Tuesday 01/18/11- Max Bench

Board Press:

     Setsx3 w/ 185, 205, 225

     x1 w/ 245, 265

Lying B. Tri Ext:

     6x10 w/ 70# (ez bar)

Tri Push-Downs:

     3x10 w/ 60# (cable, true weight, not zero tension)

1 Arm Alt. D. Press:

     3x15 w/ 45# dumbell

Nice work!

I have a question. It seems you have easy access to an ample amount of free weights so what benefit pushes you to use the smith machine for single leg squats? Don't you lose out on the extra work to stabilize yourself & maintain balance?

Joel Sim wrote: I have a question. It seems you have easy access to an ample amount of free weights so what benefit pushes you to use the smith machine for single leg squats? Don't you lose out on the extra work to stabilize yourself & maintain balance?

When you use the smith machine and put your off foot up on a bench or box behind you when you squat down on the one leg it puts all the weight down through your leg (obviously) and stabilizing muscle on that side. Your other leg is your balance and at the very bottom of the movement it puts a good stretch in the elevated leg through the entire quad and gives a pretty good burn. It's a supplementary lift, so the extra effort is good, not bad. I prefer smith machine because I can use a different kind of load stress. Without it I do them between two different height boxes holding dumbbells. I would never, on the that same note, use a smith machine for a main lift, i.e. normal or box squats.

Thursday 01/20/11- Dynamic Bench Day

Bench Press:

     10x3 w/ 160# (60% 1RM) (3 different grips)

Lying D. Tri Ext.:

     4x8 w/ 25#

D. Side Raises:

     3x10 w/ 25#

Bent Side Raises:

     3x10 w/ 25#

Okay.

Wouldn't holding dumbells or having a free bar across your shoulders (w/ the static leg still elevated on a bench or box) require more work to balance and stabilize than being in a smith machine where you don't have to worry about falling forward, back or side to side? Or b/c it's an supp lift it's not where you want to stress your CNS?