How Much Does Planet Fitness Smith Machine Bar Weigh? [2024]

Planet Fitness is a network of 2,000+ gyms across the U.S. and other countries. All the benefits of sports, fitness, and treatments are revealed with a Black Card Membership. However, not everyone is willing or able to pay for it every month.

One piece of equipment that is available to every Planet Fitness visitor even without a Black Card Membership is the Smith machine. It is a bar that is mounted on rails. They allow the bar to move vertically perpendicular to the ground or at slight angles.

The presence of special hooks on the bar allows the athlete to fix it at a certain height. All of this together helps beginners to learn to do the exercises correctly faster, and for professionals, due to the initial height of the bar, to pump the muscles more flexibly.

However, to do the exercises as effectively as possible, it is necessary to calculate the loads on the body correctly. When calculating the weight you need to consider the weight of the bar. Difficulties may arise at this point because not everyone knows how much it weighs. That is why in this article we described in detail how much a Planet Fitness Smith bar weighs, what affects its weight, and how to use it correctly. 

How Much Does a Planet Fitness Smith Machine Bar Weigh?

Bar Smith machines do not have a fixed weight. It varies from 6 to 45 lbs. However, some bars can weigh more than 45 pounds. We have the answer to what it depends on, but before that let’s look at everything in more detail and get to the bottom of it! 

The average Smith’s machine bar weight is 15-25 lbs. It varies because these devices while having a standardized design, may have different parts. For example, Smith machines have a balancer that can have different weights. Also, the rails come in different stroke lengths. 

Also, bars are made of different materials with different length. There is no uniform standard for them, so manufacturers choose different materials and lengths. It directly affects the bar weight. Therefore, each Smith machine has a different bar weight.

As for Planet Fitness, they use Hammer Strength Smith machines which have a bar that weighs 20 lbs.

Trainer’s Tip: Why is It Important to Know the Weight of a Smith Machine Bar?

We asked a Planet Fitness trainer why it’s important to know the bar weight and he gave us two tips.

📏Know the exact starting weight for the exercise. It is necessary both for beginners and professionals. Every time you add more weights, you need to know the exact weight of the bar so that you are not overweight or underweight. It can lead to less effective workouts or muscle strain/overweight.

📈 Progressive overloading. It is an approach to increasing the weight during which you add it as a percentage. In this case, it is critical to know the exact weight of both the bar and the weight. Slightly inaccurate calculations can result in a significant total load increase because you are adding weight as a percentage. For example, you press 150 pounds and an increase of 10 pounds will give you a total of 160. A 10% increase will give you 165 pounds. It seems like an insignificant difference, but the error will grow progressively in the aftermath.

How do I Calculate the Weight of a Planet Fitness Smith Machine Bar?

You can ask the trainer if you could not find a bar weight not listed on the Smith machine. However, in case he will not know, you can try to measure by hand. We offer you 2 ways and both using scales. Remember, that you can find scales in any gym. You just need to ask the trainer or administrator if you can use them to measure the bar or ask for their help.

Floor scales. Take a regular floor scale, and place it on a box or other elevated surface directly under the bar. Then lower the bar until it rests on the scale and record its weight. If you don’t have something similar to a box at hand, you can measure the weight by yourself. Stand on the scale, place the bar on your shoulders, and record the weight. Next, take off the bar and subtract the second weight from the first one.

Hanging scale. Catch the hook of the scale onto the bar, remove the rail locks, and hold the scale over the bar. The scale will keep the bar from falling and show you the most accurate weight.

Can I Remove a Bar from a Smith Machine?

Another way to measure the smith machine’s bar weight might be to remove the bar and put it on the scale but it is impossible. Unfortunately, the design does not allow for changing or removing the bar. It is securely mounted in the rails and it is simply impossible to remove it without damaging the Smith machine’s construction.

What Does Affect the Weight of a Smith Machine Bar?

Smith machines at Planet Fitness do not just have such an intricate design. They are designed with engineering solutions that not only make exercises both easier and more effective but also reduce the bar weight. It is possible because of three factors, which we will describe below.

📈 The bar material. Compared to the bars that were created according to Olympic standards, the bar of a Smith machine is made of lighter metal. However, its max load is not inferior to Olympic bars and reaches 600-700 pounds.

📈 Rail angle. No lower-weight bars are made for the angle rails of the Smith machine. The point here is that the angle allows you to move with the bar more naturally. It makes the weight feel less. For example, a 12-degree angle is comparable to making the bar 1 to 2 pounds lighter.

📈 Counterbalance. Machines with a counterweight have no lighter bars than those without one. However, its presence makes it easier to move when returning to the starting position. The counterweight prevents the bar from moving up sharply after the lowest position.

Is There a Difference in Weight Between a Regular and a Smith Machine Bar?

Yes, regular and Smith machine bars differ in weight. The weight of the Smith machine and regular (or Olympic) bars differ by 20-30 pounds. It is because Olympic and regular bars have a fixed weight of 45 pounds and Smith machine bars weigh 15-25 pounds. It is important to note that Olympic standard bars are used in Smith machines, but such devices are specially labeled.

What is the Starting Weight of a Smith Machine?

The initial weight of the Smith machine is the weight of its bar. However, it is also worth taking into account the angle of inclination of the rails, because the natural angle of inclination makes it easier to move the bar and makes its weight feel less. 

These indicators are necessary to avoid overloading the exerciser and its further breakdown. Below we have made a table of the most popular Smith machines and indicated their starting weight and maximum load.

Name	Bar weight	Rail angle	Max load
Hammer Strength Smith Machine (Planet Fitness)	20 lbs (9 kgs)	7-degree	650 lbs (295 kgs)
Life Fitness Signature Series Smith Machine	20 lbs (9 kgs)	7-degree	630 lbs (285 kgs)
Cybex Smith Machine	15 lbs (7 kgs)	7-degree	555 lbs (251 kgs)
Hoist Smith Machine	25 lbs (12 kgs)	7-degree	540 lbs (245 kg)
Precor Smith Machine	15 lbs (7 kgs)	7-degree	600 lbs (272 kgs)
Star Trac Smith Machine	15 lbs (7 kgs)	0-degree	500 lbs (227 kgs)

Summary

At Planet Fitness, in addition to fitness and treatments, you can do exercise on the Smith machines. It has rails in which the barbell moves freely and it allows you to exercise properly without putting unnecessary strain on your back and other muscle groups. Also, additional hooks allow you to fix the bar position at a certain height. You can load certain muscle groups during your workout.

However, the weight of the Smith barbell machine at Planet Fitness is just as important. It is necessary to accurately calculate the weight of the load and prevent injury or machine breakage. Therefore, in this article, we have mentioned how much a Smith machine bar in Planet Fitness weighs, what affects its weight, why it is necessary to know this, and what the starting weight of other Smith machines is.

💪 Work out your body using this knowledge!

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