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. The machine can be used for a wide variety of exercises such as a squat shown in the image to the right.
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[edit] Origin
The Smith machine was invented by American Jack LaLanne, who rigged up a sliding apparatus in his gym in the 1950s[citation needed]. It was spotted by health club manager 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.
Rudy Smith passed away on July 5, 2010. At the time of his death he was Chairman of the Board for the Las Vegas Athletic Clubs.
[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
One of the main controversies between proponents and detractors of the Smith machine is whether it is inferior or superior to a free weight barbell. 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. Men's Health reported that the straight motion on a Smith machine is an unnatural movement that stresses the knees and lower back, and that traditional squats produced 50% more muscle activity in quadriceps compared to squats done on a Smith machine.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Men's Health. 6 Exercise Machines You Should Do Without
