to wreck myself day in and day out...

I really doubt that there is anyone that uses this site and is over 200 lbs that will say that machines are the way to go, but I will bet that everyone here would agree that machines have their place if used for the right thing at the right time.

[sp9]

Can anyone point me to any references on how much worse the smith is on the knees when compared to a barbell squat? Thanks.

[doby48]

OK, OK we can stop trashing the smith machine now.

I use it once every blue moon when I am in a strange gym and don't have a partner. I use it for the last couple flat bench presses or military presses. I use it for squats and lunges sometimes just to change things up.

I really doubt that there is anyone that uses this site and is over 200 lbs that will say that machines are the way to go, but I will bet that everyone here would agree that machines have their place if used for the right thing at the right time.

You are right, they aren't all bad just saying free weights are better when possible. If you can't get a spotter then sometimes these are the way to go. I was just giving my opinion on how I don't like them for squats, but hey if a person can't do free weight squats for some reason, then the smith is better than nothin.

[qccat]

when it comes to squatting its all in the technique. sit your butt back and youll never have any knee problems. Smith machine can hurt your knees just as bad if you are bending your knees in in proper ways. Free weights force you to build muscles Smith machines cant. They are the way to go, but an exercise here and there can be great on a smith machine (shoulder press or shrugs IMO are gooD)

[Kärnfysikern]

when it comes to squatting its all in the technique. sit your butt back and youll never have any knee problems. Smith machine can hurt your knees just as bad if you are bending your knees in in proper ways. Free weights force you to build muscles Smith machines cant. They are the way to go, but an exercise here and there can be great on a smith machine (shoulder press or shrugs IMO are gooD)

Thats why I always preach the pl style of squating, theres no safer way to squat then pl style