KnightRT ?
"Fitone, I thought you said you were a trainer. That’s a bit parochial don’t you think? "
Last, time I checked parochial means belonging to a parish. So, I don’t know what you are talking about KnightRT please elborate a little more.
If your saying most trainer think a “ballistic bench press or reverse crunches” are wrong and dangerous well I like to say that I am one of those trainers are well informed on what is good and bad.
In Health,
Silas C.
Paul Check makes a convincing argument against the use of the SM on his website. Go to Figure 4 in his “Pattern Overload” article at http://www.paulchekseminars.com/articles.cfm?select=27
Ian King talks about benching to the neck. I will have to break out the book to find the exact reason. I will be back with something soon.
No
Fitone:
Amazing that you’d take the time to correct me without looking it up. Try again.
That most certainly was NOT what I said. You pigeonhole an entire apparatus to two possible uses, totally disregarding a number of far more conventional, and effective, motions.
Why?
Tell me your response is sound reasoning, and not a lemming rehash of the company line.
DI
Its just a tool. This is like builders argueing over whether a spanner is better than a chisel. They both have their uses. Lets not stick our heads too far far up our own holy-than thou-asses.
Often use the SM for shrugs (500lbs+ is alot too hold for a guy with a dick bigger than his forearms), calfraises etc and sometimes PRESSING MOVEMENTS, holy shit unleash the dogs.
Spanner kicks the crap outta the chisle.
Everytime.
Duh.
What a silly analogy.
“One good analogy is worth three hours discussion”
~ Dudley Field Malone
I use a smith machine for incline bench simply because I can’t speak enough Korean to ask for a spot!
I can’t believe what I just read.
“I like the feel of the smith machine.”
The reason you like the feel of the smith is because it’s counterbalanced. When you use it to move weight, it assits you. But not in a small way, mind you. Kind of like when you see someone spotting someone and the spotter is getting the workout, not the lifter. You like the feel of it because it makes your workout much easier than it would be otherwise. Ditch the straps. Ditch the belt. Ditch the gloves. Ditch the smith.
I asked Chad-W this same question during his guest forum. In fact, also in regards to incline presses (I lift alone).
He said that one should ALWAYS favor a free barbell or dumbell press.
WHETU stated - “Often use the SM for shrugs (500lbs+ is alot too hold for a guy with a dick bigger than his forearms)”
Use the search engine for “grip and rip” and “forearms”. Theres nothing worse than seeing someone with 1.5" forearms.
Since time is limited for most, the Smith is drastically mediocre at best. Working a group of muscles in one plane of motion doesnt make much sense to me.
A braked Smith Machine is an important Laboratory tool.
About benching to the neck, I have looked it up in Ian’s book Get Buffed!, and I have not found the reason. It does say to lower the bar to the upper pecs, lower neck area. Can someone answer this?