Blog

Oct 07, 2023

How to Use a Smith Machine: Benefits, Exercises, and Risks

The Smith machine is an effective way to increase strength and build muscle.

The Smith machine is an effective way to increase strength and build muscle. While it won't prevent all exercise-related injuries, Smith machines can help increase the safety and stability of weight training sessions.

Smith machines — those hefty pieces of weight equipment with a barbell fixed into a rack of steel rails — can be intimidating. But these nifty strength training machines are actually pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it! They can also help take your workouts to the next level, especially if you lift alone.

Keep reading for the inside scoop on how to use a Smith machine safely and effectively.

Imagine a tall rack that's specially designed to hold a barbell in place on a vertical plane. The frame even includes pegs to lock the bar into place if lifters need to pause and take a breather mid-press. That, friends, is a Smith machine!

Folks use Smith machines to work all the major muscle groups. They’re popular for a few reasons:

Research also suggests that lifting with a Smith can increase strength and muscle size at a similar pace to lifting free weights or lifting on a wobble board.

So, how do you use a Smith machine? Here's the 411 on how to use a Smith machine to pump up your glutes, traps, and more.

Here's how to complete this classic move on a Smith machine:

Wanna take your squats to the next level? Try a Smith-spotted split squat. Just know that research suggests extra stabilization from equipment can decrease your body's frontal plane muscle activation.

If you’re already a pro at bodyweight hip thrusts, it might be time to add some weight. The Smith machine is a great way to do this.

Here's the 411 on this classic burner for pecs and triceps.

Let's work those deltoids! Just remember to keep your back as flat against the bench back as possible.

There's a lot to be done with a Smith machine. This workhorse act as a spotter and stabilizer for dozens of exercises, from lunges and squats to shoulder presses and even deadlifts.

Almost any type of lifting exercise can be performed with a Smith machine. The main drawback is that having a machine stabilize moves into one plane means your body's stabilizer muscles don't have to work so hard.

Safer? Absolutely. But using a Smith machine for all your lifting could make it easy to slack on your body control.

A Smith machine can increase safety and stability, but that doesn't mean it's foolproof. Avoid making mistakes on the Smith machine.

Weight training with or without a Smith machine comes with a risk of injury. A recent year-long study of U.S. Army soldiers found that approximately 4.5 percent of the men and 0.6% of the women experienced a lifting-related injury.

Fortunately, training with a Smith machine tends to reduce the risk of injury. A Smith machine is a spotter for solo lifters and helps keep heavy weights from wrenching your shoulders or joints if you lose your balance or control mid-move.

Some say a Smith machine is like working out with training wheels. Fair enough, except the comparison shouldn't lead you to believe that lifting with a Smith machine won't get results. Research suggests that chest-press training with a Smith machine vs. free weights vs. a medicine ball leads to essentially the same thing: Improved strength! 💪

tl;dr: Beginning weight lifters can use a Smith machine. So can pro athletes. The one time you might wanna forgo a Smith machine is if you’re training for an event that’ll test your body's stability. A machine offers extra stability, so training with one might trick you into thinking your stabilizing muscles are stronger than they are.

A Smith machine is a weight training machine that features a barbell between rails so that the weight can only move on a vertical plane. Lifting with a Smith machine boosts stability and safety, especially during solo workouts.

Smith machines can help you work a wide range of muscles and perform a variety of moves. However, it can decrease your body's engagement of stabilizing muscles.

While Smith machines are great for beginning weightlifters, they also have their place among experienced gym rats. If safety and stability are priorities (and they should be!), a Smith machine can help.