The bench press can be a difficult and dangerous lift whether you are an experienced or novice bodybuilder. Even if performed with the help of a spotter, there are a number of possible scenarios that may result in an unsupported barbell landing on your chest or throat. While bench press machines have safeguards to prevent such accidents, you may run the risk of overexerting yourself if you fail to account for the weight of the bar.
Smith Machine
The Smith machine is a piece of exercise equipment that can be adapted to a variety of lifts, including squats, dead lifts and bench presses. Relying on a barbell suspended between vertical columns, the Smith machine allows only upward and downward movement. This machine's safety features include pulleys to counterbalance the weight of the bar, a broad base to stabilize the vertical columns and a series of pegs or blocks along each side that can be used to stop the weighted bar from crashing down.
Smith Machine Bar Weight
While the Smith machine's bar is counterbalanced, this does not always result in the bar having zero weight. If removed from the machine, the weight of the Smith machine's bar is typically 45 lbs or more, with the entirety of this weight added to your lift in a non-counterbalanced machine. Although a lot of this weight is reduced by the pulleys in a counterbalanced machine, the bar adds at least 10 lbs to the amount of weight that you are lifting. Due to differences between machines, including bar length, counterbalance mechanisms and wear-and-tear, the weight of a Smith machine bar may vary. As such, you should not attempt a large-weighted bench press without consulting the manufacturer or experienced users of the machine.
Incline and Vertical Bench Press Machines
Unlike the Smith machine, the incline and vertical bench press machines do not use bars. Instead, these machines use padded, low weight handles attached to a pulley system with a set number of pin-loaded, weighted plates. Similar to the Smith machine, the handlebars on these machines are supposed to be weightless. If you perform either lift without any weight attached to the pulley, however, you will notice that these bars are not entirely weightless. Though not as heavy as the Smith machine's bar, the handlebars may marginally increase the weight of your lift.
Summary and Recommendations
Whether Smith, vertical or incline, most bench press machines do not add the weight of the bar to the amount that you are lifting. Despite their numerous safety benefits over free weights, this failure to account for weight may lead you to underestimate the amount that you are lifting, potentially leading to overexertion and injury. If you are worried about such overexertion, the use of free weights may allow you to more accurately determine the amount of your lift.
According to a 2006 report by Dr. Jeffrey McBride of the National Strength and Conditioning Institute, the use of free weights may better resemble natural movements and lead to greater gains than can be achieved with machines. However, machines may be preferred due to their safety features and ease of use, especially for difficult or unfamiliar lifts. Due to the minimal benefits of each over the other, Dr. McBride recommends that preference and comfort determine your choice of machine or free weights.
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