Angled Smith Machine

Some Smith machines have an angled track at 5 to 7 degrees. The slightly inclined track is favoured by some users as it better accommodates their posture and form. In turn, having a normal range of motion. Using the angled Smith machine allows leaning the body, which can target your glutes more. 

Commercial Smith Machine

Named as the gym Smith machine since it is a lot sturdier compared to the other versions. It can hold more weight, hand more usage volume, and sometimes bolted to the floor. Usually, commercial Smith machines are simple. They are standalone squat bars with weight trees.

All-in-One Smith Machine

These are the Smith machines recommended for home gyms. They are multifunctional and caters to a larger audience since it offers more options. Most all-in-one Smith machines come with cables, lat bars, and bench. Others have accessories for leg extensions or leg curls.

3D Smith Machine

The Smith machine that offers you not just vertical up and down movement but also lateral ones, forward and back. It still keeps the bar from rotating or moving to the side. 

Selectorised

Selectorised Smith machines attach the barbell to a weight stack for you instead of manually loading the machine with plates. Once you select the height of the bar, place a pin in the weight stack, and you can start right away.

• Squats. These target your quadriceps. 
• Frog Squats. These are variations of the standard squat and still targets your quadriceps with the bonus of loosening your hips.
• Romanian Deadlifts. These focus on developing your hamstrings. 
• Standing Calf Raise.  This exercise aims to build up your calves. 
• Incline and Flat Bench Presses. The focus of these exercises is on your chest. 
• Pull-ups. These steps concentrate stress on your back. Execute it in 4 sets with 8 to 12 repetitions.
• Bent-Over Rows/ Reverse Grips. Their emphasis is still on your back. 
• Shoulder Presses. As the name implies, its impact is on your shoulders. 
• Wide-Grip Upright Rows.  It targets your shoulders.
• Seated Triceps Overhead Extensions. This is an exercise for your triceps. 

Drag Curls. Its focus is on your biceps.

One advantage of the Smith machine is that it balances the weight of the barbell for you. This means you don’t have to worry about focusing your energy on using your stabiliser muscles to steady the weight, and you have more or all of the power that can be concentrated on your primary muscles. The Smith machine enables you to carry more load than you can, compared to free weights. And as such, develops more of your muscles and hastens muscle growth and develops for power and strength.

Focus on Form

The Smith machine has a lot of safety mechanisms installed in its design that safety is of minimal issue. Aside from the diminished concern of an incident happening, the ability of the machine to stabilise the barbell has helped lifters to focus on proper form when exercising. Using correct form means a more rewarding and efficient workout.

All-in-One Machine

Nowadays, a Smith machine doesn’t only come in with a barbell lodged in between two steel racks. It has accessories and attachments that let you do any exercise in a whim. Most Smith machines have a back row, a bench, lat-pulldown, and a cable crossover. These attachments enable you to target any muscle in your upper body.

Workout at Your Own Pace

Since the Smith machine has a secure lock mechanism capacity, you have the benefit of resting the barbell immediately on the hooks at every height. Your body needs to rest to repair itself. When you feel exhausted during a session, it is advisable to rest for a few minutes. This gives your body time to rebuild your muscle tissues by adding extra fibres that make you a lot stronger. 

Simple but Efficient

The Smith machine is an incredibly simple machine that uses the principle of physics; gravity. Gravity exerts a force on the barbell which in turn should be opposed by the lifter. You don’t require pulleys and cables to make this happen. And that’s what the Smith machine is all about. You can eliminate maintenance costs such as replacing a cable or pulley. That said, a good quality Smith machine should come with a cable crossover or pulley system, but this system is simplified and of high quality.

Smith machines are convenient for lifters as they have tracks. They have a linear bearing system that can carry your barbell up the vertical rack without a sweat. That’s why you have to look for a Smith Machine that has a smooth, nice flow when you test drive the barbell up and down the vertical racks.

Workout Stations

Look for a Smith machine that does not only allow you to move the barbell up and down but also have attachments that you can use for other exercises you do in your workout routine. Most Smith machines today have several of those attachments, such as cables, stacked weights, a bench, and lat-pulldown bars.