SMITH MACHINE
Discover the best smith machines for your home gym, designed to provide a safe and versatile workout experience.
FAQS
What is a smith machine?
A Smith Machine is a strength training equipment featuring a barbell fixed within steel rails for guided vertical or slightly angled movement.
Designed for safety and stability, it reduces the risk of injury, making it ideal for beginners to exercise safely and suitable for those with shoulder or knee pain.
Perfect for home gyms, the Vanswe Smith Machine offers versatility for exercises like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts, allowing users to perform effective full-body workouts in a compact and controlled space.
How to use smith machine?
Using a smith machine can enhance your workouts, but safety is key.
Start by setting the safety pins to an appropriate height to prevent the barbell from dropping too low.
Adjust the barbell to the correct height for your exercise, ensuring it matches your starting position.
Focus on maintaining proper form throughout each movement to avoid unnecessary strain or injury.
Always listen to your body—if you feel discomfort, stop immediately and adjust your setup or technique.
Prioritize safety for effective and injury-free training.
How much does the bar weigh on a smith machine?
The smith machine bar weight depends on the brand, model, and design. Here's a general guide:
1. Standard Smith Machine: The bar typically weighs 15-25 lbs (7-11 kg) due to counterweights or balancing mechanisms.
2. Commercial Smith Machine (e.g., in gyms): The bar often weighs 20-30 lbs (9-14 kg) but can go higher in some models.
3. Planet Fitness Smith Machines: The bar usually weighs 15 lbs (7 kg) due to their specific counterbalanced designs.
4. Free-Weight-Like Smith Machines: Some machines designed to mimic a free-weight bar may weigh 45 lbs (20 kg), similar to a standard Olympic barbell.
SMITH MACHINE REVIEWS
All reviews on the site are verified by the third-party service Judge.me, ensuring that all feedback comes from real buyers. The Gymworth Smith Machine has received consistent praise for its easy assembly, sturdy build, and excellent value for money. While it may not be suitable for those lifting over 400 lbs, it provides a smooth and safe experience for moderate strength training. Users also highlighted the machine's high quality and responsive customer service. The main downside is the need to purchase additional weigh, but overall, it offers a great, affordable option for home gyms.
Excerpts from genuine user reviews:
"... I rarely write reviews, but this is such an exceptional value, I felt I must. I used to have a complete gym in my home with thousands of dollars worth of equipment. However, my wife and I went on the road for a few years and I switched to body weight exercises. I am now settled and wanted to lift some weights safely, so I started to look at Smith machines as a safe way to get back to lifting. The Gymworth stood out, mostly because it was half the price of most of the competition ...
The machine itself is is very well made and sturdy for the price. I have to agree with one of the online reviews on You Tube. This is the perfect machine for people that bench less that 300 lbs. That would be most of us. If you bench heavy, you would not be considering this machine anyhow. The Smith machine part is smooth and it is easy to catch the bar. The pull down bar and lat pull are both extremely smooth. I have been using this for several days now and have no complaints. It is sturdy and will last me for years ..."
"... Assembly was pretty easy. Did need help on a few parts. The machine itself seems well made and very sturdy for home use. The smith machine slides easily and does what it is meant to do. Overall, a great machine for the price."
"Have had this machine about 3 days ago and it is great. It’s a pretty good machine. I am happy with this product. It is sturdy and works well."
WORKOUTS GUIDE
One of the benefits of smith machine exercises is the ability to prevent injuries, making it popular among fitness beginners and individuals with back or knee joint issues. However, performing exercises on a Smith Machine differs from using free weights like dumbbells and barbells. Therefore, it’s essential to understand how to execute various movements effectively on a Smith Machine.
Smith Machine vs Squat Rack
First, to properly understand how to work out using a Smith Machine, it’s important to recognize the differences between the smith machine and squat rack.
The smith machine and squat tack differ in key aspects, but the most significant difference lies in their tange of motion. Due to the presence of tracks and locking mechanisms, the smith machine barbell is fixed on rails, typically allowing only vertical or slightly angled movements.
That the smith machine's fixed barbell path offers significant joint protection, reducing the risk of injury. However, the fixed track can also limit natural movement patterns, and incorrect form may place unnatural stress on the joints.
Therefore, we have outlined common mistakes below for various smith machine workouts to help ensure proper execution and safety:
Smith Machine Squat
Can you do smith machine squats properly?
There are a few common mistakes (including smith machine split squat and smith machine hack squat)
- The body is forced to follow the machine's fixed path, causing the knees to move too far forward or the hips to lack natural movement, leading to joint stress.
- Relying on the machine instead of engaging target muscles, such as leaning on the barbell instead of using legs and glutes for power.
- Overestimating ability due to the stable track, using excessive weight, resulting in loss of control or poor form.
Fix: Adjust foot placement to align with your body’s natural mechanics. Focus on engaging legs and glutes actively. Start with lighter weights and progress gradually.
Smith Machine Deadlift
Can you deadlift on smith machine properly?
There are 3 few common mistakes in the deadlift smith machine exercise.
- Incorrect Foot Position: Feet too far or close disrupt the bar path and strain knees or lower back. Ensure feet are directly under the bar for a vertical path.
- Overusing Upper Body: Pulling with your back instead of legs causes overload. Focus on leg and hip drive, imagining pushing the floor away.
- Unnatural Bar Path: The fixed track may not suit your natural movement. Adjust foot and bar positioning to align with your biomechanics.
Pay attention to these mistakes and enjoy your deadlift on smith machine.
Smith Machine Hip Thrust
Can you do hip thrust smith machine properly?
- Mistake: The smith machine's fixed trajectory can lead to unnatural hip movement, stressing the lower back.
- Fix: Adjust your foot placement and movement pattern to align with the machine's path.
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
- Mistake: The bar’s fixed path may not align with your natural shoulder movement, causing discomfort or joint strain.
- Fix: Adjust your seat height and bar position to match your natural pressing motion.
Smith Machine RDL
- Mistake: The smith machine's fixed track can limit the natural hip hinge, leading to forced or awkward movements.
- Fix: Focus on driving your hips back while maintaining control, instead of following the machine’s track entirely.
Smith Machine Rows
- Mistake: The smith machine's fixed path may force an unnatural pulling motion, putting stress on the lower back or shoulders when you do smith machine row.
- Fix: Adjust foot and body position to align with the bar's track, keeping the pull smooth and controlled.
Smith Machine Bent Over Row
- Mistake: The bar’s fixed trajectory may collide with your thighs, disrupting the motion.
- Fix: Step slightly back or adjust grip width to create a comfortable pulling path.
Smith Machine Lunges
- Mistake: Leaning into the bar reduces muscle engagement and can shift stress to joints.
- Fix: Actively engage your core and legs to maintain proper posture.
Smith Machine Good Mornings
- Mistake: Using the machine’s stability to support the weight instead of engaging the core and posterior chain.
- Fix: Actively engage your glutes, hamstrings, and core throughout the movement.
Smith Machine Calf Raise
- Mistake: The bar’s stability may encourage users to load too much weight, risking poor form and reduced range of motion.
- Fix: Use a manageable weight that allows full extension and contraction of the calves.
Smith Machine Upright Row
- Mistake: The machine’s stability may tempt users to lean forward, reducing target muscle activation.
- Fix: Stand upright with your core engaged and avoid leaning on the bar.