Smith machine
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The Smith machine is a piece of equipment used in weight training. It consists of a barbell that is fixed within steel rails, allowing only vertical movement. New variations allow a small amount of forward and backward movement[citation needed]. A Smith machine often includes a weight rack in the base to help stabilise it. Some Smith Machines have the barbell counterbalanced.
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[edit] Origin
The Smith machine was invented by American Jack La Lanne, who rigged up a sliding apparatus in his gym in the 1950s[citation needed]. It was spotted by bodybuilder Rudy Smith, who commissioned Paul Martin to improve it[citation needed]. Smith then installed the improved model in a gym he was managing at the time, Vic Tanny's gym in Los Angeles[citation needed]. By the end of the 1950s, Rudy Smith was an executive in Tanny's chain of gyms, and the Smith machine was being manufactured and sold more widely. Although an article in the July 2005 edition of Muscle & Fitness [1] reported that Rudy Smith was still alive at 79 and the owner of Las Vegas Athletic Clubs,this report has not been verified[citation needed].
[edit] Benefits
Behind each vertical post (runner) is a series of slots on which the barbell can be hooked. This means that unlike an ordinary barbell, the Smith machine need not be re-racked after a set of repetitions: it can be secured at any point. This makes it safer for those who weight train without a spotter, as one only needs to twist his/her wrist in order to lock the barbell in place in the event that the weight becomes too great. Most models also incorporate blocks, pegs, or other devices which can be adjusted to automatically stop the barbell at a predetermined minimum height. This further increases the safety factor.
Because it cannot fall forwards, backwards or sideways, a Smith machine is considered safer to use than an ordinary barbell. Since the weight does not need to be stabilized, this can allow unstable lifters to lift more weight. There is a risk of force loss by applying it improperly[citation needed], however, which can reduce the amount of weight lifted.
[edit] Controversy
As the Smith machine constrains the body to a single plane of motion, it does not develop the stabilization muscles, or ability to force the body into proper form, so lifting ability on it does not translate into free-weight lifting ability[citation needed]. On the other hand, free-weight lifting ability does translate to the Smith Machine, with the exception of those exercises that require movement on the horizontal plane. When these exercises are adapted to the Smith machine, they may result in force loss. Weights that require stabilization - generally free weights - are thought to be more 'functional', in that they better mimic most physical tasks that the body would normally be asked to accomplish[citation needed].
One of the main controversies between proponents and detractors of the Smith machine is whether or not it is inferior to free weights. While there seem to be benefits of free weights over Smith machines, they may be overstated. Researchers at Drake University, Iowa tested the premise[citation needed] and found that lifters were able to lift greater amounts on free weights than they were on a Smith machine. As reported in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research[citation needed], bench press strength was about 16% higher for the free-weight bench press as compared to the Smith machine bench press. However, squat strength was about 4% greater for the Smith machine as compared to the free-weight squat.
For those who concerned with achieving perfect form, it can be difficult or impossible to accomplish using a Smith Machine, with the unnatural movements resulting in unusual strains on the body. The natural tendency to move the weight in a slight arc (such as in certain bench pressing methods) rather than straight up and down is by design impossible to do on the Smith machine. Because of this, a regular barbell with a power cage may be used for full freedom of movement while maintaining a level of safety.
