Getting a Smith Machine for your Home Gym
There's one potential problem with working out at home - safety. But getting a Smith machine for your home gym can help overcome this. A Smith machine is designed to help you lift a weighted barbell in a safe manner. It is ideal if you are doing bench presses or overhead lifts, as it will prevent the bar from falling on top of you.
If you are working out at a health club, it is common for you to have 'spotters' who are available to take the weight of the barbell if you become fatigued or overbalance the bar. At home you are likely to be working out alone. Your Smith machine can effectively act as your spotter. It will only allow movement in a vertical direction so you cannot overbalance. In addition, most Smith machines also have vertical stops that prevent the bar from being lowered beyond a certain point. If you drop the bar, the stop will prevent you from being crushed.
You'll see Smith machines in use in many professional gyms up and down the country and they are becoming more popular for home use.
Whilst a Smith machine in your home gym offers you a lot of options, there is also one limitation. You can't perform movements that have an arc-motion, such as bicep curls. This is because movement is restricted to a vertical, up and down motion. If you wish to perform bicep curls safely, you can either invest in a preacher curl bench or you could get a Powercage. A Powercage is a large metal frame with hooks for your barbell. It allows you to perform a wide variety of different exercises and does not restrict movement to just the vertical plane, unlike a Smith machine.