3D Smith Machine Guide: RitFit M2 Features & Top Moves

Table of Contents

• Introduction to 3D Smith Machine
• What is a 3D Smith Machine?
• What Sets a 3D Smith Machine Apart?
• Key Features of the RitFit M2
• The 5 Best 3D Smith Machine Exercises
• Sample 3D Smith Machine Workout (Full-Body Focus)
• FAQs

For some lifters, it feels like a built-in safety net that lets them push heavy squats and presses without a spotter. For others, it’s the first thing they blame for awkward mechanics and “fake PRs” that don’t translate to free weights.

There aren’t many machines that allow trainees to perform squats, bench presses, or shoulder presses as safely or with as much weight as the Smith Machine. However, despite being one of the most beginner-friendly pieces of gym equipment available, the trusty Smith Machine receives a lot of criticism.

The most frequently cited criticism? Smith machines do not allow lifters to execute movements with nearly as much range of motion as their counterpart free-weight exercises. Also, horizontal plane movement is almost completely absent.

To put things more simply, with most Smith Machines, you’re pretty limited to perfectly vertical movement patterns…unless you happen to have access to a 3D Smith Machine.

That’s where the 3D Smith concept comes in: it keeps the guided safety of a traditional Smith but unlocks a more natural bar path that actually follows how your body wants to move. In a compact home gym footprint, that’s a big deal.

We just gave a brief rundown on the key qualities of 3D Smith Machines, but we want to explain things a little bit more thoroughly. Looking more closely at the M2, there are many commonalities between it and other Smith Machines.

• The Smith Bar’s vertical path remains fixed, remaining perfectly balanced as it moves up and down on its track.
• There are 11 different racking positions, providing several different bar height starting options and places to quickly re-rack the weight if/when approaching failure.
• Each upright contains 60x60 mm holes for J-cups and other attachments to easily be inserted for free weight and accessory work.

The M2 differs from a traditional Smith machine in how it utilizes the front-to-back space. The bar and its track are mounted to a carriage that glides along horizontal rails. As you squat, hinge, or press, the whole system can drift slightly forward or backward with you, instead of forcing a perfectly vertical line that often feels unnatural.

Compared with other training options:

• Traditional Smith Machine: Fixed vertical path only; very stable, but can feel restrictive and less transferable to free weights.
• 3D Smith Machine: Guided vertical and limited horizontal drift; more natural bar path while keeping safeties and hooks.
• Free Barbell in a Rack: Unlimited bar path; most natural and athletic, but requires the most skill, stability, and spotter/safety setup.

Here’s a quick snapshot of how that plays out in real training:

Despite the additional control required by lifters during each 3D Smith Machine rep, the ability to quickly and easily rerack the weight ensures that safety is prioritized throughout each set. The Smith track and racking positions “float” horizontally alongside the Smith Bar in an extremely smooth and quiet manner.

Ultimately, the 3D Smith Machine can be summed up as providing entirely new ranges of movement and exercises while still providing lifters with a safe lifting experience.

Zooming in on the M2, a few design details matter a lot for real-world training:

• Serious frame and capacity: The M2 frame uses 14-gauge steel uprights and is rated for up to 2,000 lb of total system capacity, so heavy squats, pulls, and presses are limited more by your strength than the rack. 
• Compact home-gym footprint: At roughly 78.7" long, 68.75" wide, and 86.14" tall with a footprint of about 22.8 sq ft, the M2 packs a Smith, rack, cables, and storage into a space many people reserve for a standard power cage alone. 
• 10 horizontal & 11 vertical bar positions: You can fine-tune both starting height and front-back position, making it easier to find your ideal setup for squats, hip thrusts, curls, and Olympic-style pulls. 
• Integrated cable system (on compatible M2 configurations): A dual adjustable cable system with a 2:1 ratio gives you smooth resistance for isolation and athletic patterns that complement your 3D Smith work. 
• Multiple configurations for different lifters: Between the M2, M2-3D, M2 Pro, and M2 Pro-3D setups, you can choose plate-loaded simplicity, built-in weight stacks, or the full 3D + stacks combo depending on budget and training style. 

Coach’s note: If you train in a shared home gym (family, partner, or roommates), the combination of quick-adjust cables and the 3D Smith makes it far easier for lifters of different heights and experience levels to share one station without constantly tearing down setups.

Below, you’ll find five exercises that specifically benefit from the M2’s 3D bar path, along with muscles worked, setup tips, and key coaching cues.

Clean (Hang or Power Clean from the 3D Smith)

We have mentioned cleaning several times, but this exercise can only be performed with free weights or a 3D Smith Machine. Although too much horizontal movement is inefficient, a slight “S-curve” bar path is required to properly execute the lift.
Research on Olympic lifting biomechanics indicates that a successful clean requires the bar to travel close to the body in a curvilinear path to maximize power production and catch stability, which is impossible on a fixed rail^[1].

Muscles worked:

Glutes, hamstrings, quads, upper back, traps, and core.

How to do it on the 3D Smith:

1. Put the bar just above your knees and stand with your mid-foot under it, with your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Hold the bar just outside shoulder width, tighten your core, and bend your knees slightly with a flat back.
3. Drive forcefully through the floor, extending your hips and knees as you “pull” the bar up your thighs in a slight S-curve.
4. When the bar gets to the middle of your torso, shrug and pull yourself under it. Then, in a quarter-squat, rotate your elbows to catch the bar on your shoulders.
5. Stand up straight, then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position while keeping control.

Safety tips and coaching cues:

• Instead of using your arms to muscle the bar, think, "jump, shrug, catch."
• Keep the bar close to your body the entire time; this is where the 3D track shines, allowing just enough horizontal drift without losing control.
• If you’re new to Olympic-style lifting, start with light loads and treat the movement as a power/coordination drill, not a max-effort strength test.

Overhead Squat

It’s technically possible to perform overhead squats in a traditional Smith Machine, but balance, shoulder position, or both will inevitably be compromised. The 3D Smith Machine allows for slight, horizontal adjustments to prevent these issues.

Muscles worked:

Quads, glutes, upper back, shoulders, and core.

How to do it on the 3D Smith:

1. Set the bar just above shoulder height and grip it wide, as you would for a snatch-grip press.
2. Unrack the bar and press it overhead, locking your elbows and stacking your wrists over your shoulders.
3. Take a stable stance (slightly wider than shoulder width) with toes turned slightly out.
4. Sit “between” your hips, letting the bar make tiny front-to-back adjustments on the 3D track so it stays over your mid-foot.
5. Squat as low as your mobility allows while keeping your chest up and the bar directly above your center of gravity, then drive back to standing.

Coaching cues & safety tips:

• If your shoulders or ankles are tight, start with partial range and gradually work deeper.
• Use the 3D movement to keep the bar over your mid-foot, not to chase it forward. If the bar continues to drift, reduce the load and fix your mobility first.
• Set the safety stops just below your deepest safe squat so you have a fail-safe if you lose balance.

Good Morning

Like the overhead squat, it’s possible to perform Good Mornings in other Smith Machines, but 3D Smith Machines are much better at promoting proper form, ensuring the lower back doesn’t become rounded and in a compromised position.

Muscles worked:

hamstrings, glutes, spinal erectors, upper back.

How to do it on the 3D Smith:

1. Put the bar at the height of your upper trap and step under it like you're getting ready to do a back squat.
2. Unrack, take a small step back, and stand with your hips at a width that is comfortable for you.
3. Brace your core and bend at the hips so that your chest moves toward the floor while your back stays flat.
4. Let the bar travel slightly backward on the 3D rail as your hips move behind you—this helps load your posterior chain without rounding your spine.
5. Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, then drive your hips forward to return to standing.

Coaching cues & safety tips:

• Think “hips back, chest proud” rather than “bend over.”
• Keep the bar over your mid-foot or slightly behind; if it drifts in front, you’re loading your lower back instead of your hips.
• Start with very light loads—Good Mornings are a high-tension hinge movement and don’t require much weight to be effective.

Preacher Curls

Dragging a preacher bench into a Smith Machine is not a terrible idea, but opting for a 3D Smith Machine drastically improves movement setup, allowing lifters to easily clear the bar while maintaining a locked elbow position.

Muscles worked: 

Biceps brachii, brachialis, forearms.

How to do it on the 3D Smith:

1. Place a preacher bench in front of the M2 so that, when you sit down, your upper arms rest comfortably on the pad and your hands can reach the bar with arms extended.
2. Set the bar so that it rests just above your fully extended hand position.
3. Grip the bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip and curl it up, keeping your elbows glued to the pad.
4. Use the 3D travel to adjust the bar slightly forward or back so your wrists and elbows stay stacked in a comfortable line.
5. Lower the bar under control until your elbows are nearly straight, maintaining tension at the bottom.

Coaching cues & safety tips:

• Avoid “rocking” your torso or bouncing off the pad; the goal is pure elbow flexion.
• Experiment with bar path: a slight forward drift at the top can help keep constant tension on the biceps.
• If your wrists feel strained, narrow your grip slightly and use the 3D movement to find a neutral wrist position.

Hip Thrusts

The “queen” of Smith Machine exercises. An electromyographic (EMG) comparison revealed that the hip thrust activates the gluteus maximus significantly more than the back squat, and doing so on a stable machine can help isolate the glutes by reducing balance demands^[2].

Muscles worked:

Glutes (primary), hamstrings, adductors, and core.

How to do it on the 3D Smith:

1. Place a bench or pad behind you and sit on the floor with your upper back against it and feet flat on the ground.
2. Roll the Smith bar into the crease of your hips, and add a bar pad if needed for comfort.
3. Set your feet so your shins are roughly vertical at the top of the movement. Adjust the 3D bar position so the bar sits directly over your mid-foot when fully extended.
4. Drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes to lift your hips until your torso and thighs form a straight line.
5. Pause for 1–2 seconds at the top, then lower under control without fully resting on the floor.

Coaching cues & safety tips:

1. Keep your ribs down and avoid over-arching your lower back at the top—think “tuck the pelvis and squeeze the glutes.”
2. Use the 3D travel to find the most comfortable bar position; if the bar drifts too far toward your knees or stomach, reset before going heavier.
3. Set safeties just below your hips’ lowest position so you can safely bail if the weight feels unstable.

Ironically, the best part about these five options is that they represent only a tiny sample of the sheer number of exercises that can be more effectively executed in a 3D Smith Machine. Exercise options abound in the horizontal plane.

From lunges and split squats to rows, presses, and rotational patterns, the M2 can act as both a “guided barbell” station and a controlled environment to learn more complex free-weight skills.