Walking into an enormous industrial gym will be an enlightening moment. You are taking a go searching, and also you see a ton of apparatus options. And while we love selections as much as the following guy, sometimes, that wealth of options makes it difficult to make a decision what to make use of to get the very best workout.
The alternative between using the Smith machine and free weights is an incredible example of this. Actually, it’s one among the more common dilemmas we lifters have.
So, what’s higher between the Smith machine and free weights? Which one will give us the very best gains? And most significantly, who’s Smith? We’ll get into these answers below.
Table of Contents:
- What Are Free Weights?
- Different Types Of Free Weights
- What Is A Smith Machine?
- Are Smith Machines Easier To Use?
- Smith Machine vs. Free Weight: How To Determine Which is Best For You
- FAQs
What Are Free Weights?
Free weights seek advice from a kind of gym equipment that may move freely in space. Held in your hands, their range of motion is just limited to the mobility and adaptability of the particular person.
This versatility allows for an enormous number of exercises. It also means free weights are generally preferred by the athletic population as they work with natural biomechanics. The power to coach inside a full range of motion across multiple planes gives free weights a greater transfer to real-world applications.
What Are The Different Forms of Free Weights?
Free weights can seek advice from any kind of gym equipment that matches the outline above, from the barbell to numerous kettlebells. On this section, we’ll go over the three most important sorts of free weights you will use.
1) Olympic Barbells:
The Olympic barbell is a classic piece of gym equipment and doubtless the most well-liked. We’re explicitly labeling this as an “Olympic” to differentiate it from other styles.
An Olympic barbell is 7ft long and weighs 45 lbs. On the ends are two metal collars which you load with weight plates. These can spin in order that any rotational force on the plates won’t twist the barbell out of your hand.
The barbell is the first piece of apparatus used to your major compound exercises comparable to the barbell squat, barbell bench presses, barbell overhead press, and bent-over rows.
You can too use a barbell to perform an extended list of landmine exercises.
Enthusiastic about learning about the several barbells? Take a look at our article on the 15 Best Barbells, which incorporates the BoS Bar 2.0, one among my favorite bars for Olympic weightlifting.
2) Dumbbells:
Although the barbell is now the more popular piece of free weight, dumbbells are literally older. Regarded as the oldest form of strength equipment, some versions date back so far as Ancient Greece.
While there are slight variations now, your basic dumbbell comprises a brief, metal handle with two everlasting weights on both sides. This shape allows them to be held by one hand and used alone or as a pair.
As one arm must stabilize a single dumbbell, studies have shown that they elicit more muscle activation.
Dumbbells will be an incredible addition to any training regime or home gym. To learn more about these free weights take a look at our article on the 11 Best Dumbbells. You possibly can’t go unsuitable with the Titan Fitness rubber hex dumbbells, that are each inexpensive and versatile.
3) Kettlebells:
Coming from Russia, kettlebells have seen significant growth within the West over the past decade or so. Their rise in popularity is basically because of CrossFit, which introduced the training apparatus to many.
A kettlebell is a single piece of metal composed of a giant, circular bell and a handle on top. This design allows a lifter to grip the handle with one or two hands and swing it in various movements. At the identical time, it may possibly be used similarly to a dumbbell for some movements.
For more information, take a look at our article on the 11 Best Kettlebells. Made with forged iron and finished in a satin matte black powder, a SFS Kettlebell is a high quality addition to your property gym.
What Is A Smith Machine?
A Smith machine is a chunk of apparatus that was introduced into gyms within the Nineteen Fifties. At first glance, it resembles a squat or power rack and has lots of the same features.
Nevertheless, behind the 2 upright beams are two metal rods running straight down or at an angle, depending on the style. A barbell is attached to those rods and sits on a sliding apparatus.
This apparatus and barbell can travel up and down the rods in a set path, meaning it may possibly’t be removed or travel in any direction aside from up and down.
As well as, on the back of the 2 uprights are hooks used as a catching mechanism. The hooks allow the barbell to be racked at various heights along the 2 uprights, enabling a solo lifter to rack and re-rack the burden without assistance. At the identical time, they act as a security mechanism for a lifter to secure the barbell in the event that they miss a lift.
You possibly can learn much more about this piece of gym equipment (and find some great options for your property gym) in our article on the 7 Best Smith Machines. My top pick is the Force USA G3, because it is amazingly versatile and suits into most spaces.
Are Smith Machines Easier to Use?
This query is very nuanced, as people feel very otherwise about machines, but there is generally an extended learning curve with free weights.
First, latest lifters must train their bodies to stabilize the weights as they move through the air. As many free weight exercises are done standing, it’s essential to also train your core to brace with proper form. Last, some movements are only technically difficult and take practice to nail.
The Smith machine structure also necessitates a learning curve, but otherwise.
Because of the fixed barbell, it may possibly be difficult to situate your body to perform Smith machine exercises with the correct biomechanics. Nevertheless, you will have almost unlimited options when you learn to work with the bar path as an alternative of against it.
Finally, it is vital to not confuse “ease” with effectiveness.
Initially, machines became popular because they allowed most of the people to coach with none knowledge. While that is awesome and definitely has benefits, saying ease makes them higher can be like saying that it’s higher to ride a bicycle with training wheels.
Smith Machine vs Free Weight: Which is Best For You?
The Smith machine is usually a “adore it or hate it” piece of apparatus within the gym, so let’s examine each side.
What Do Lifters Think?
For those who peruse popular boards, you will see that some lifters and plenty of an authorized personal trainer advise against the Smith machine, primarily because of what we discussed above.
Nevertheless, in my view, the Smith machine can definitely be useful. I discuss this intimately in our article: Are Smith Machines Bad? Unfortunately, the main problem with Smith machines is that they are often either overused or utilized improperly.
I’ve used it before to bench press heavy weights while alone and located that it did its job. Other lifters have mentioned its advantages in muscle isolation in comparison with free weights:
“They will let you isolate said targeted muscle and takes your mind off of getting the stabilize the free weights, it ought to be used as an adjunct to your routine and never your sole source of a program. Free weights, aka barbells / dumbbells are higher because your body has to account for the steadiness of the burden and proper form. The issue everyone has with Smith machines from my experience is that this…. X person only does Smith machine, so once they attempt free weights they don’t have any clue what they’re doing and make a idiot of themselves.” (source)
That said, the split squat is probably my favorite exercise to do with the Smith machine. With the ability to load your legs with stability provides a killer quad workout.
But what about other popular exercises? Let’s compare how the Smith machine and free weights match up in a handful of compound lifts.
Smith Machine Squats vs Barbell Squat
If given the choice, select a free weight squat over a Smith machine squat. Barbell squats allow the natural bar path needed for the squat’s biomechanics and put your stabilizer muscles to work.
In contrast, the fixed bar path on a Smith machine squat can stress the lower back during movement. Plus, in case you’re on the lookout for the steadiness of a machine, you are higher off using the leg press for a lower-body squat pattern.
To dig in additional to this specific debate, take a look at our article Smith Machine vs Squat Rack: Which Is Higher?
Deadlift on Smith Machine vs Free Weight Deadlift
The deadlift falls in an analogous category because the squat. It’s one among your primary strength training exercises. Due to this fact, like a Smith machine squat, deadlifting on a Smith machine seems self-defeating as a result of the dearth of engagement out of your stabilizing muscles.
The bar path doesn’t make an enormous difference here, however it doesn’t matter as a result of the above statement. For those who do select the Smith machine deadlift, you could find it barely easier since you are not ranging from the ground.
Nevertheless, there can be challenges in case you ever need to transition off the Smith machine. One lifter notes:
“I did a whole lot of Smith machine deadlifts once I was a newbie at Planet Fitness. As others said it was more like a rack pull than a deadlift but I did work my way as much as 285lbs with decent form and built some decent back and leg muscle. After I got to an actual gym I mainly had to start out over at 135. So far as muscles getting short modified, my personal experience was my core, traps, and stabilizers being weak and sore for days. I might recommend dumbbell deadlifts and farmer’s walks however it won’t fully compensate for deadlifting with an actual barbell.” (source)
Bench Press Smith Machine vs Free Weight Bench Press
The free weight bench vs. Smith machine bench press is one among the more common debates around this topic. In brief, in case your Smith machine has vertical rods, the free weight bench press is superior in every facet.
A Smith machine bench press can increase your probability of injury and reduce pushing force. A bench press is supposed to have a natural J curve-shaped bar path for optimal biomechanics. Without it, you risk shoulder health and strength gains, making the free weight bench press best.
If the rods are angled, your free weight bench press will still likely be the optimal alternative when strength is the goal. Nevertheless, the Smith machine may profit those training for muscle hypertrophy as you possibly can rep out a whole lot of weight with less danger when reaching failure.
One lifter took this statement from someone benching on a Smith Machine at Planet Fitness:
“I watched a man bench 415 for 3 on the machine and while I’m sure he wouldn’t touch that on a natural bench due to his stabilizing muscles, he continues to be crazy strong. He went from 150 bench to 415 for 3 in those 2 years at PF only. I’d say if that is all you might have, go for it, just go slow and concise. No jerking or unnatural movements. Also in case you bench 200 on the Smith don’t expect the identical natural and expect your arms to do a ton of shaking because it’s a movement they don’t seem to be used to.” (source)
Barbell Hip Thrust vs Smith Machine Hip Thrust
Now let us take a look at the barbell hip thrust vs. the Smith machine hip thrust. In this example, the Smith machine can have a bonus.
One in every of the annoying things concerning the barbell hip thrust is setting the movement up and balancing the barbell on the hips. With a Smith machine, no balancing is required (you continue to need to be centered, though) and you should use heavy weight.
Further, you possibly can easily set the barbell off the bottom within the starting position, which can assist with the set-up. The Smith machine may also encourage the specified vertical path.
That said, the barbell continues to be a wonderful and highly effective alternative, however the Smith machine stays my favorite option.
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift vs Smith Machine RDL
Either method works for the Romanian deadlift, depending in your goals.
Using the Smith machine will negate the activity of your medial glutes, which can or might not be a very important factor for you. In consequence, the Smith machine will ultimately put all of the load on the posterior chain.
That said, DO NOT perform a single-leg RDL on the Smith machine. This is a wonderful example of sabotaging an exercise. A single-leg RDL is a unilateral exercise designed to each improve balance and strengthen your muscles, making it obvious why doing this on the Smith machine doesn’t make sense.
Free Weight Shoulder Press vs Smith Machine Press
The shoulder press is one other movement during which the Smith machine will be a very good alternative.
Unlike the bench press, the bar path moves more vertically. Nevertheless, the start a part of the movement will be difficult for some because the bar must go up and around an individual’s face. Due to this fact, each vertical bars and angled bars have certain advantages.
Further, the Smith machine works well for seated shoulder presses when training alone. Unracking the barbell will be extra difficult in these cases, and the Smith machine allows solo staff to simply accomplish that by themselves.
FAQs
In case there are some lingering questions, let’s line up among the more incessantly asked ones.
Is a Smith machine pretty much as good as free weights?
The easy answer is not any. Free weights allow a lifter to duplicate real-life biomechanics, which ends up in optimal adaptations. Nevertheless, the Smith machine could also be ideal for specific situations and certain exercises.
How much weight is taken off by a Smith machine?
A Smith machine barbell often weighs around 30 lbs. Nevertheless, with the friction of the sliding apparatus, the bar generally only weighs around 10-15 lbs. After all, with heavier weights, you will get much more friction, so the precise percentage taken off is unknown.
Is a Smith machine squat weight higher than a free weight?
No. The Smith machine squat requires a lifter to work on a set vertical path, stopping natural body movement patterns present in free weight squats.
Are you able to construct muscle with Smith machines?
Yes! When comparing strength and hypertrophy, the Smith machine is best fitted to constructing muscle.
Is it higher to workout with machines or free weights?
Free weights ought to be your primary training method, while machines, including the Smith machine, will be great accessory pieces.
Smith Machine vs Free Weights: Is One Higher?
That about sums up any confusion around the good rivalry between free weights vs. Smith machines.
In point of fact, the query, “What is best?” is unsuitable because it robotically sets up a false dichotomy. These two pieces of apparatus complement one another in a well-rounded training program.
Further, what’s best for you doesn’t make it right for another person and vice versa. It’s as much as you to make a decision what’s going to suit you best.
