Home Gym Equipment: The Smith Machine

March 6th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments

The Smith machine is a piece of gym equipment that is designed to increase the safety and efficiency of using a barbell with weights. These are ideal for the home gym where you maybe exercising alone and therefore safety is a big concern.
A Smith machine is a metal frame that allows the barbell to be lifted in a vertical movement but only allows straight up and down motion. This helps guide your movement and also helps prevent you from dropping the bar if you start to fatigue.
As an additional safety device, many Smith machines also have adjustable safety stops built into them, which prevents the barbell being lowered beyond a certain point. This will prevent injury if you accidentally drop the bar.
The Smith machine can be used for any exercise with a vertical lift such as bench presses, overhead lifts and squats. It is not suitable for lifts where an arc is made such as bicep curls.
The Smith machine was originally invented in America by Jack La Lanne, the renowned fitness and nutritional expert who is sometimes referred to as the ‘godfather of fitness’. In the 1950’s it was spotted by bodybuilder Rudy Smith who made improvements to the design and installed them in a gym he was managing. By the end of the 50’s the machines were being manufactured and distributed.
An alternative to a Smith machine is the power cage. This is useful if you are going to be doing plenty of barbell work without a spotter. The power cage is generally a heavy metal frame that has a number of hooks where the barbell can be placed. Unlike a Smith machine it does not restrict movement to just a vertical motion. You can also perform exercises that require an arc motion, using this equipment.
If you are setting up a home gym, a Smith machine is worthy of consideration. It allows you to exercise safely and minimize the risk of injury.
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Tags: Gym Equipment, Home Gym, Home Gym Equipment, The Smith Machine

Home Gym Equipment – Do You Need a Weight Training Belt?

February 26th, 2009 by Winston Salem, under Exercise Tips. No Comments

In health clubs and gyms, it’s a common site to see burly men with thick leather belts lifting heavy weights. Are those belts of any use, and should you get one to compliment your home gym?

A weight training belt is a thick belt made of leather or synthetic material typically about 6 inches in width. The belt is worn around the waist and the idea is that it gives support to the back when lifting weights.

However you do not need to wear this type of belt in order to effectively train using weights. In fact, they can hinder your movements and prevent the proper development of your back and abdominal muscles.

The best way to develop your ability to lift weights is to develop the muscles in your back and to carry out the correct lifting and breathing techniques during your lift. To develop the muscles, it’s important that you have a program set up where you regularly train and gradually build up the resistance that you are putting on your body.

The other problem with weight lifting belts is that they can give you a false sense of security, especially when lifting heavier weights. This can lead to injury.

Some people also like to wear wraps and supports around the joints. These are typically made from elasticated material and fixed using Velcro around the wrists, elbows or knees. They are commonly seen in gyms and people often wear them if they have had an injury.

But similar to weight training belts, their usefulness is questionable. If there are exercises that make your knees hurt, then you should not be carrying out those exercises. If you are recovering from injury there are other exercises that do not put such a strain on the body that can be useful. For instance using an elliptical trainer is a low impact way of exercising that can help the circulation.

Instead of spending your money on a weight training belt and wraps, spend some time devising a personalized weight-training program that will help build your strength without risk of injury.

Tags: Gym, Gym Equipment, lift weights