Arghhhhh Smith Machine!!!!

[zammy]

Yesterday I finally decided to give Stronglifts a go, spent a few days reading the book and was all excited and ready to go.....but then i go to the gym..and realise they only have a damn smith machine!!!!

I know the purists outs there will say to find a new gym, but having signed a contract i wont be able to leave yet.
Do i carry on with the Stronglifts program (i know the answer will be no, as i wont be able to do squats, bench and overhead properly) or do i find another program to use.
I am a beginner and the stronglifts looked perfect to get me started

[blindprop]

You could ask the gym manager if there was any chance of getting a rack in. Unfortunately, I don't think it will be very successful. All I can say is prepare a pitch and really try and sell it.

Does the gym have olympic barbells?

[comanight2]

what? they dont have benches or bars either?

[zammy]

Its a newly refurbised council gym so i think i will be on to a losing battle trying to get new equipment installed. It does have benches and bars but i dont feel confident in doing things like the bench/squat without some safety mechanism, plus i dont have a "spotter". I go to the gym quite late when there is hardly anyone there and dont think i could ask anyone to spot as wouldnt want to hassle them everytime im at the gym

[comanight2]

Get a member of the staff to spot you, or use dumb bells for the bench - i did that when i started

as for squatting you can do a couple of things,

No Squat Rack, No Problem. Squat Variations - YouTube

There is also a variation where you leave the bar on the floor and lift it behind you...cant remember what its called though...anyone?

Also, the word can't doesn't really exist.. there is always another way...

[Pkant2002]

Quote

Get a member of the staff to spot you, or use dumb bells for the bench - i did that when i started

as for squatting you can do a couple of things,

No Squat Rack, No Problem. Squat Variations - YouTube

There is also a variation where you leave the bar on the floor and lift it behind you...cant remember what its called though...anyone?

Also, the word can't doesn't really exist.. there is always another way...

Really nice video, had a go at that pistol squat and my balance sucks haha stacked in the middle of my living room just as my house mate came in lol. Also that final variation to get the bar to chest height looks really clever. Nice video

[SquatKing]

Quote

There is also a variation where you leave the bar on the floor and lift it behind you...cant remember what its called though...anyone?

Hack Squat.

[stronglikewood]

You could just do it all on the smith machine of course.

[elmo322]

lol there is no way you could easily do heavy zercher squats as they kill your arms, why not just use the smith machine? You will need squat stands or some kind of rack so maybe think about getting one at home you can easily set your self up for £150 or less for a bar and stands / half rack.

[Odevans]

You will actually find that DB bench will actually give you a big chest, much quicker than BB bench. There are many variations of every exercise.

You could always not do stronglifts?

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