Just wonder
I’ve heard a few times from peoples with large experience in the field that using free weights are safer then machines.
Like, risk to get injure goes up with how much the movement is fixed.
For example bench press from safer to not safer:
1) dumbbells press
2) barbell press
3) smith machine press
4) machine press
Kind of strange theory, what do you think?

It’s a two sided coin for me these days. I am strong enough to handle heavy DB’s (120lbs+), but getting them into position has become difficult and potentially dangerous so I do not bother. I remember that is why I did away with seated DB press, because I really jerked my shoulder with some 90’s attempting to get them in place. This was not a problem when I was a beginner.

On the other hand I have seen very few injuries in the gym, but the few minor injuries I have seen involved squatting and the smith machine.

Just wonder
I’ve heard a few times from peoples with large experience in the field that using free weights are safer then machines.
Like, risk to get injure goes up with how much the movement is fixed.
For example bench press from safer to not safer:
1) dumbbells press
2) barbell press
3) smith machine press
4) machine press
Kind of strange theory, what do you think?

I think when you say injury , i think you are talking about chronic injuries when using machines. Injuries that accumulates over time and are directly related to the lifting. What Jim wrote is more of an accident and not directly related to lifting. It’s especially true when you do incline dumbell presses and shoulder presses.

Smith machine press might be a candidate but there is no evidence or any biological basis to make that claim. People talk about “pattern overload” and “how machine puts you in a groove”, but those are just vague comments which adds nothing to the debate. I think the problem is people get too confident on a machine and go for some real heavy weights.

And Doggcrap is mostly machines. They tend to avoid dumbells and bench press because of the risk of injury.

anoopbal - 04 March 2010 01:20 PM

I think when you say injury , i think you are talking about chronic injuries when using machines. Injuries that accumulates over time and are directly related to the lifting.

Yes.

anoopbal - 04 March 2010 01:20 PM

Smith machine press might be a candidate but there is no evidence or any biological basis to make that claim. People talk about “pattern overload” and “how machine puts you in a groove”, but those are just vague comments which adds nothing to the debate.

exactly those sentences

anoopbal - 04 March 2010 01:20 PM

And Doggcrap is mostly machines. They tend to avoid dumbells and bench press because of the risk of injury.

Yes. How can I forget!!!

Thanks for clear this out, Anoop