Smith Machine SquatMuscles Worked
The Smith machine squat works your quads most, with the glutes and hamstrings helping you stand, your lower back keeping your torso set and your calves stabilizing you. The guided bar path removes most of the balancing, so you can focus on pushing hard without a spotter.
PrimaryQuads
- Equipment
- Machine
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Compound
- Force
- Push
How to do it
- Set the bar at about upper chest height and the safety stops just below your lowest squat position.
- Step under the bar, rest it across your upper back and grip it a little wider than your shoulders.
- Place your feet shoulder width apart and slightly in front of the bar, then stand up and twist the bar off the hooks.
- Brace and lower by bending your hips and knees until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
- Press through your whole foot to stand up, then rotate the bar back onto the hooks when the set is done.
Form tips
- Spend a few light sets finding your foot position, because on a fixed bar path your stance decides how the squat feels.
- Set the safety stops every session, even though the hooks make racking the bar easy.
- Keep your back flat and your chest up at the bottom rather than letting your hips tuck under.
Why it made the list
No. 12 of 13
Best Quad Exercises
Guided bar path reduces balance demands. Good for beginners or heavy training without a spotter.
More quad exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Smith Machine Squat sets in KasMaker and watch your quads, calves, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
