The Smith machine is a strength-training device that has integrated safety stops to protect you from dropping the weight and possibly injuring yourself. Although it's not as versatile as free weights, you can use the Smith machine to do a full-body workout. Incorporate more variety in your Smith machine routine by changing your hand grip and body stance.
Identification
A Smith machine consists of a metal frame with two guide rods that support a barbell. The front uprights of the frame have hooks evenly spaced the entire length of the upright. The barbell has a bracket on each end. Turn the barbell toward the front of the frame and the brackets attach to the hooks, holding the barbell in place. The guide rods have adjustable safety stoppers. Set the stoppers to the lowest point of your exercise. If you do lose control of the bar, the stoppers will catch it.
Exercises
For a full-body workout, select exercises that target your chest, back, legs, shoulders and core. Smith machine chest exercises include flat, incline and decline presses. You also can do a bent-over row or an inverted body weight row for your back. Rest the Smith bar on your upper back to do squats and stationary lunges for your legs. Sit on a bench to work your shoulders with overhead presses. Set the Smith bar at the lowest position, lie on your back under the bar, and hold the bar with both hands to do weighted crunches.
Sets and Reps
For healthy adults under age 65, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends performing one set of eight to 12 repetitions for each exercise. Load weight plates evenly on each end of the bar to create the resistance for each exercise. Although a Smith bar does not weigh as much as a regular barbell, you should consider the weight of the bar when adding weight plates. If you want to overhead press 20 lbs. and the bar weighs 10 lbs., you only need to add a 5-lb. plate to each end of the bar.
Considerations
Although you are limited with the exercises you can do on a Smith machine, you can change your grip or body stance to create more variety in your workout. For example, try wide-grip and standard-grip chest presses. Use a flat bench, incline bench and decline bench to change your body position. You can also change the width of your grip on a bent-over row or turn your hands so your palms face up to do a reverse-grip bent-over row.
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