My beef with Smith machines is typically the cost and size - they usually replace a free-squat rack with a Smith machine. It is friendly looking to novice lifters and in Y-terminology "Health Seekers," but you can't do Good-Mornings on it, and you can't do split squats or lunges with it because the bar only goes on its fixed path. The balancing issue isn't my own opinion, its the opinion based on the research of several sports scientists and doctors who wish the damn machine would get recalled. For rehabilitation to injured legs, most pro athletes use leg curl/extension machines, then the leg press, then back to free squat.

When I was a college athlete, only the general student workout facility had a Smith, never saw one in the Finch Center (basketball team's facility) or in the South Campus athletic compound. There could have been one, but it was well hidden. The student rec center had accumulated 3 by the time I graduated and had gone to a single free-squat rack.  BOO.

Quote from: ato memphis on March 05, 2010, 04:11:03 AM
Bench:Sets of 5 at 235; Squat: Sets of 5 at 335; Deadlift: Sets of 3 at 365 (without straps, more with straps since my fingers can't get tired prematurely on me). Can only do 5 good pull-ups in a row though, nothing frustrates me more. I weigh 238 with shoes/shorts/shirt on as of Tuesday.

The guy I work out with benches what I squat for reps, so its giving quite a lot of motivation to work harder. The wife is pushing in the other direction, to keep me injury free.

haha, i weigh the same amt, but can come nowhere near benching 235. never have. i think the most i ever put up was around 200.

now legs...i've always had strong defined legs and no upper body to go with it. 

I've always felt that having a smith machine around was a good idea. I fully agree that there are exercises that can and can not be accommodated on a smith machine, but if you're looking for 1 machine to do every exercise, you (meaning people in general) probably won't find one. That being said, from what I've seen at LA Fitness, they do try to keep a balance of both smith and free weight equipment; in fact at the location where I most often workout, there are 2 squat racks on one wall and 2 smith machines on the other - the way that it should be so that everyone is accommodated.

I really like using the smith machines when I don't have a spot available or don't care to have one. I built up a lot of strength and bypassed possible injury by using a smith machine for upper body. I attest that it's due to the focus on using a smith machine that I was able to bench 425lbs x5 (while weighing in at 155lbs) when I competed in the "Most Athletic Man Competition" a few years back.

Getting that far taught me a few things and one of those was that I didn't need to train anywhere near that heavy to get the results that I was seeking. Now, I weight 165lbs and am benching no more than 315-325lbs.

Since I've become a cyclist, it's also become apparent that I shouldn't get much bigger because having a sizable amount of upper body mass creates wind resistance that I don't really want to fight against. My leg development has been pretty cool over the last year. I have always had strong legs, but of all the body part to focus on, they are my least favorite. Cycling has flipped that on end though - I love the speed of cycling, knowing that the hp being produced is output directly from my efforts. So now I love it when my legs feel like they've been beat on and are like Jello. Doing laps on the stairs is a great exercise and I have to hand it to the fire fighters who do that with weights, gear, and hoses - that must be brutal.

Anyway back to my original point, I like having machines and weights at my disposal that are purpose driven. I like training 'for' something be it rock climbing, cycling, running, etc...so having both is great, but of the two if I had to choose, I'd (personally) prefer a smith machine over a rack.

Quote from: cokey on March 04, 2010, 10:45:49 AM
Stair training is intense..  I think its better harder then most things..  when training for FD, I would go up n down stairs with a 40lbs weighted vest.. too bad they cancled my class and now I'm too old to get in (ny cutoff is 30)..  I gotta start doing those again..

FDNY?

Quote from: cokey on March 04, 2010, 10:45:49 AM
Stair training is intense..  I think its better harder then most things..  when training for FD, I would go up n down stairs with a 40lbs weighted vest.. too bad they cancled my class and now I'm too old to get in (ny cutoff is 30)..  I gotta start doing those again..

Wow, that sucks! When I went through the academy we had a guy in there that was 53 years old...He made a great firefighter too, a little lazy, but who isnt every now and then 

Hey DJ,

How was the spin class? Did you and the Mrs make it?

Yea, fdny, I passed the exam with a 98, thenwas waiting on the physical.. bam, they cut all the classes.. so now I just turned 30 and won't be able to take the next exam.. sucks balls..


Ah I remember when I was hitten the weights good..  at 155lbs I was benching 255 6 reps, leg pressing a lil over 1000lbs, shoulder shruging over 360..  I never got into dead lifts and squates too much thgh.. so never went heavy, when/if I start the weights again they will be my core exercise thgh..

Quote from: Monster Dave on March 05, 2010, 08:08:29 AM
Hey DJ,

How was the spin class? Did you and the Mrs make it?

she ended up not getting home in time so we left late  , so i just swam for an hour. I think we're gonna try a yoga class they offer and i'll drive seprately next week to be sure i make it on time 

Do you have a light weight vest? that might be cool to integrate that into your stair runs

Quote from: djrashonal on March 05, 2010, 12:21:34 PM
she ended up not getting home in time so we left late  , so i just swam for an hour. I think we're gonna try a yoga class they offer and i'll drive seprately next week to be sure i make it on time 

Do you have a light weight vest? that might be cool to integrate that into your stair runs

Cool! 

I agree that a weight vest would be useful. I'm going to do my routine for 3 weeks and then we'll see if I'm ready to add weight. My legs really feel worked today! It's so nice out though I am going cycling after work just to enjoy the day! Have a great weekend everyone!   

Worked out monday tuesday wednesday and saturday in St. Thomas.


Ate like a pig.


Lost three pounds.



I rock.

With the weather getting better and better all the time I spent a good deal of time this weekend on my road bike. On Friday I rode 20 miles after work, Saturday I rode 50 miles, and today with TNT I rode 35.5. So all in all I packed in just over 100 miles this weekend. I also focused on getting my diet in better position so that I am taking in very low fat, good carbs, and high levels of protein. After burning just under 3000 calories both for today and yesterday, and the 1200 on Friday, you can bet that I was hungry after each ride! I ate a good chicken lunch today and am feeling pretty good now.

Ahhh.......now it's time to just kick back and relax. 

Quote from: Monster Dave on March 07, 2010, 11:01:57 AM
With the weather getting better and better all the time I spent a good deal of time this weekend on my road bike. On Friday I rode 20 miles after work, Saturday I rode 50 miles, and today with TNT I rode 35.5. So all in all I packed in just over 100 miles this weekend. I also focused on getting my diet in better position so that I am taking in very low fat, good carbs, and high levels of protein. After burning just under 3000 calories both for today and yesterday, and the 1200 on Friday, you can bet that I was hungry after each ride! I ate a good chicken lunch today and am feeling pretty good now.

Ahhh.......now it's time to just kick back and relax. 

Nice! you musta gotten out before the rain, huh?

Today's ride was the most challenging with a 20mph head wind for most of the ride. I lead the pace line for the entire run today and it was really great but super challenging. There are days where I really like the wind because it really helps you grow stronger and you really have to "stand tall" and not let it beat you physically and mentally. But just the same, there are days where the wind really irritates the crap out of me! Fortunately, today was a good day for a challenge.  

I finished just before the rain though! Thank goodness!

 

Well, I just got back in after being on-off for the last 4 months...business partner related...Anyways, I got in today and started with a basic total body workout.

Flat Bench: 2 sets at 135@15 reps
                 2 sets at 225@15 reps
rear flys: cable work
W/ Shoulder lateral raises: 4 sets/15 lbs @15 reps

Deadlifts:
135/20 reps
225/15
315/8
405/1.5
 

Lat pulldowns: 4 sets of 130......beat down!!!!

weight is up at 230, my goal is 200.  Should go fast when I start surfing again.