Smith machine: how to use it properly

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Check that the bar hooks rotate properly and that the bar slides smoothly on the rails.
2. Set the safety stops or hooks at a height where the bar won’t pin you down if you have to drop it.
3. Choose your starting position based on the exercise (bench for presses, floor for hip thrusts, standing for squats and split squats).
4. Load the bar with plates on each side evenly and add collars if they’re available.
5. Get under or behind the bar, grab your grip, and lift it slightly so you can unhook it by rotating the bar.

How to do it

1. Set the bar to the right height for your exercise before loading it (for example above chest level for bench press, around shoulder height for squats).
2. Get into your starting position, with your back well set on the bench or your stance stable on the floor, depending on the exercise.
3. Lift the bar, rotate it to clear the hooks, and take a second to stabilize before starting the movement.
4. Lower the bar under control, always keeping tension and staying within a range of motion that feels right for you.
5. Drive the bar back up at a controlled speed, without bouncing or jerking, following the guided path of the machine.
6. At the end of your set, bring the bar all the way up, rotate it toward the hooks, and make sure it’s locked in before you let go.

Common mistakes

• Ignoring the safety stops

  Instead : Before each set, check where the safeties are and set them just below your full range of motion, especially for squats, split squats and presses.

• Bar set at the wrong height

  Instead : Take a short moment before loading the bar to adjust its height to your body so you don’t have to twist yourself to unrack or rack it.

• Dropping too fast on the way down

  Instead : Always control the lowering phase, aiming for about 2 to 3 seconds. The machine guides the bar, but you still need to brake the movement.

• Loading only one side properly

  Instead : Add plates in pairs, one on each side of the bar. Before you start a set, quickly look at both sides to make sure they match.

Coach tips

• Breathe steadily: inhale as you lower the bar, exhale as you press or stand back up.
• Use the fixed path to focus on your technique, especially if you’re learning a movement like the squat or bench press.
• If you’re training heavy by yourself, always set the safeties a bit higher and stop your set as soon as your form starts to break down.
• Start with lighter weight to get used to the specific angle and feel of the Smith machine in your gym, since it can vary from one machine to another.

Variations

• You can use the same Smith machine for squats, split squats, bench or incline presses, shoulder presses and hip thrusts.
• By changing your foot position under the bar (further forward or closer in), you can change how the movement feels on the Smith machine.
• You can also sit on a bench to do shoulder presses on the Smith machine, with the bar coming down in front of you.

Exercises on this machine

• Smith machine bench pressChest
• Smith machine hip thrustGlutes
• Smith machine incline pressChest
• Smith machine shoulder pressShoulders
• Smith machine split squatQuadriceps · Glutes
• Smith machine squatQuadriceps · Glutes

Common questions