The Best Smith Machine Exercises

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Top Exercises

Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrugs
Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrugs
Beginner
Shoulder
Smith Machine
1. Stand under the Smith machine bar with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing away from the bar. 2. Position the bar behind your thighs, holding it with an overhand grip. 3. Lift your shoulders towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top. 4. Hold briefly, then slowly lower your shoulders back down.
Smith Machine Romanian Deadlifts
Smith Machine Romanian Deadlifts
Beginner
Hamstring
Smith Machine
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the bar across the front of your thighs with an overhand grip. 2. Hinge at your hips, keeping your back flat as you lower the bar down your legs. 3. Lower the bar until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. 4. Push through your heels to stand, extending your hips at the top.
Smith Machine Seated Calf Raises
Smith Machine Seated Calf Raises
Beginner
Bench
1. Sit on a bench with your knees bent under the Smith machine bar. 2. Position the bar across your thighs, just above your knees. 3. Place the balls of your feet on a weight plate, with your heels hanging off the edge. 4. Press through the balls of your feet to lift your heels as high as possible. 5. Slowly lower your heels back down below the level of the plate.
Smith Machine Wide-Stance Squats
Smith Machine Wide-Stance Squats
Beginner
Quadriceps
Smith Machine
1. Position the Smith machine bar across your shoulders, one step forward, and take a wide stance with your feet slightly turned out. 2. Hold the bar with an underhand grip. Engage your core, lift your chest, and unlock the bar. 3. Lower into a squat by bending your knees, keeping your back straight. 4. Continue descending until your thighs are parallel to the ground. 5. Push through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees fully.
Smith Machine Squats
Smith Machine Squats
Beginner
Quadriceps
Smith Machine
1. Stand under the Smith machine bar. Position it across your upper back, feet shoulder-width apart and then take one step forward. 2. Hold the bar with an underhand grip. Engage your core, lift your chest, and unlock the bar. 3. Lower into a squat by bending your knees, keeping your back straight and chest up. 4. Continue descending until your thighs are parallel to the ground. 5. Push through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees fully.
Smith Machine Bench Press
Smith Machine Bench Press
Beginner
Chest
Bench
1. Position a flat bench under the Smith machine bar. 2. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the ground, positioning the bar over your chest. 3. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 4. Lower the bar slowly to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows at 45° to your body. 5. Press the bar back up to the starting position.
Smith Machine Single Leg Calf Raises
Smith Machine Single Leg Calf Raises
Beginner
Weight Plate
1. Stand under the Smith machine, bar across your upper back, one foot on a weight plate and the other slightly off the ground. 2. Engage your core, keep your chest up, and unlock the bar from the safety catches. 3. Push through the ball of your foot to lift your heel as high as possible, balancing on your leg. 4. Slowly lower your heel back down below the level of the plate, feeling a stretch in your calf. 5. Complete the set and alternate sides.
Smith Machine Wider Bench Press
Smith Machine Wider Bench Press
Beginner
Chest
Bench
1. Position a flat bench under the Smith machine bar. 2. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the ground, the bar over your chest. 3. Grip the bar with your hands placed wider than shoulder-width apart. 4. Lower the bar slowly to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows at 45° to your body. 5. Press the bar back up, fully extending your arms without locking your elbows.
Smith Machine Lunges
Smith Machine Lunges
Beginner
Quadriceps
Smith Machine
1. Stand under the Smith machine with the bar across your upper back, feet in a staggered stance. 2. Engage your core, keep your chest up, and unlock the bar from the safety catches. 3. Lower your body by bending both knees until your bottom knee nearly touches the ground. 4. Push through your left heel to stand, fully extending your left leg. 5. Complete the set and alternate sides.
Smith Machine Hip Thrusts
Smith Machine Hip Thrusts
Beginner
Glute
Bench
1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, positioning the bar across your hips. 2. Grip the bar with an overhand grip to stabilize it and engage your core. 3. Push through your heels to lift your hips, extending until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. 4. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, holding for a brief moment. 5. Slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
Smith Machine Incline Bench Press
Smith Machine Incline Bench Press
Beginner
Chest
Incline Bench
1. Position an incline bench under the Smith machine bar at about 30-45°. 2. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the ground, and position the bar over your upper chest. 3. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, keeping your wrists straight. 4. Lower the bar slowly to your upper chest, keeping your elbows at 45° to your body. 5. Press the bar back up, fully extending your arms without locking your elbows.
Smith Machine Narrow Bench Press
Smith Machine Narrow Bench Press
Intermediate
Chest
Bench
1. Position a flat bench under the Smith machine bar. 2. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the ground, positioning the bar over your chest. 3. Grip the bar with your hands placed closer than shoulder-width apart. 4. Lower the bar slowly to your lower chest, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides. 5. Press the bar back up, fully extending your arms without locking your elbows.
Smith Machine Elevated Lunges
Smith Machine Elevated Lunges
Beginner
Quadriceps
Weight Plate
1. Stand under the Smith machine, bar across your upper back, one foot on a weight plate and the other in a lunge. 2. Engage your core, keep your chest up, and unlock the bar from the safety catches. 3. Lower your body by bending your knees until the knee of your lunging leg nearly touches the ground. 4. Push through your heel to return to the starting position. 5. Complete the set and alternate sides.
Smith Machine Front Squats
Smith Machine Front Squats
Intermediate
Quadriceps
Smith Machine
1. Stand under the Smith machine bar. Place the barbell across the front of your shoulders, feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Keep the bar with an underhand grip, elbows forward. Engage your core, keep your chest up, and unlock the bar. 3. Lower into a squat by bending your knees, keeping your back straight and chest up. 4. Continue descending until your thighs are parallel to the ground. 5. Push through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees fully.
Smith Machine Rows
Smith Machine Rows
Beginner
Back
Smith Machine
1. Stand facing the Smith machine bar, feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Set the bar just above knee height with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 3. Hinge at your hips, keeping your back flat, and lower your torso to about a 45-degree angle. 4. Engage your core and pull the bar to your upper abdomen with your elbows close to your body. 5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top, then slowly lower the bar back.
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Bench
1. Position a bench under the Smith machine bar. 2. Sit on the bench with your feet flat, and position the bar at shoulder height. 3. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, keeping your wrists straight. 4. Press the bar until your arms are fully extended but not locked at the elbows. 5. Slowly lower the bar back to shoulder height with control.
Smith Machine Shrugs
Smith Machine Shrugs
Beginner
Shoulder
Smith Machine
1. Stand under the Smith machine bar with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Position the bar across the front of your thighs, holding it with an overhand grip. 3. Lift your shoulders towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top. 4. Hold briefly, then slowly lower your shoulders back down.
Smith Machine Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows
Smith Machine Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows
Beginner
Back
Smith Machine
1. Stand facing the Smith machine bar, feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Set the bar just above knee height and grip it with an underhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 3. Hinge at your hips, keeping your knees slightly bent, and lower your torso until it's at about 45°. 4. Engage your core and pull the bar to your lower abdomen with your elbows close to your body. 5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top, then slowly lower the bar back.
Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squats
Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squats
Beginner
Quadriceps
Bench
1. Stand under the Smith machine, bar across your upper back, one foot forward and the other on a bench behind you. 2. Engage your core, keep your chest up, and unlock the bar from the safety catches. 3. Lower your body by bending your knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground or slightly lower. 4. Push through your heel to return to the starting position. 5. Complete the set and alternate sides.
Smith Machine Triceps Extension
Smith Machine Triceps Extension
Beginner
Triceps
Bench
1. Position an incline bench under the Smith machine bar at about 30-45°. 2. Sit on the bench with your feet flat, leaning back with the bar above your head. 3. Grip the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart. 4. Bend your elbows to lower the bar to your head, keeping them close to your ears. 5. Extend your arms fully to press the bar back up, returning it to the starting position.
Smith Machine Calf Raises
Smith Machine Calf Raises
Beginner
Weight Plate
1. Stand under the Smith machine bar, positioning it across your upper back. 2. Place the balls of your feet on a weight plate, with your heels hanging off the edge. 3. Engage your core, keep your chest up, and unlock the bar from the safety catches. 4. Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible. 5. Slowly lower your heels back down, feeling a stretch in your calves.

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