Yes, a smith machine makes the weight feel lighter because the guided bar path reduces stabilization demands and the counterbalance system offsets some of the bar’s weight.
1. Guided Bar Path
The smith machine stabilizes the bar on rails, which means you don’t need to balance it in all directions. This reduced need for stabilization can make the same load feel easier compared to free weights. This is both a strength and a weakness of the smith machine. For more details, check out the article "Benefits of Smith Machines".
2. Counterbalanced Bars
Many smith machines have a counterbalance system. This uses pulleys and hidden weights to offset the bar’s true weight. For example, a 45 lb bar may only feel like 15–25 lbs when unloaded. This is one reason why smith machine lifts often feel lighter. In our article "How Much Does a Smith Machine Bar Weigh," we list the bar weights for different brands and models. If you’re unsure about your machine’s bar weight, you can look it up there.
3. Rail Design
The bar travels along fixed vertical or slightly angled rails (usually 5–7°). While this doesn’t drastically change the load, it ensures consistent movement and removes the extra work of controlling bar path. Typically, a 5–7° rail angle reduces the load by only about 1%.
Conclusion
The plates themselves don’t weigh less, but the smith machine can make lifts feel lighter due to stability support and counterbalancing. That’s why many people find they can lift more weight on a smith machine than with free weights. You can convert your smith machine weight to free weight by this Smith Machine Weight Caculator.
FAQ
Is Smith Machine Easier?
Yes, a smith machine is easier than free weights because the fixed bar path reduces stabilization demands and the counterbalance offsets the bar weight.
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