smith machines

about how much money do the cheaper end smith machines cost?

Get a power rack, much better option. You can still work alone, just use the spotter bars.

Definitely, smith machines suck. Like jeep said, power racks are much better. You can do virtually any exercise in them and they're much more effective. Also they are cheaper than smith machines.

Lifts: Bench-285, ATG Squat-485, Deadlift-495

rofl at smith machines.

power squat rack.   you can pay me later for the advice.  now go... go buy the squat rack young grasshoppa'

My name is FOX.... and I approve this message.

whats basically the difference in a power rack or a smith machine? is the smith machine just controlled more and on a fixed straight up and down movement?

ORIGINAL: paparoach429

whats basically the difference in a power rack or a smith machine? is the smith machine just controlled more and on a fixed straight up and down movement?

Yeah thats the reason a smith machine sucks. It's has a fixed rom, which takes out all of the stabilizer muscles. A regular power rack is much more effective, because it's free weights. Surely you know the benefits of freeweights vs machines. Also why would you want a smith machine when they cost more than a power rack and they're not as good as a power rack. IMO smith machines were created for pussies who want to be "safe", a power rack is just as safe.

Ways the power rack is better than a smith machine, more effective, cheaper, easier to fix if anything ever goes wrong with it, plus IMO it's safer because of the spotter bars. Conclusion, buy a POWER RACK!!!!!

Lifts: Bench-285, ATG Squat-485, Deadlift-495

i gotta be honest.. i never used a power rack so i dont have any idea how to use it or how to compare it to a smith machine. can you put a bench underneath it and bench?

Yes you can.  It has different slots so you can adjust how high the bar is racked.

ORIGINAL: paparoach429

i gotta be honest.. i never used a power rack so i dont have any idea how to use it or how to compare it to a smith machine. can you put a bench underneath it and bench?

Yes, like nbsfighter said it has slots to adjust the safety bars. In the same slots goes a thing that holds the bar, then all you do is put the bench in there and bench. You can do any exercise with the power rack.

Lifts: Bench-285, ATG Squat-485, Deadlift-495

so why is it so much better than a smith machine? on the internet it looked like they were basically the same price

ORIGINAL: paparoach429

so why is it so much better than a smith machine? on the internet it looked like they were basically the same price

They are two completely different pieces of equipment.  One (smith) has a bar built in to the machine that only allows it to go straight up and down.  The other (power rack) is a frame with slots that hold a free standing barbell.  It is only used to rack the barbell at a certain height, and does not assist with the actual lift at all.

smith machines need to be censored out like curse words...should be a sin to even think about owning one around here. ;)

current 5rm On the texas method
Squat:325
Deadlift:365
Bench:255
My lifting journal

http://strengthmill.net/forum/showthread.php?s=38c084ec0455b629ed0f09e4af40aeaf&t=2407&page=8

i get some pretty good workouts from them. lol
i do kinda full like a wuss when benchin with it though.
but doing like shoulder presses and stuff seems fine. and it dont seem like you can do that on a power rack (at least not as safe)

Why wouldn't it be safe. If your not acting like a ego driven dumba$$ and try to use weight you can't handle then it's fine. You have to understand, in terms of building muscle and strength you should always use freeweights compared to their machine counterparts. Trust me, a power rack would be a lot better.

Lifts: Bench-285, ATG Squat-485, Deadlift-495

ok! il take your guy's word for it and check them out. where do they have them? i never seen them at sportsauthority or sears. and how much is a cheaper one?