Upper legs
Smith Machine Squat
A squat with the bar on fixed rails: more stable, safe without a spotter and easy to bias toward quads or glutes.
Also known as: Smith squat
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Smith Machine
- Type
- Compound
How to do it
- Set the bar on your upper back and unlock it by rotating it.
- Place your feet slightly in front of the bar, hip-width apart.
- Squat down until your hips are level with or below your knees.
- Drive up through your whole foot and re-lock the bar when you finish.
Form cues
- Feet forward means more glutes; feet under the bar means more quads.
- Set the safety stops just below your lowest point.
- Neutral spine, braced abs.
Common mistakes
- Feet right under the bar with heavy weight: your knees take too much. Step them forward slightly.
- Leaning into the bar and dropping: lower under control.
- Shallow reps: the machine lets you go deep safely.
Sets and reps
3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 2 minutes of rest.
FAQ
Free squat or Smith machine squat?
The free squat trains more stability and general strength; the Smith lets you focus on the muscle safely. Both build legs.
Where should my feet go?
Slightly in front of the bar so the movement feels natural. Further forward targets the glutes.
Is it bad for your knees?
Not with good foot placement and sensible weight.
What muscles do the Smith machine squat work?
They mainly work the glutes and the quads, with help from the lower back, the glute medius and the hamstrings.
Train with Nuvana
Add the Smith machine squat to your next workout
Log your sets and weights, and see how each muscle progresses in the app.
