Hi all, I have been reading about all the bad things of a linear Smith Machine and was wondering if anyone had heard about a new type of Smith Machine which is not just linear in motion but also oves 'horizontall’if that makes sense. I think this would resolve all the issue that are mentioned for a linear Smith Machine? http://www.bodycraft.com/
They sell these at a place by my house and I’ve played around with it a bit. VERY well made and VERY smooth, but in my estimation close to useless.
The point of the smith machine IS the linear travel. Once you take that out of the equation I don’t see any reason not to just lift free weights with a rack.
Please do not take this as a slam in any way but…
This will always be better. (And waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay cheaper)
i think the jones machine is good for people looking to buy a rack for their home gyms. if you don’t have the luxury of a spotter every tim you’re in the gym, the jones will probably help you out a lot. sometimes when i’m squatting with the free weights i get scared to go for that extra rep at the end of a set. having a machine like this would allow me to go for that last rep and not worry about not making it all the way back up to the rack.
[quote]cyberflex11 wrote:
i think the jones machine is good for people looking to buy a rack for their home gyms. if you don’t have the luxury of a spotter every tim you’re in the gym, the jones will probably help you out a lot. sometimes when i’m squatting with the free weights i get scared to go for that extra rep at the end of a set. having a machine like this would allow me to go for that last rep and not worry about not making it all the way back up to the rack.[/quote]
$299.99
Pins to save your failed attempts.
What does THAT thing cost?
The scary thing is that our gyms might buy one (to keep up with the Jones’), blowing money that would be better spent on real racks and more plates.
[quote]derek wrote:
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$299.99
Pins to save your failed attempts.
What does THAT thing cost?
[/quote]
I have to go along with this.
2200 bux at the place by me.
However I’m not saying that the smith is an entirely pointless piece of equipment either. Just that the linear path, which can have it’s uses at times is the reason for this type of machine. If not for that why not just a rack? In other words if this machine moves just like an unbound movement then why not just an unbound movement?
I love how the picture on that bodycraft website has a pad on the bar. They’re really aiming at the serious weightlifter demographic with this piece. NOT.
Tribulus, this may not satisfy your question, but the Jones rack would appear to prevent rotation of the spine while performing a lift. (Note: thank you today’s article.)
[quote]MrTangerineSpedo wrote:
I love how the picture on that bodycraft website has a pad on the bar. They’re really aiming at the serious weightlifter demographic with this piece. NOT.
Tribulus, this may not satisfy your question, but the Jones rack would appear to prevent rotation of the spine while performing a lift. (Note: thank you today’s article.)[/quote]
So will learning how to perform the movements correctly, but I know what you meant. I’m not running the thing down per se, like I said it’s well made and works. I just can’t see a real need.
Hi all, thanks for the usefull inputs so far! The Jones Machine can be turned into a regular ‘linear’ smith machine very easily by fixing the horizontal guides in place with a pin. The main reason why I would consider the Jones is the safety factor: easy and quick lokcing of the barbell at ANY postion/height by a turn of the wrist. Also, it is very convenient in that you can place the barbell at any height easily so it is at the right starting height for any execrcise (bent over row would be different than barbell pullovers, benchpress, shoulderpress, etc)…so it seems convenient? In a powerrack/cage, the barbell might fall quite a disctance to the height where the ‘blocks’ are? Also, how does it work in a benchpress? I guess the blocks would need to be ABOVE the chest so you can not perform a normal bench (ie with the barbell touching the chest)? If the blocks are below the chest height then if you drop it it will hit your chest…ouch.
Here is a video with some excercises you can do with the Jones. Again, I am looking for good advice, maybe I am missing something in this machine that
is indeed not so good!! Thanks.
see the video on this webpage:
Watching the video, I can see where this thing would come in pretty handy. But, if its safety that you are looking for, why not just use dumbbells??? If you cant make a lift, you dump them to your side. You never have to worry about it falling on your chest. You can do squats with DB’s too if you have to. I think it looks useful if you have a bunch of money laying around, but I would rather spend 2000 dollars on other gym equipment and be just as safe.
To answer your questions about failure in the rack-
It would be very unusual to experience a complete failure during a bench press, resulting in a weight free falling.
Most failures occur either from fatigue, and the bar slowly comes back down on the lifter, or from a weakness within a range of motion, bottom middle, or top, and the bar is still set on the pins pretty gently. You then roll the bar down to your abdomen, and shimmy out.
For squats, it’s usualy about the same too. Not realy a big deal. In fact, when I train the occasional friend to lift, one of the things I have them do is to unrack the bar, then just dump it. They learn real fast to trust the equipment, get over a fear of big weight, and dump the bar to get out from under it.
Most of the guys around here know this and have done this, so it is difficult to justify spending an extra thousand bucks for something like a Jones rack.
Also keep in mind- When a product puts a bunch of emphasis on “safety”, they are realy just pushing your fear button.
Got to be honest…I am a user of the Jones lol. It is a good help when learning new lifts. For example I recently added front squats to my repertoire and it has been very helpful to my mental comfort as well as physical comfort with the lift. Call me crazy but I will NOT officially add a lift to my routine unless I am 100% confident that I can perform it without exposing myself to injury. Also unlike the smith machine the weight you put on the bar is the weight you are lifting…there is no assistance in that capacity.
That being said I have seen it being used rather stupidly, a la curls in the squat rack style.
@boss99er: good point, with dumbells it would be more safe. However, the main disadvantages I have found with the squat: to get the right kind of weight for my legs the dumbells are too heavy for my arms (specifically my hands/grip) to hold on to…with the benchpress I find it difficult to go from a sitting position with one dumbell in each hand to a lying position flat on my back still balancing the dumbells: just not so convenient. But perhaps I’m not doing it in the smartest way. When you do a dumbell benchpress how do you get yourself intot the ‘starting’ position?
@SkyzykS: I agree, it does seem like they are emphasizing the fear factor…in reality as you say it probably unlikely to get such a complete failure.
What do you guys think about the convenience factor of the Jones, ie being able to get the barbell easily in the right starting position for each excercise?
[quote]Robbie123 wrote:
What do you guys think about the convenience factor of the Jones, ie being able to get the barbell easily in the right starting position for each excercise?
[/quote]
Convenient? Treat the loading/unloading of weight as part of the training session.
[quote]Robbie123 wrote:
<<< What do you guys think about the convenience factor of the Jones, ie being able to get the barbell easily in the right starting position for each excercise?
[/quote]
Look chief,
I know you’re just doing your job and this a natural place to do it, but the fact of the matter remains that this is a well made piece of equipment that won’t find much appeal from experienced lifters.
It doesn’t fill a real “need”. There’s nothing evil about it, but 2 grand can be spent more wisely by anybody who knows what they’re doing. For people who have more disposable income than they know what to do with and must have every piece of equipment there is… maybe.
No offense and I wouldn’t fault you for trying, but that’s just how it is.
I just sit on the edge of the bench with the db’s on my knees. Then as I lay back I keep my thighs up and kinda fall back and push up at the same time. I have used 90 lb dbs to do it before…it can be done. I’ve seen guys use 120 lb dbs without much problem.
[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
Robbie123 wrote:
<<< What do you guys think about the convenience factor of the Jones, ie being able to get the barbell easily in the right starting position for each excercise?
Look chief,
I know you’re just doing your job and this a natural place to do it, but the fact of the matter remains that this is a well made piece of equipment that won’t find much appeal from experienced lifters.
It doesn’t fill a real “need”. There’s nothing evil about it, but 2 grand can be spent more wisely by anybody who knows what they’re doing. For people who have more disposable income than they know what to do with and must have every piece of equipment there is… maybe.
No offense and I wouldn’t fault you for trying, but that’s just how it is.[/quote]
Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing.
Robbie, I have to agree on the convenience factor…
But it ain’t worth spending $2000 just for that convenience.
Me from another thread:
[quote]My setup is the textbook definition of function over beauty. My dumbbells are all the starlock kind except one pair of old handles I got for 2 bux apiece that use spring collars, all standard plates.
I’ve got a few hundred pounds of standard and 900 pounds n change of olympic plates, a couple olympic bars, and a cheap rack/smith machine/high-low cable/pec dec outfit with a bunch of handles that is surprisingly functional with some creativity. It uses olympic plates.
A couple adjustable benches (different heights and one with the obligatory leg extension/curl/preacher thing), a nice ab bench, a roman chair, a stationary bike, a healthrider (don’t laugh, great warmup), a dipping/leg raise station, a tricep bar ,the trap bar, a 5 foot standard bar (my daughter uses it), a great homemade wrist roller and a bunch of clips and chains.
Nothing matches and about 2/3 of it all is used. Garage sales/clearance sales and second hand stores make me happy =] There’s always something you wish you had, but I’m making good progress with what I’ve got. I have a way to do very effective exercises for every muscle group for the foreseeable future. The large number of plates help minimize having to swap plates constantly during a workout.[/quote]
I’ve gotten a couple more small trinkets since this as well.
All this was about 2 grand. A complete ghetto gym. Again, nothing against the Jones, but you get the point.
I really can’t see any benefits that this machine provides over a ProSpot:
http://www.gymratz.co.uk/weight-training-gym-equipment/item437.htm
They are both pretty much the same price, however the pro spot doesn’t even require you to twist your wrists in order to catch the bar.
Either way, I train at home by myself and have never had any trouble with a regular power rack that cost me 190 pounds.