Love them.

Some "purists" complain about the lack of true motion and the lack of stabilizer muscles involved, but I'm more worried about the benefit of not crushing my skull. :)

Works great for me depending on the exercise.

Only in the broadest possible definition. Obesity/being overweight is statistically the number one factor in developing conditions that will lead to your death. If you aren't dropping pounds, you aren't helping yourself at all.

I hate them because they feel unnatural. There are better ways to not kill yourself when lifting heavy weight by yourself that's even safer than a smith machine.

Its a close enough simulation for me, but what other ways are you talking about? I suppose mounting stops on my rack under my bar rack, but the lift off is tough and range of motion is still restricted.

Rack. Chains.

Why would the lift off be any different from a regular bench? Just rack it high.

Because my rack is part of my smith machine and it angles back. I have to roll the bar forward and lift it off of the stops. If i use a straight lift off and i hit the stops.
Never used a chain system, I'll have to check that out.

Ouch! That sucks.

For anything besides flat bench or squats it does suck and is ouch on the shoulders. Incline and decline are possible, but not if I want to go heavy.

This isn't mine, but is exactly like this.

http://www.orangedove.net/images/630_ig-01.jpg

This.

I'm not fat. I'm out of shape. I'm 6'3" 200 when I'd rather be 185/190...and before I was doing that with no exercise other than flag football on Mondays.

Doing my 30 minute interval treadmill will accomplish that goal alone...I just wanted some ideas about some lifts to do to supplement that routine 3 or 4 days a week.

Run 6 days, lift after running 3 days a week.

Someone finally gave me 5 good lifts. That makes me happy.

I'm 27.

When I was 22 I was probably about 190...so my roommate and I went to the gym every day for 3 straight months; no drinking. Diet remained poor but like I said, I've never been an overeater, I eat two meals a day, don't snack...so it is what it is.

Anyways...I did lifts with him in reps of 5...several per day...we weren't super aggressive but I didn't do a lot of cardio then and when I went on vacation I had almost zero fat and, in all honesty, was pretty cut.

And I never pushed myself to the max...I always felt good and accomplished after a workout but never went gung ho. I just went every day.

That's where I'm trying to get today...but instead of lifting, I'm doing it primarily with cardio. I have a good metabolism and feel like with the cardio regimen alone 6 days a week I'll easily drop the 10-15 lbs.

All I'm trying to do is supplement...I'm not trying to get a professional workout, which is why (along with cost) I chose Planet "we have pizza parties on Mondays" Fitness.

if I were super muscular, I'd want to be 6'3" 220. So being 6'3" 200 makes me appear to be more fit than I really am...and that's what I'm working on now. Tone. I am not trying to be the super strong guy, even though one of my fitness guru friends is baffled because he tells me I have the build to pull it off...I just don't think I have the work ethic or desire. I do not like the "gym rats" who wear beaters and chuck weights all over the place. Those are the people I make fun of.

though if I could be the super witty, savvy guy with the meathead body as well I guess I wouldn't complain

:popcorn: