I f you have heard that doing Smith machine deadlifts means killing your back for good, you’ve probably come across people who didn’t know what they were doing. Like any strength exercise, the deadlift implies a series of risks that, in most cases, appear when users don’t follow the correct steps, either because they don’t have the patience to understand how the movement is done, or because they cannot tell that they are doing something wrong. Most experts agree that to execute this exercise flawlessly you don’t only need the best Smith machine but great guidelines that you should follow as close as possible.
Below, we explain in detail how you can successfully do a deadlift and go through the most prevalent mistakes newbies make, so make sure you check every step before jumping into a very strenuous exercise.
Deadlift Exercise with Smith Machine at Gym
Even if it is difficult to execute, this exercise is great for improving your overall force, as the literature in the field has shown, since it pushes you to clutch most of the muscles in your body. Here is a list that can help you follow what is happening to your body as you go through every step of the exercise.
The danger of getting hurt while using a Smith cage is minimal compared to classic barbell exercises, so you can try the exercises you like without having a spotter around. But it is still essential to pay attention to the steps to obtain the best efficiency and avoid getting yourself injured.
No one is saying that you need to buy all the accessories available on the market that claim that they can make you a better lifter, prevent any accident, or allow you to increase the mass you are lifting. Yet, some of them can be really helpful in this situation. For instance, we advise that you wear a weight belt as it can be a real lifesaver if your back fails you during the movement. You can also use chalk as it makes your grip more secure but take into account that it is messy, and you will need to clean up after yourself.
Get started by positioning the bar on the lowest setting of the machine. This, in most cases, means letting it rest in the safety catches. If this is your first time trying a deadlift, we recommend doing the first reps only with the bar to get the hand of the process and only after adding a light load. You can increase the weight gradually as you become more experimented.
Tip: Don’t wear shorts. The bar will come in contact with your shins because this is just how the movement is, and you risk having your skin scraped.
Woman During Smith Cage Training Session
This is a piece of advice any beginner needs, but it always seems to be overlooked. You should always step on the other side of the bar and not try to do this type of workout while facing the machine. Make sure that you leave enough space between your shins and the rod so you don’t hit them. The recommended distance is between 0.5” and 1”. Here is how your body should be positioned:
Before lifting the bar, prepare yourself both physically and mentally as you are about to put a lot of effort into this action. Flex your knees and explode with the bar off the floor. Keep your back straight all this time.
As you get to this step, you need to make sure that your legs remain aligned. Do not step with one leg forward or backward, as this can cause you to become unbalanced. When your hips are forward again, clutch your buttocks to sustain the weight for a moment. Remember that form is crucial, and this study published in the Annals of Medicine supports our view that improper posture can lead to spine injury.
There are two versions of how you should accomplish this step: to either lower the bar slowly or fast. Well, they are both wrong. In fact, you need to focus on maneuvering the bar, and the speed should be moderate. To place the bar on the safety catches, follow the same instructions as in step #3.
Tip: Always place the rod on the safety catches and start again from a deadlift position. This leaves your body time to prepare for the next rep.
According to most trainers, the Smith machine is safe for deadlifts, but there is still room for error and injury. Here are some of the most prevalent mistakes beginners and sometimes even intermediate trainees do:
The main reason you should use a Smith cage for your deadlifts is safety. Since the rod’s path is always the same no matter if your posture is correct or not, and you have safety catches to stop it from falling uncontrollably and hitting you, you can focus on learning how to complete the movement optimally. Remember to stretch and consider using other strategies to increase strength in your body. Not only that this will help you avoid accidents but it will increase your capacity to do more reps. Follow the steps we have described and try to avoid the mistakes we have listed, and we guarantee you are bound to succeed.