With an overhand grip and hands a bit further than shoulder-width apart, remove the bar from the rack and hold it with arms outstretched over your chest. The lack of barbells at Planet Fitness is a real bummer, but the gym does have a pretty decent stock of heavy dumbbells: Up to 75 or 80 pounds, in most places. The incline barbell bench press is a military press alternative that … . Let’s talk about why Planet Fitness doesn’t have a bench press. Smith machines also take … Here’s a brief run-through of how to do the bench press: Fortunately, you don’t need a proper bench press set-up to do a bench press variation, though this is the “gold standard.”. In other words, the Smith machine can be described as a power rack with a barbell on a fixed track. With proper form, it can also activate glutes as well. It’s a decent set-up, but clearly not designed for serious lifters like yourself. When you have a bench press or a squat rack in any gym, you’re also going to draw in a crowd of serious lifters. LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. For example, a Smith Machine, along with a barbell, weights, and a bench will allow you to perform a full strength-training workout. Planet Fitness Caters to the Non-Athletes, Bench Press Alternatives at Planet Fitness. any of the products or services that are advertised on the web site. Planet Fitness Caters to the Non-Athletes At some point, Planet Fitness did have at least a squat rack and even a bench press … advertisements are served by third party advertising companies. Copyright Policy Most Planet Fitness locations have at least two or three Smith machines where you can crank out everything from squats and deadlifts to bench presses and calf raises. The Smith machine is the closest you’ll get to the real bench press at Planet Fitness. Your abs and obliques have to work hard to keep your spine stable. used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Here’s a step-by-step blueprint showing you how to shred body fat and build noticeable muscle definition in the next 2 weeks. Body-Solid Powerline Smith Machine. If your workout calls for Smith machine overhead presses, you can perform barbell or dumbbell shoulder presses instead. Exhale deeply and push the bar directly upward until you’re back in your starting position. Smith machine bench press alternatives Smith machine incline press Performing the incline Smith machine press is the best way to improve a lagging upper chest because you can devote 100% of … Smith Machine Incline Bench Press Doing the incline bench press is a great alternative to push-ups because it really targets the muscles at a different angle. Another glaring issue with having this type of equipment in a gym like Planet Fitness is safety. Some of our Smith Machines … Most guys opt for the dumbbell bench press in place of the standard bench at PF. The bulk of Planet Fitness members are brand new to exercise and have little to no experience with free weight barbells. You might use the Smith machine to perform overhead presses, especially if you are trying to lift very heavy weight without a spotter. What are Smith machine squat alternatives? Engage your abdominal muscles and keep the shoulders pulled down your back as you press the bar up and overhead, extending the elbows fully. … If your workout calls for Smith machine overhead presses, you can perform barbell or dumbbell shoulder presses instead. Planet Fitness is a wildly popular gym chain with over 2,000 locations across the U.S. (and four other nations) and more than 10 million members worldwide. To get rounded and bulky shoulders, you really need to be hitting all areas of your … That means no dropping weights, no water jugs, no tank tops, and no free weight barbells—all of which can be intimidating if lifting doesn’t consume your life. This increases injury risk. Why Doesn’t Planet Fitness Have a Bench Press? Any movement that involves pushing weight overhead also targets these muscle groups. The complexity of a quality barbell bench press is often overlooked since it seems like such a simple movement at the outset. Lie down on the bench and plant your feet on the floor on either side of the bench… Lower the bar down in a straight line toward your chest until your arms hit about a 45-degree-angle. Rather than tailoring the atmosphere toward gym rats pumping iron and setting PRs, Planet Fitness is a gym for the average Joe. Smith Machine Bench Press Benefits — Doing What is Best For You. Place a bench in the centre of the Smith machine, underneath the bar. You can also do the bench press with a standalone barbell, two dumbbells, a Smith machine, or a bench press machine. Choose dumbbells that are heavy enough to fatigue you in eight to 12 repetitions. The solution to avoiding this predicament, of course, is to use much less weight than you would in a conventional bench press, and to use a spotter. The bench press is one of the critical compound exercises that target the upper body “push” muscles, specifically the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Powerlifting moves like squats, bench press… Football Bar Press. Stand in a staggered stance – one foot forward the other slightly back – and grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower the bar back to the starting position, parallel to the collarbone, to complete one repetition. A dumbbell set and a bench can get the job done, but bringing one of these bad boys into the equation can really step up your workout game. Privacy Policy Whether that means light … Bulgarian split squats. , So PF isn’t the best place to try a program for getting shredded. Sit on a workout bench with a vertical backrest, holding one dumbbell in each hand at your sides. The Barbarian and Megatec smith machines come with a built in half racks, that allows you to switch from free weight bench press into 45 degree incline smith machine press or a decline chest press. The Smith machine overhead press can be done from a standing or seated position. Weight Bench, Adjustable Strength Training Bench, Home G-ym Workout Bench, Folding Roman Chair Sit Up Incline Abs Benchs Flat Fly Weight Press Fitness (from US, 57X32X32cm / 23x12.6x12.6in) … In lieu of a spotter, you could employ a Smith Machine… See More Reviews. CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON. 2020 Return to the bent-elbow position with the upper arms parallel to the floor to complete one repetition. $10/month for a gym is cheap and having this equipment makes it a “steal.”. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the LIVESTRONG.COM Now, if you’re brand new to lifting, using this 60-pound barbell on the flat bench at Planet Fitness is a great way to begin building your upper body push muscles. They have free pizza on the first Monday of the month, and free bagels on the second Tuesday of the month (probably not the best way to go about carb-loading). Leaf Group Ltd. In my gym there is no incline barbell bench press. Read more about standing cable chest press. Jess is a freelance writer with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science from The College of New Jersey. Choose a weighted barbell that will fatigue your muscles in eight to 12 repetitions. Adding a Smith machine can elevate your home gym to a whole new level. Instead, the average Planet Fitness location will have countless rows of cardio equipment, strength training machines, dumbbells up to 80 pounds, and a few adjustable benches. Look for cable or plate-loaded machines that put you in a seated position with bars or handles to press overhead. Moreover, we do not select every advertiser or advertisement that appears on the web site-many of the It should not be All it takes is a beginner dropping the bar on their chest or tipping the bar and having plates roll into other gym-goers to cause a severe injury and a loss of millions in revenue. The fixed nature of the barbell makes heavier weight easier to control than dumbbells or a barbell. A substantial piece of equipment, the Smith machine … and Fortunately, Planet Fitness does have Smith machines, pre-loaded barbells, and dumbbells weighing up to 75 pounds, so you do have alternatives despite not having a real bench set-up. Here are some bench press alternatives for a good workout at Planet Fitness. That last point—the lack of a bench press—makes the $10/month Planet Fitness membership virtually useless for anyone serious about bulking up or weightlifting, in general. These are usually in 10-pound increments up to 60 pounds. A personal trainer, run coach, group fitness instructor and master yoga teacher, she also holds certifications in holistic and fitness nutrition. Incline Barbell Bench Press. A seated position, even when using free weights, affords you more control. Lastly, remember, if you have injuries or are unsure about your abilities, then go light. Andrea Boldt has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years. Sure, you could put your legs on a raised surface to mix up the angle for push-ups, but you can also just use an incline bench … How to: Smith Machine Bench Press Primary Muscles Used:Chest, Pecs Exercise Families:Horizontal Push Equipment:Smith Machine, Bench Trainer:Chontel Duncan Set the height of the Smith machine bar to approximately belly button height. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. Bench Press Alternatives 1. … No god no hell no all of the expletives, no. We are reader-supported. 5 Best Roman Chairs & Hyperextension Benches to Buy, An Aesthetic Arm Workout for Bigger Biceps & Triceps, 17+ Statistics on Healthy Eating & Nutrition in America, 5 Best Bodybuilding Supplements for an Aesthetic Body, Lyle McDonald’s Generic Bulking Routine (Explained). Smith machines lock your shoulders into a particular, and often unnatural range of motion. It’s a plate loaded resistance machine. She is now certified in Personal Training, Group Fitness, and Sports Nutrition and contributes health and fitness knowledge to websites like Noob Gains. At just $10/month, it’s also one of the most affordable gyms in America. A substantial piece of equipment, the Smith machine is not available in every fitness facility or home gym. Press the dumbbells up until your elbows are fully extended, keeping your wrists straight and your back pressing into the bench. You just have to be willing to get a little creative and give up the standard bench press that you know too well. Bench presses are great exercise movements as they seriously work out your triceps, shoulders, and chest. At some point, Planet Fitness did have at least a squat rack and even a bench press or two in some of its fitness center locations. She had dedicated over three years to the educational field as a health and physical education teacher before deciding to pursue a career in the fitness industry. … Copyright © The only downside to using the Smith machine for the bench press is that it forces you to rely on the machine more than you should. Raise your arms up and out to the side so your elbows form 90-degree angles and your upper arms are parallel to the floor. And nothing keeps Planet Fitness members coming back more to squeeze in a workout than the feeling that they’re not working out at a typical gym rat oasis. The smith machine bench press is a safe and secure way to progress your lifting capabilities. A bench press in a gym where very few people have experience lifting can also be a potential safety hazard and trigger lawsuits if accidents were to happen. This bench press alternative is done standing, so it more closely replicates things like punching and throwing. In this video I will talk about how you can get a big chest using the smith machine. The material appearing on LIVESTRONG.COM is for educational use only. This is another exercise that looks nothing like the leg press but is actually a … You can target these muscles with exercises that don't include the Smith machine. Planet Fitness doesn’t have a bench press because this gym chain is specifically for the average person, not the serious bodybuilder. Most machines are designed to assist you in workouts that can be done with barbells and free weights. If your workout facility has other shoulder press machines, you could use these as an alternative to a Smith machine overhead press as well. Filed Under: Gain Muscle Tagged With: bench press, planet fitness. March 9, 2016 / By Tom Traditional Flat Bench Press – Photo By: Lance Goyke. The alternative to bench press exercises would be to perform exercises on a chest press machine. It’s hard … Also known as the “Judgement Free Zone,” Planet Fitness has a bit of a unique client base. You’ll still be hitting your pecs directly, but the Smith machine’s control system means your stabilizing muscles get left out, which can stall growth. Terms of Use The barbell slides along these rails, providing more control than you get with an unfixed barbell. The bench press and squat rack’s removal put even more distance between Planet Fitness and places like Gold’s Gym. Smith Machine Bench Press. These machines keep you in a fixed plane of motion, which is helpful for beginners trying to learn proper form and control. 7 Best Smith Machine Squat Alternatives; 5 Ways to Make Tricep Dips Harder; 5 Great Bench Press Alternatives. As such, this type of equipment also comes with substantial insurance policies that would nearly ruin the steady stream of income that Planet Fitness pulls in every year. The Smith machine overhead press works your shoulders and triceps. Well, with these exercises you can skip the queues and get to work building that bigger chest, with these effective bench press alternatives. The Smith machine overhead press works your shoulders and triceps. Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the floor and your eyes just below the rack supporting the barbell. Upright Row. As such, having gear like a bench press, squat rack, or power rack is intimidating to the typical Planet Fitness member and only encourages “lunks” to overrun the gym. As an added benefit, this exercise also involves your core. If you’re still a die-hard for using a bar of some sort, then get your hands on a … Like everything in life, it comes down to money. Smith Machine in Strength Training: Pros & Cons What is the Smith machine? The Smith machine can be used for most barbell exercises, including squats and chest presses. The LIVESTRONG Foundation and LIVESTRONG.COM do not endorse These workouts include back squats, front squats, bench press, and shoulder press. The Smith machine consists of a barbell fixed on two vertical steel rails. Attempting a bench press that’s too heavy or not using a spotter is a lawsuit waiting to happen, especially for a gym that only charges members $10 a month to keep their membership. • The one-arm Smith-machine bench press is a compound move for chest and is best done toward the beginning of the routine. Muscles worked: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core Everyone queuing at the bench press … Though Planet Fitness doesn’t have loadable barbells like your run-of-the-mill gym, most locations do have a small rack of pre-loaded barbells. You may be curious about the mechanics behind the chest press machine versus a bench press. There are many alternatives to smith machine like you find in large chain workout facilities. And since Planet Fitness caters to the 85% of people who don’t obsess over their gains, keeping this equipment meant potentially discouraging customers from keeping their memberships. If for some reason you cannot work on Smith machine, this exercise has several alternatives, equally effective replacements with other squats: Jefferson; Zercher; classic – with a barbell; on one leg; hack squats. In fact, using free weights will stimulate the secondary muscles even more than the Smith machine because you must hold the weights in a fixed plane without the machine's assistance. The Smith machine is weight training equipment that consists of a barbell which is fixed within steel rails. … Deadlift and leg press … Chest Press Machine: The chest press machine is an excellent alternative to the one-arm Smith press…