Thread: Smith Machine vs Free Bench Press

If you can do X amount of weight on a smith machine bench press, how much can you do on a Free weight bench press?

There's no formula because your technique determines the force loss specific to you, and may vary even based on the weight.

Assuming you have theoretically perfect technique in both, the Smith will be lower because of increased resistance in the sliding mechanism. In practice, this is impossible because no one benches without some degree of lateral movement, nor force loss in the rack.

To be honest, I found myself being able to lift more on a Smith Machine than free weights. I know there are studies saying opposite but this is just from personal experience.

But I have only used it for squats (now use squat rack).

Yeah, the point is that everyone benches more in the rack because you don't lose anything to lateral movement ("balancing the weight.") Since the bar is locked in, your max on the machine will be somewhere between the "max" of your stronger side and the "max" of your weaker side. If you have a free bar, then you're limited by what your weaker side can accomplish, plus the challenge of restricting lateral movement.

I mean, Jesus Christ, who doesn't intuitively know this?