EXCELLENTMENTALHEALTH
Member
The less you can freely move the weight around, the more you load up your joints instead of your muscles. Smith machine will stress your joints more than your muscles than a free bench.
Can definitely get more focused activation, but personally I'd want all those extra muscles activated especially on a big muscle exercise. Only time I want something focusing activation is maybe something like calves or biceps, or to hit something like hams extra because I do quad specific leg compounds.
I'd also say dumbbells is better than barbell for the same reason. You're gonna strain your joints more with a barbell vs dumbbells.
That said you can have great results with anything, just go lift and lift heavy. Smith machine can help give you some stability to hit some heavy lifts (I don't do them, but smith machine shoulder press is amazing, or sometimes loading up a barbell is a pain in the ass and I'd rather smith machine hip thrust).
Can definitely get more focused activation, but personally I'd want all those extra muscles activated especially on a big muscle exercise. Only time I want something focusing activation is maybe something like calves or biceps, or to hit something like hams extra because I do quad specific leg compounds.
I'd also say dumbbells is better than barbell for the same reason. You're gonna strain your joints more with a barbell vs dumbbells.
That said you can have great results with anything, just go lift and lift heavy. Smith machine can help give you some stability to hit some heavy lifts (I don't do them, but smith machine shoulder press is amazing, or sometimes loading up a barbell is a pain in the ass and I'd rather smith machine hip thrust).
