Training With Mr Smith

By Ryan Kelly

You know, I think the reason many people don't push themselves in life in general is a fear of failure. Many people have the mentality that it is better not to try than to try and fail. When doing strength training, however, this mentality will only cripple your ability to reach your fitness goals. I cannot count the number of times I have dropped a weight because I pushed myself a bit too hard. You have to be willing to constantly push yourself to lift more than you did last week in order to grow!

However, if you are lifting a weight that you think you might not be able to handle, you need to have a spotter! That, or use a machine. The smith machine is good for this, as it has safety hooks on the sides. When using the smith machine, always make sure to hook the safety hooks to a level that you determine BEFORE you start lifting. Use the bar with no weight on it to determine the appropriate position for the latches.

The smith machine is also very versatile, able to assist in almost any exercise if you are clever enough. Although some purists refuse to use the smith machine because it seems to be less taxing than equivalent free weight moves, it is a very valuable tool for pushing yourself past failure. Just make sure to use the safety hooks and use a weight that forces you to surpass your current limitations. Enjoy your training with Mr. Smith!

Ryan is a 275 pound natural bodybuilder from Arizona. He runs the Muscle Building Section of Good E-Books.com, where he lists his favorite books for building muscle mass. Visit http://www.goode-books.com/gainmuscle.html today to see Ryan's picks!