What a Smith machine is, and what it is for
Picture an ordinary barbell with each end bolted into a carriage that slides along a vertical steel rail. That is the Smith machine. Each upright carries a column of slots, and small hooks on the bar drop into them when you rotate it, so you can park the bar at almost any height. Lower down, a pair of adjustable stops limits how far the bar can travel. On most machines the track runs straight up and down; on some it leans at a slight angle, and some carriages are counterbalanced so the empty bar feels lighter than it really is.
Because the rails take care of balance, all of your effort goes into moving the bar along its track. That makes the machine good at three jobs: working the legs or chest hard when nobody is around to spot you, isolating a muscle when balance would otherwise be the limit, and loading single-leg work such as split squats without wobbling. The trade-off is that the bar cannot follow your body. A barbell in a squat rack lets your hips, knees and trunk find their own path and makes the small stabilising muscles work; the Smith machine sets the path for you. Think of it as a tool to use alongside free weights, not a replacement for them. For the other stations on a typical gym floor, see the gym equipment guides.
Setting it up: track, hooks, stops and feet
- Check the track first. Slide the empty bar up and down and see whether it moves straight or on a slight slope. On an angled machine, decide which way to face before you load it, because the bar will drift towards or away from you as it travels.
- Practise the hooks with the bar empty. Grip it, rotate your hands until the hooks clear the slots, lift, then rotate back to lock it onto a lower slot. Repeat a few times so re-racking is automatic when you are tired.
- Set the safety stops just below the lowest point of your rep: a little under your squat depth, or a few centimetres above your chest for a press. If a rep fails, you lower the bar onto them and slide out.
- Choose the starting slot so you unhook from a strong position. For squats that is just below shoulder height, so you only straighten your legs slightly to take the bar; for presses it is where your arms are nearly straight.
- Place your feet or the bench. The bar cannot drift forwards with you, so on squats your feet usually sit a little in front of it, and a bench goes wherever the bar lines up with the part of the chest or hips the exercise targets.
- Load the plates evenly and fit collars. Start with the empty bar or a light load, even if you squat heavy elsewhere.
How much does the bar weigh? It depends on the machine. Smith bars differ between manufacturers, and a counterbalanced carriage can make the bar feel far lighter than a standard barbell. Look for a label on the frame or ask the staff. Either way, log your weights for that specific machine and keep them apart from your barbell numbers.
Exercises you can do on the Smith machine
Almost any barbell lift that travels up and down works on the rails. The ones below cover the legs, glutes, chest, shoulders and upper back; the step-by-step answers follow the table.
| Exercise | Main muscles |
|---|---|
| Smith machine squat | Quads, glutes, inner thighs |
| Smith machine bench press | Chest, front shoulders, triceps |
| Smith machine incline press | Upper chest, front shoulders |
| Smith machine hip thrust | Glutes, hamstrings |
| Smith machine split squat or reverse lunge | Quads, glutes |
| Smith machine shoulder press | Shoulders, triceps |
| Smith machine row and shrugs | Upper back, traps |
For the free-weight versions, see the back squat, bench press, incline bench press and hip thrust pages.
How to do a Smith machine squat
Hook the bar just below shoulder height and set the stops just under the deepest point you can reach with a neutral back. Rest the bar across your upper back with your feet about shoulder-width and a short step in front of it. Unhook, sit down between your heels with your knees tracking over your toes, and push the floor away to stand. Feet further forward shifts work to the hips; feet nearer the bar puts more on the quads.
How to do a Smith machine bench press and incline press
Slide a flat bench under the bar so it lowers to your lower chest, roughly level with the nipples, and set the stops a hand's width above that point. Grip a little wider than your shoulders, pull your shoulder blades together, plant your feet, and lower under control until the bar touches or nearly touches before pressing up. For the incline version, set an adjustable bench to a low incline and shift it until the bar meets your upper chest just below the collarbones.
How to do a Smith machine hip thrust
Sit with your upper back against the long edge of a bench and the padded bar resting in the crease of your hips. Set the stops a little below where the bar sits with your hips down, and place your feet flat, about hip-width, so your shins are vertical at the top. Unhook with your hips raised, lower them, then drive through your heels until your body is level from shoulders to knees, chin tucked. Unhooking in that position is awkward, so ask for help the first time.
How to do a Smith machine split squat
With the bar on your upper back, step one foot well ahead of the bar and the other behind you, back heel lifted. Set the stops a little below where the bar sits at the bottom. Lower straight down until the back knee is close to the floor, weight over the front foot, then stand. Finish one side before switching; a reverse lunge, stepping back on each rep, works the same way but needs more control.
How to do a Smith machine shoulder press
Sit on an upright bench placed so the bar passes just in front of your nose, with the stops around chin height. Grip slightly wider than your shoulders, brace, and keep your back on the pad as you lower the bar to chin level and press until your arms are straight. If your lower back peels away from the pad, the load is too heavy.
Smith machine or squat rack?
The question comes up in every gym, and the honest answer is that they do different jobs. A barbell in a squat rack goes wherever you move it, so every rep trains balance and coordination as well as strength. The Smith machine removes that demand. Use the rack when you want to build the barbell squat or bench press as a skill, and the Smith machine when you want to work a muscle hard with less to control.
| Smith machine | Squat rack with a barbell | |
|---|---|---|
| Bar path | Fixed by the rails, straight or slightly angled | Set by you, so it can suit your build |
| Balance demand | Low: the rails steady the bar | High: your trunk and hips steady it |
| Ending a set you cannot finish | Twist the bar onto any hook, or lower it to the stops | Lower it onto the rack's spotter arms or pins, or use a spotter |
| Comparing weights | Only on the same machine | Carries over between gyms and to strength tests |
| Learning curve | Short | Longer; coaching helps |
| Who it suits | People training alone near failure, glute and single-leg work, lifters coming back after a break | Anyone building barbell strength, or training for a lift or a sport |
Neither option removes all risk. A fixed track can push your body into a position it would not choose, and a loose barbell asks for skill you may not have yet. If your knees, hips or back hurt on either, stop and have it checked by a doctor or physiotherapist. For the barbell version and how to set up a rack, see the back squat page and the guide to choosing a gym with squat racks.
Two Smith machine sessions to try
Lower body and glutes
| Exercise | Sets × reps | How hard |
|---|---|---|
| Smith machine squat | 3 × 8–10 | Stop with two reps left |
| Smith machine split squat | 3 × 8–10 each leg | Two reps left on the weaker side |
| Smith machine hip thrust | 3 × 10–12 | Pause at the top; one or two reps left |
| Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 3 × 10 | Smooth reps, back flat throughout |
Upper-body push and pull
| Exercise | Sets × reps | How hard |
|---|---|---|
| Smith machine incline press | 3 × 8–10 | Stop with two reps left |
| Smith machine shoulder press | 3 × 8–10 | Back stays on the pad |
| Smith machine bench press | 2 × 10–12 | One or two reps left |
| Smith machine row | 3 × 10 | Pause with the bar at your ribs |
Rest about two minutes between the heavier sets and around a minute on the lighter ones. When every set reaches the top of its rep range, add the smallest plates available. The rest-between-sets calculator gives a starting point for your goal.
Mistakes on the Smith machine
| Mistake | What it looks like | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Feet directly under the bar on squats | Heels lift and the knees shoot forwards because the bar cannot move back | Step your feet a little in front of the bar until your heels stay down |
| Stops left at the bottom | They sit at their lowest setting, so they would never catch a failed rep | Set them just below your lowest point before every exercise |
| Bench in the wrong place | The bar comes down towards your neck or your stomach | Lie down and lower the empty bar before loading, then move the bench |
| Loading by feel, not by the reps | The bar feels steady, so the weight climbs and the range gets shorter | Pick a load you can take through the full range with two reps to spare |
| Unhooking from a weak position | The start slot is too high, so you begin on tiptoe or with bent arms | Drop the starting hook by one or two slots |
| Comparing numbers with the barbell | Expecting the same weight as your rack squat or bench | Keep a separate log for each machine |
The Smith machine at RPM
RPM's floor photos show squat racks with barbells and colour bumper plates, plate-loaded machines and flat benches, but not a Smith machine, so we do not claim one. If your programme depends on it, ask whether there is one, and in which section, on a free guided tour. A coach in a personal training session can set the stops, your foot position and a starting load with you on whichever bar your plan uses.
Questions, answered.
How much does a Smith machine bar weigh?
There is no single answer. The weight of the bar and carriage varies by manufacturer and model, and many machines are counterbalanced so the bar feels lighter than a standard barbell. Check the label on the frame or ask the staff, and track your progress on the same machine.
Is a Smith machine squat as good as a barbell squat?
It trains the legs and glutes hard and makes it easier to push close to failure on your own. It asks far less of your balance and trunk, and its numbers do not transfer to a barbell. Many programmes keep the barbell squat as the main lift and use the Smith machine for extra leg or glute work.
Which Smith machine exercises work the glutes?
The hip thrust, a split squat or reverse lunge with a long stride, and a squat with your feet set further forwards all load the glutes well. The glute exercises page shows how they fit into a full glute session.
Is the Smith machine good for beginners?
It can be a useful first step for squatting and pressing with a bar, because the hooks and stops let you end a set at any point. Learn the free-weight versions as well, ideally with a coach, so you also build the balance the machine does not train.