If you're like most gym goers, you've probably had to adjust your workouts before due to an overabundance of patrons lined up for the Smith Machine. As annoying as this can be, it probably conveyed two very important messages to you:
- It wouldn’t hurt to invest in your own Smith Machine (the PSR05, M1, and Buffalo all make excellent options).
- If the machine is that popular, there must be a lot of legitimate exercises to perform on it.
You'll be happy to know that we agree with both of these statements! However, is it really possible to get a full body workout in with only a Smith Machine…?
We are going to go with “yes” on this one.
While it is possible, you'll probably find that your development is slightly uneven. Smith Machine exercises lend themselves more to heavy, compound lifts that work multiple muscles (especially the legs) more than they do to isolation exercises (especially those involving arms).
Don't worry, though; we have some arm work planned for you! Just consider our choices for the 10 must-do Smith Machine exercises to be the “leg day” workout you've been neglecting:
The 10 Must-do Smith Machine Exercises
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Smith Machine Squat: The “King of Exercise” movement transfers pretty well to the Smith Machine as this is the most popular Smith Machine exercise out there. Due to the machine's ability to keep the bar constantly balanced and the bar's fixed range of motion, don't hesitate to load a bit more weight on when performing this squat variation.
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Smith Machine Leg Press: If you can get a little creative, it's not difficult to turn your Smith Machine into a vertical leg press machine. Simply lie on the floor, arrange the bar to a level where it is easy to unrack with your feet, and press out. If this seems a bit too complex for you, we suggest opting for a machine like our Buffalo that has an easy-to-use leg press attachment, simplifying the process while maximizing safety.
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Smith Machine Hip Thrust: Hip thrusts are arguably at their best when performed in a Smith Machine. Don't be afraid to load up the weight since the machine's weight balancing abilities, combined with the relatively high strength output of the glute muscles, allows you to push hard on this exercise. If the feeling of the bar against your body is a little bit too uncomfortable, throw a yoga mat across your lap to maximize your comfort.
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Smith Machine Deadlift: Although the deadlift has some leg-building qualities, we classify this as more of a back exercise. We also suggest taking a more upright posture with chest held high due to the bar's fixed path (which ensures that it stays as close to the legs as possible throughout the duration of the lift). This setup may be a little different from your usual approach to deadlifting, but will open up a whole new range of muscle development.
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Smith Machine Rows: Bent-over rows are excellent at building middle and upper back muscle and strength. Like many other Smith Machine exercises, the ability to quickly rerack the weight (in any one of 9 settings, if you have a machine like the M1 to work on) allows you to use a little bit more weight than you would if you opted for free weight rows.
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Smith Machine Bench Press: One of the most popular gym exercises is also one of the most popular Smith Machine exercises. This is a fun exercise, but be mindful that it is impossible to dump the plates off either side during a failed attempt. However, like many of the other previously mentioned movements, the ability to quickly rerack the weight when you're about to fail a rep is a valuable safety feature that makes up for this.
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Incline Smith Machine Press: Lifters looking to work on upper chest development exercises will particularly enjoy doing incline presses in the Smith Machine. The initial unracking of the barbell in this exercise can be especially tricky and usually requires the assistance of a spotter. This makes the Smith Machine version much more appealing.
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Smith Machine Shoulder Press: The “traditional” shoulder press movement can be particularly difficult due to lifters having to contend with a serious “sticking point” at the beginning of the movement. By setting the bar height just above this point, you can enjoy almost all of the benefits of this movement while minimizing the initial difficulty.
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Smith Machine Upright Row – The upright row is an effective, front deltoid-building exercise that, even with lower weights, requires significant control to properly perform. The Smith Machine helps to keep the bar perfectly balanced throughout the lift, simplifying the lift and requiring less focus on stabilizing the bar for the duration of each rep.
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Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press – There was no way we were going to finish off our workout without including an arm-blaster exercise! Despite its name, the close grip version of the bench press directly targets the triceps, stimulating growth and strength development. Performing these in a Smith Machine, minimizes the need for a spotter and maximizes the amount of weight that can be used.
Smith Machines: From “Must-do” to “Do it All”
As comprehensive as this list looks, it wouldn't be unreasonable to do 2 or 3 sets of each exercise in a single session, effectively giving you a full-body workout…albeit with a slight bias for your lower body muscles.
The good news is, a little extra leg work never hurt anyone!
Want even more good news to finish things out on? If you pushed us, we could pretty easily have made this a list of the “Top 20 Must-Do Smith Machine exercises” or even the “Top 30 Must-Do Smith Machine exercises”.
There are literally that many safe, easy-to-perform, and, most importantly, effective movements to do with a Smith Machine. Whether you would prefer to lift on a more basic model like the PSR05, a middle-of-the-line, but multifunctional option like the M1, or a truly premium machine like the Buffalo, the sky is the limit when it comes to “must-do Smith Machine exercises”!
