[adren@line]

I go to a commercial gym and see alot of guys doing shrugs on a smith machine.

I guess you can load more weight onto your traps and not worry so much about grip.

Anyone use this method?

Or is it the usual commercial gym BS.

[Chad Hamilton]

I don't use the smith machine.
The pretty boys always have it occupied.

[RedmanWrestler]

Originally Posted by Chad Hamilton

I don't use the smith machine.
The pretty boys always have it occupied.

LOL good answer

[Diligent]

It's not BAD to do them ... but if you are going to do heavy shrugs, why not just use dumbells or a barbell and get a better grip work in while yer at it? ...

[PariahCarey]

Ok its official, we need Carnal back.

[slayer36]

shrugs on the smith machine... ...have the gay

[lucid]

shrugs i dont see whats wrong.

it's not my prefered method of doing them. But hey.. if all the power racks are taken with guys doing deads and squats... i'm not gonna make a big case about using them or wait when i can shrug on the smith.

if the racks are open i shrug on them.. if some body else needs it more i'll use the smith. you do get slightly more benifits on the rack but hoenstly... if i worry about my grip.. i cna always work on it after i shrugg.

[batman69]

it maybe because i worked a ten hour day and then went and sparred at my bjj class for about forty minutes but i'm not getting something. how would the smith machine make it easier on your grip. i get that the bar doesn't roll, but it still weighs whatever weight you put on it. so if you load the fuck out off it, it's still heavy. i do confess that i know little on how the smith machine works since i have actually never used one in my whole lifting lifespan. if someone could educate me that would be cool. i'll have to read about it later cause i'm going to go snore in my girls ear now.

[ballhawkdawk]

The Smith is a 15 pound bar that only goes vertically. It has a hook on each side of the bar that latches on to a horizontal piece of ****l inside (the rung). So basically, you lift it slightly and rotate the bar forward a bit so when you're doing your exercise the hooks dont catch on the rungs on the descend... i hope that makes sense. I was using it for squats for a bit because it's way easier form-wise, but I just stick to a less impressive form on a regular barbell and get better results.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by adren@line

I guess you can load more weight onto your traps and not worry so much about grip.

Any machine that lets you worry less about your grip is evil in my opinion.