Smith Machines Reviewed
Smith machines are THE safest way for serious weight lifters to work out at home. Any experienced strength coach will tell you that a working to failure is fundamental to building significant muscle mass.
Of course pushing each set to failure in an unsupervised environment or without a spotter is dangerous to say the least. Smith machines are so popular because they combine the feel of free weights with safety of traditional resistance machines.
Smith machines tend to be quite expensive, more so than multi gyms aimed at the general public. Why? Simply because they are designed for experienced lifters who can move a lot of weight! That requires quality construction from a high gauge steel. Don’t expect to get a Smith machine for the home for anything less than $1000 after shipping.
Remember also that you still have to buy the plates separately. It all adds up and you should be sure that you are serious enough about your training to justify the cost.
With that said lets examine a few of the best Smith machines on the market and how much they will set you back.
Caribou III Multi Gym (Complete) w/ Smith MachineMega Smith System Loaded w Attachments
These are made by Yukon the superb Caribou III is perfect for serious weight lifters who need a quality piece of equipment for home training. The smith carriage is one of the best you will find away from commercial grade equipment providing a smooth and quality feel. This machine comes with an incline/decline bench and a separate 200lb weight stack for the high/low pulley system. As well as featuring a chin bar, dip station and pec deck the Caribou is set up for lat pull downs, preacher curls, leg curls and extensions and cable crossovers. Of course the $1500 price tag (free shipping) buys you a lifetime warranty.
