Smith Machine FAQ

People ask…

How much does a smith machine bar weigh? Is the Smith machine bar 20kg?

Probably the most asked question. A smith machine bar weight can vary from machine to machine. While a standalone alone smith machine bar in a gym I’d expect to weight 15kg to 20kg, a smith bar in a multigym or a bar weight of a home smith machine can weigh less. Added to that, both some home and commercial smith machines are counterbalanced, using a pulley and a counterweight, so may only weigh a few kilograms. While I largely consider it pointless knowing, it’s more about your progression than your starting weight, by far the easiest way to find out is place some scales by your smith machine lift off point. Weigh yourself. Then, weigh yourself assuming the load of your empty smith machine bar, either on your back/ traps or within your hands. Simply deduct your bodyweight for the answer.

What is a Smith machine good for?

Smith Machines are generally used for pressing movements (chest and shoulders) and squats.

Smith machines have received a bad rap for engaging fewer stabilising muscles in the above exercises, when compared to a free bar (barbell); however, this argument could be used for favouring dumbbells for pressing or rowing movements, over a barbell. So on and so on. You should see these exercise implements for the apparatus that they are and embrace the variety that they may offer you in addition to your existing equipment.

Personally, having the benefit of a gym full of equipment, I choose to use a smith machine for the following: Alternating shoulder press, weighted lunges, hack squat, linebacker squat, standing calf raise, bodyweight leg blasters (using locked smith bar), inverted rows (height adjustable smith bar).

Is a Smith machine easier than a bench press?

I’ll rephrase this frequent question – “can you bench press more with a smith machine than you can with a barbell?”. Typically, yes, most people can bench press more on a smith machine, due to less demand on the stabilising muscles; however, you’ll warrant familiarising yourself with the smith machine, over at least a few workouts, prior to attempting to beat your bench press best.

Is Smith machine as good as free weight?

A smith machine is still regarded as a free weight exercise, but I think people that ask this generally mean compared to a free bar i.e. a barbell. Again, it’s a different piece of apparatus. If you’re selecting a single rack for home, and this is why this question arises, many smith machine are now available with a half rack frontage, so you can have both a smith machine and use a free bar in the half rack. The smith machines listed below offer such a setup.

How much weight is taken off by a Smith machine?

This question is in a similar vain to some already asked. It is a different piece of apparatus. With practice, it is expected that you’ll find similar weights easier on the smith machine than you will with a free bar (barbell), such as pressing movements.

Why can I lift more on Smith machine?

Due to a smith machine bar running on a linear guide, the fixed plain of motion reduces the requirement from stabilising muscles to keep the bar in place.

These 4 questions I’ve clumped together, as they’re asking the same/ similar question, in a roundabout way. Typically, many will find a smith machine easier (lift the same weight easier), particularly for pressing movements, compared to a free bar (barbell); however, as noted, you should not jump from using a free bar to a smith bar and expect to lift the same weight. Once you’ve had a bit of getting used to it (familiarised yourself with a smith machine), you have the potential to lift more in certainly a pressing movement. That said, while a smith machine will allow you to travel in a straight line from A (start-position) to B (mid-position), literally either straight up (vertical) or at a 7-degrees pitch, it can also highlight if you’re not travelling in a straight-line, for example, in the case of a shoulder issue, you may inadvertently be bench pressing with a wrist bent back and, therefore, slightly wonky and/ or uneven. To this end, the smith machine could be used as a training tool; although, I think this can often exacerbate an issue, as you can learn (not in a good way) to lift more from your dominant side. Personally, I prefer the aid of a good spotter or coach to highlight the flaw and help you to overcome it, long-term, even if it means steering away from that exercise for a while.

I hope you have found the answers to these frequently asked questions useful!

Please kindly check out our available smith machine offerings, below.

Thanks, and best regards,

Matt