weightlifter peeps, whats ur opinion on barbell vs smith machine
 

What do u guys like to use more for weightlifting? Barbell with freeweights or smith machine? or both?

i use the barbell for most of my workouts requiring a barbell. but i use the smith machine for squats because it helps me keep really good form and my back feels great as opposed to when i used to do them with the regular barbell. sometimes ill use the smith machine for behind the back shrugs and shoulderpresses too

Smith machine cause theres no free bar at school and the dumbbells only go up to 75#s. At home I use a standerd bar to really screw up my wrists. :)

smith machine lol.. maybe for calf raises if the machine is being used

i like barbel when i have a spotter but ive been goin to the gym by myself so im using dumbels

Barbell is my favorite for squats, I have really good form so I feel good on it, the smith machine makes me feel like I'm being controlled which i don't like

funny you say that because a few of my friends at the gym feel the same way.

the only thing i ever squatted out of besides a rack was a monolift and it just felt uncomfortable not walking it out, but it always depends on what fed you compete in

I try to use barbells and dumbells whenever possible. The Smith locks you into a particular plain of motion and it may not always be your natural one. It also takes some of the stress off of your stabilizer muscles which means they don't keep up with your primary muscles.

i liked the smith machine for squats as well. i use free weights as much as i can though, feel it develops better muscle control/stability.

My sentiments exactly. Although I never use a smith for anything. Too easy to cheat, and it doesn't involve your spinal er's and abs.

+1

No Smith machine here.

I use to change it up all the time...good to keep the muscles guessing.

Huh? This really doesn't have anything to do with muscle confusion principles.

Whaat? I think will the muscle confusion you have gotten yourself confused in the process..

Its not really confusing, its just using muscles you normally would use to keep the bar steady.

Muscle confusion is from switching your workout routine up dramatically so you force your muscles to get out of being used to a similar movement.

And 150# on standard bar WBT. :wink:

really muscle confusion is to prevent muscle memory right? or is that my ass talking?

Yea, your muscles will get used to doing things over and over, so if you move things around you will get better results.

I do it every other month or so.

Yea LT1slow's got the idea...I use to put together about 3 different workouts, each lasting a week...worked out pretty good regardless if your were doing a body part 2 times a week (light/heavy days) or just hit the body part once a week. Doing the same sheet each week just got stale to me..As far as the smith machine was concerned I like to do shrugs, shoulder presses,incline and flat benches on it....I no longer squat because when I was young I use to do heavy squats and leg presses w/ no belt and now have a lower back problem that pops up every now and then :(. You have to listen to your body, everyone different and different things work for different people. genetics play a big part regaldless of what those Flex magazines tell u lol..Ronnie Coleman ex Mr Olympia use to train Biceps everyday lol.

i use free weights for almost everything. i don't like smith machines also i like to feel like i have control

I am not doubting muscle confusion. I do not see the correlation between a free bar vs. smith machine regarding muscle confusion.

i dont see how using a smith machine is "cheating"? as long as your moving the weight, youre doing work.

Yea, but a smith machine you only have to push the weight up, not stabilize the weight.

Yeah. Not cheating in the sense that you are not lifting weight, cheating in the sense that you can use the machine to not have to work as hard- consciously or not. I know that I can lift a decent amount more on a smith machine doing squats than I can free bar- adjusting for the assistance from the machine and all.

ill probly change it up eventually. i just think its silly how it seems like everybody is looking down upon using the smith. i read a online study a while back, it said people who did squats with the smith machine were 5% stronger than those who used the freeweights. however, with benchpress it was the other way around because the smith doesnt allow u to use the J curve thing when doing benchpress. something about ur stronger using an arc as opposed to straight up and down

I was doing ~300 on a smith machine benching at school, came home to a regular bar and that number took a while to get back again.