Many free-weight exercises can be a intimidating without a spotter. You might find that you aren't able to push yourself to your limit for fear of getting pinned under a bar or otherwise injuring yourself. Or you might find yourself exercising in a gym without free weights. But almost all gyms have a Smith machine, and with the guided bar and regularly placed safety catches, you can easily get a safe and intense full-body workout.
Bench Press
If someone wants to know how strong you are, they likely will ask, "So, how much do you bench?" Bench press is great for building upper-body strength, but it can be a very intimidating exercise without a spotter. You can't push yourself to near-failure without risking getting pinned beneath the bar. A study published in the March 2010 issue of the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" found that the free-weight bench had "potential for greater upper-body muscular development" than Smith machine bench, but if you don't have a spotter, being able to push yourself with confidence might result in you seeing equal or better gains using a Smith machine.
Shoulder Press
Place your seat under the bar, load it with plates, and press it over your head. While this compound movement isn't quite as natural on a Smith machine as it is with a barbell, it's close. This exercise will develop your deltoids, traps, triceps and the hard-to-target upper chest. The benefit of using a Smith machines over dumbbells is that without the need to balance the weight, you can move much more, resulting in better gains for your major muscle groups.
Squat
The squat is one of the main mass-building exercises, but even if your gym has a power cage or squat rack, it can be intimidating standing under all that weight. The good news is that a study published in the December 2009 issue of the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" found that while "the free weight squat may be more beneficial than the Smith machine squat for individuals who are looking to strengthen plantar flexors, knee flexors and knee extensors, there were no significant differences between free weight and Smith machine squat for any of the other muscles." So your quads, hamstrings and glutes are getting the same workout. The main difference you'll feel between a Smith machine and free weight squat is that you'll need to place your feet a bit in front of you for a Smith machine squat.
Reverse Row
The reverse row is an excellent back exercise, and one that's easier to do on a Smith machine that any other piece of equipment. A reverse row looks like an upside-down push-up. Set the Smith machine bar at a height greater than the length of your arms. Think of lying on your back beneath the bar, but hold the bar so that your upper body hovers above the ground, and your heels rest on the ground. Pull yourself to the bar, and let yourself back down. You'll find this exercise surprisingly challenging. To add difficulty, place your heels on a bench. By raising your feet, you'll increase the weight your arms must support.
References
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; A Comparison of Muscle Activation Between a Smith machine and Free Weight Bench Press; E.E. Schick; March 2010
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; A Comparison of Free Weight Squat to Smith Machine Squat Using Electromyography; S. Schwanbeck; December 2009
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