In my early days of serious lifting, I am going to tell you the truth: I did not do Smith machine deadlift. As a gym-goer, I had been exposed to both favorable and unfavorable Internet posts in the Reddit chat and locker-room debates. Some of them fulfilled the promise, and some did not even listen to them and went back to the traditional barbell pull. However, the longer I spend on this experience, the more balanced my opinion becomes, grounded in experience and based on training novices and visiting a fitness facility like Planet Fitness. It is a shortening of that perspective and practice, the advantages and disadvantages of the Smith machine deadlift in action, and comparisons to help discern whether the Smith machine deadlift is worth adding to the program.
Smith Machine Deadlift: What Is It?
A Smith machine deadlift is a deadlift that is done using a Smith machine, in which the bar is constructed to move in a fixed and straight vertical (or slightly inclined) direction. The bar is fixed on the Smith machine, which is not a free barbell; it does not require balance or coordination. This alters the process of muscle recruitment and the overall feel of the lift.
The Smith machine deadlift can be the device that allows the lifter (in particular, a beginner or someone who trains alone) to familiarize themselves with the hip hinge motion without worrying about losing control of the bar. You may also be interested to know the actual weight of the Smith machine bar before attaching plates to it to execute deadlifts, because it may alter the perception of the weight being lifted.
Smith Machine Deadlift Position: Step-by-Step Instructions
No corners are cut in the proper technique of a Smith machine deadlift. The lower back strain can occur even with a guided bar, even if the technique is incorrect. The step-by-step process that I teach and use is demonstrated below.
Step 1: Set the Bar Height
The bar must be positioned below or at mid-shin, depending on the movement capacity. It is an excellent stance to use for both regular and Romanian-style Smith machine deadlifts.
Step 2: Foot Placement
Bend on your knees and place your feet at hip-width, toes pointed inwards. Even on a Smith machine, the bar should not be lower than the mid-foot.
Step 3: Grip and Brace
Hold the bar by a double overhand grip or mixed grip. Punch ready. Pull your core down, as if you had punched. I can list numerous occasions when I had my lower back out of trouble by this signal alone.
Step 4: Hip Hinge, Not a Squat
Pride and neutral Spinal hip regression. The conversion of the movement to a squat- do not do it is one of the common errors that I observe in the Smith machine deadlift post on Reddit.
Step 5: Drive Through the Heels
Bend hips and knees. Squeeze your glutes, but do not lean back.
Lower the bar slowly under tension for each rep. Hip thrusts on a Smith machine can be performed alongside deadlift training to maximize glute strength to maximize deadlift training and vice versa.
Muscles acted in the deadlift with a Smith machine
The most common question I am asked is about the muscles trained in the Smith machine deadlift, and it is not surprising. The set bar causes the muscles to move slightly more than with free weights.
Primary muscles worked:
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Erector spinae (lower back)
Secondary muscles worked:
- Quadriceps
- Lats
- Traps
- Core stabilizers
I normally have a stronger glute action, particularly in the Romanian-style deadlifts on the Smith machine. Stabilization of the muscles, however, even in depth and smaller stabilizers of the hips, is somewhat less active. These types of overhead conditions that can be regulated, such as the shoulder press in the Smith machine, could be a good addition to end your pulling activities after the pulling work.
The Advantages of the Smith Machine Deadlift
I would tell without any hesitation that, after decades of experimentation, failures, and training, there are justifiable strengths of employing the Smith machine deadlift, particularly to a particular group of lifters.
- Novice-Easy Learning Curve.
The Smith machine is a safer option to learn the hinge pattern, just in case you are a beginner deadlifter.
- Reduced Balance Demands
The bar is guided, which allows you to focus on muscle contraction and form, per se.
- Injury Management and Rehab
At some point in my life, I used Smith machine deadlifts when my lower back was sensitive, without necessarily sacrificing strength.
- Ideal for Commercial Gyms
Planet Fitness Smith machine deadlift outlets tend to run out of barbells. A possible alternative is the Smith machine.
- Hypertrophy Focus
The Smith machine offers tension and volume at will to build muscle mass, rather than maximum strength.
Top Pros and Cons of Using a Smith Machine for Deadlifts
We must discuss both sides in order to be trusted.
Advantages
- Safer for solo training
- Easier to plunge in the right direction.
- Enables more frequent repetitions.
- They are compatible with high-rep and tempo exercising.
Disadvantages
- Less carryover to conventional lifting.
- Loss of stabilizer muscle activity.
- Some lifters dislike the fixed bar path.
The key takeaway? It is not bad, it is only different, and Smith machine deadlifts are not bad.
Smith Machine Deadlift Versus Barbell Deadlift
It is one of the phenomena that appear not to go away: the Smith machine deadlift vs. barbell deadlift controversy. This is my own comparison of experience and bio mechanics.
Barbell Deadlift
- Such as: increased whole-body muscle activity.
- Grows to optimum power and coordination.
- Should be trained and organized.
Smith Machine Deadlift
- Easier to control and learn
- Enhanced hypertrophic and isolating.
- Less technical demand
Training should focus on the barbell deadlift if you want to get stronger or improve your sports performance. There is also the Smith machine deadlift, which has earned its place, provided you want to build muscle, stay safe, or be available. Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift also very helpful.
Muscle Activation: Deadlift. Deadlift vs. Conventional Deadlift. Smith Machine Deadlift
The outcomes of the experiment and the practice are very similar in terms of muscle activity for the Smith machine deadlift and the traditional deadlift.
- Glutes and hamstrings: Activation, as much as or more in variations of the Smith.
- Lower back: slight impaired movement on the Smith machine.
- There are core stabilizers; there are many more in barbell deadlifts.
As an individual, I have learned that I feel less fatigue in my lower back, so using deadlifts on the Smith machine is more appropriate during a volume phase. The deadlifts are normally followed by pressing days, particularly when the bench press is done on the Smith machine.
Smith Machine Deadlift Reddit: Lifter Commentary
It is an eye-opener to read Smith machine deadlift threads on Reddit. Whether it is entirely useless, even as a godsend to beginners, is also debatable. The truth is of a medium kind.
The majority of the negative ones are characterized by the heavier lifters whose objectives are peak strength or competition. The majority of the positive feedback is from the initial lifters, bodybuilding-oriented lifters, and individuals who work in small gyms.
Context matters more than ego.
Deadlift Smith machine: Improved Learning with GIF
The first tip I would recommend is to use a GIF or video of a Smith machine deadlift as the learning tool. The hip hinge causes movement of the body position and the bar path in theory and practice. I refined the technique for many years after being lifted, using visual cues.
Who lifts the deadlifts of the Smith machine?
The deadlifts under the Smith machine will help in:
- Beginners
- Injured lifters are undergoing the recuperation period.
- Hypertrophic bodybuilders.
- Any commercial gym trainees.
They are not always well adapted to the competitive powerlifters- but they ought not to be. The fixed bar route allows an opportunity to substitute deadlifts with a variant of squats on the Smith machine so that lower-body stable mechanisms can be normalised.
Conclusion
The experience of years in the bar has led me to a very simple conclusion: Smith machine deadlifts are a machine and no more. When they happen to complete the correct form of the Smith machine deadlift, they gain strength, muscle, and confidence. They have been abused–or abused out of it–they are called a bad name.
Train smart. Select the one that fits in your body, your gym, and your objectives. And hearken unto this, that consistency is ninety per cent better than dogma.
FAQs
Am I allowed to use a Smith machine for deadlifts?
Naturally, there is nothing wrong with using deadlifts, but with the assistance of the Smith machine. Smith machine deadlifts are stable and more controllable for first-time users and trainers working alone or recovering from an injury. Although they fail to engage the stabilizer muscles used in the barbell deadlift, they can be used effectively to target the glutes, hamstrings, and the entire posterior chain.
What would 225 pounds weigh in a Smith machine?
The weight of most Smith machines, 225 lbs, is slightly lower than that of a free barbell due to a guided track for the bar and a counterbalance setup. The machine’s weight may range from 10 to 30 lbs, depending on the model. But not all manufacturers are as difficult, thus, the weight is more conveniently compared to the weight on the plates.
Why is it bad that Planet Fitness does not allow the use of deadlifts?
Safety and noise are the primary factors limiting the use of traditional barbell deadlifts at Planet Fitness. Heavy deadlifts may injure novice lifters and result in abusive drops of plates that fail to fit in their no-judgment zone. That is why the suggestions will be made to offer Smith machine deadlifts as less dangerous.
What is the advantage of the deadlift by Smith?
The advantages of the Smith deadlift are that there is greater control, less balance requirement, and fewer hinge movement learning problems. It is particularly applicable to training novices, hypertrophy sessions, and gym sessions where minimal free-weight equipment is provided. With the help of Smith deadlifts, the stabilizing muscles can also be trained regularly to reduce fatigue.
