Smith Machine Overhead Press 2024: How To Do It And Tips From An Expert

Incorporating the Smith Machine Overhead Press into your push workout can significantly improve shoulder development.^[1] This compound exercise engages upper body muscles, including the deltoids, trapezius, and triceps. 

This guide will provide you with detailed instructions on the proper form and technique and how many sets per workout. Whether you’re an experienced gym-goer or new to resistance training, you can learn a lot about this comprehensive exercise.

We will break down each phase of the exercise and offer insights into set and repetition recommendations, safety tips, and the overall advantages of adding the Overhead Press to your routine. Read more to enhance your knowledge and improve your workout.

How To Do The Overhead Press Smith Machine

The following instructions offer a detailed breakdown for each step. You can maximize your workout efficiency and gains by following these specific details. If you want to get bigger shoulders, these exercises can be a great place to start. If you’re looking for a workout to do at home, we have you covered too. 

Warm Up Essentials

Before starting, focus on specific shoulder warm-up exercises. Begin with arm circles, extending your arms to the sides at shoulder height and rotating them in controlled circular motions. Do two sets for 30 seconds on each arm. This dynamic warm up helps prime your muscles for activity and compound movements. 

Incorporate neck stretches by gently tilting your head from side to side and forward and backward. Hold that position in each direction for 15-30 seconds for one to two sets. These stretches help warm up the neck and upper trapezius muscles, which are engaged during Overhead Presses. 

Another great warm-up technique is scapular retractions. Squeeze your blades together, hold for a second or two, and release. This action activates the muscles surrounding the scapular, such as the rhomboids and middle trapezius. Do 10 repetitions.

Now that you are adequately warmed up, move on to the proper setup.  

Proper Setup And Alignment

Ensure the proper setup and alignment. This is crucial for a successful and effective Overhead Press on the Smith machine. This step helps regulate the correct range of motion needed while minimizing the risk of strain or injury.

To begin, set the Smith machine bar just above shoulder height. The bar should align precisely with your upper chest, allowing for a smooth and controlled range of motion. Confirm that the bar is securely in place. 

Sit yourself under the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart. This stance offers a stable foundation and the balance necessary to control the Smith bar throughout the press. Distribute your weight evenly and avoid excessive leaning or shifting to one side. 

Next, grab the bar with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. This grip width promotes a more natural and comfortable movement pattern while ensuring the muscles are appropriately targeted. Keep your wrists in a neutral, straight position.

Engage your muscles by drawing your navel toward your spine. This action stabilizes your spine and helps brace your core to generate more power during the pushing motion. Additionally, tuck your elbows in slightly to allow for a clear path for the bar during both the ascent and descent phases.

Lastly, prioritize a neutral head position by looking straight ahead or slightly upward. This helps reduce strain on the neck. Ensure that your shoulders are relaxed and blades and depressed and retracted. 

Establish these steps to help lay the groundwork for a successful press session. Attention to the setup details improves performance, efficiency, and, most importantly, safety throughout the exercise. 

Next, you are ready for the starting position.

Set Point

The set phase of the Overhead Press on the Smith machine is an essential component that demands precision and control. Executing this phase with attention to detail ensures both safety and efficacy, allowing for proper muscle recruitment and engagement. 

Initiate the phase by unlocking the barbell from the rack and extending your wrists slightly backward. Before lowering the barbell, double-check that your foot placement is correct.

Slowly start lowering the barbell to your middle chest in a controlled manner. This specific target point allows for optimal activation of the deltoids. Control during this phase is key, emphasizing a slow, deliberate descent rather than a rapid drop. 

Keep tension in your core throughout the descent. This supports trunk stability and prevents overarching while maintaining back support. During the set phase, engage your blades by slightly retracting them, creating a stable foundation for the pressing phase. 

Think of the set phase as a preparatory stage for the push phase. It sets the stage for the proper muscle recruitment, force, and power required during the subsequent ascent. In summary, the descent phase seems like a small transition step, but it’s a critical detail to do correctly. 

The Press

Once the bar is situated at the middle of your chest, press it upwards above your head by extending the arms upward in a straight line as you exhale. Extend your arms fully without locking your elbows. The deltoids, trapezius, and serratus anterior come into play, working synergistically to execute a smooth and controlled ascent.

The emphasis here is not merely on lifting the weight but doing so with a focus on maintaining optimal form or biomechanics. The motion should be a seamless and controlled upward trajectory. Try to avoid jerky movements to ensure the integrity of the shoulder joint. 

Following the principles of progressive overload and resistance is essential for muscle growth and strength training. However, a potential sign that the resistance is too heavy is if you are unable to control the bar in a smooth pattern. Doing so may lead to overuse injuries by exceeding your muscle tissues’ capacity to withstand the current load. 

Once you have the Smith bar over your head, hold for a one—or two-second count. Then, you are ready to start the next phase. 

Descent

Transitioning from the peak of the press phase to the resting position is called the descent. This phase is not a passive return to the starting position. It is a deliberate control of the weights, also known as an eccentric motion. 

Eccentric control^[2] has been associated with an increase in muscle activation and hypertrophy. The deliberate pace allows for sustained tension and for greater adaptation and gains over time. 

Initiate the descent by gradually bending your elbows, allowing the bar to lower under control. Throughout the descent, make sure you maintain strengthen in your shoulders. Avoid excessive internal rotation or flaring.

Imagine guiding the bar down along the same vertical path that it traveled during the pressing phase. Simultaneously, the shoulder blades play a critical role in this phase. 

Gentle retraction of the scapula helps control the descent, preventing the bar from falling too fast. This also helps promote muscle engagement and minimize the risk of injury.

Prioritize controlled elbow flexion or bending, maintain shoulder steadiness, and engage the shoulder blades. This ensures that the descent phase is a safe and purposeful part of the movement. Following this approach optimizes immediate performance and promotes long-term shoulder health and development. 

Once the bar returns to your mid-chest, repeat for the desired number of reps and sets. 

Sets And Reps

In short, if you want to build muscle effectively, focus on a workout plan designed for muscle growth or hypertrophy.^[3] This involves doing several sets, around three to six, of exercises with 6-12 repetitions each. 

Keep your rest breaks short, around 60 seconds, and put in moderate effort. Lifting weights that are about 60% to 80% of your one rep max. Gradually increase the amount of exercise you do on a weekly basis. 

To find your one-repetition maximum, increase the weight until you can do only one repetition with good form. You can try using a reliable rep-max estimation to determine this range based on the weight and number of repetitions performed. 

This can depend on several factors, including your fitness ability, workout intensity, and individual response to working out. When in doubt, always consult with a personal trainer or physical therapist. 

Precautions And Tips

Doing a Smith machine shoulder press can be a great workout to include in your shoulder workouts. However, there are a few things to remember to ensure you do the workout safely and effectively. 

First, be mindful of the bar when setting up the workout. Make sure to avoid accidentally hitting your chin, as this can be dangerous and potentially cause injury. 

Another common mistake people make when trying the Smith machine shoulder press is allowing their elbows to flare outward. This can put unnecessary strain on the shoulder joints and limit the workout’s effectiveness. 

Additionally, keep good form throughout the entire workout. Be careful not to overarch your lower back when reaching the top of the movement, as this can also increase your risk of injury. 

Proper breathing is another point of emphasis regarding the Smith machine shoulder press. Try the following tips.

• Inhale deeply before you start lowering.
• Hold your breath as you press up.
• Exhale at the top to help stabilize your core.

Choosing an appropriate weight is also crucial to reduce your risk of injury and ensure that you are effectively targeting growth. While the Smith machine serves as a natural spotter, consulting with a fitness professional can still be helpful. They can help you determine a good weight for your individual needs and goals. 

With these tips in mind, you can do the shoulder press and other machine workouts safely and effectively. 

Variations

The front and back variations^[4] of the Smith machine shoulder press target individual muscles of the deltoid in a unique way. This was confirmed in a recent study, where researchers compared activation in various overhead press variations and different grips. 

During the front press, the primary emphasis is on the anterior deltoids. In the ascending phase, the pectoralis major is also activated more. On the other hand, during the back press, there is greater activation in the medial and posterior deltoids in the ascending phase. 

These findings suggest that depending on the variation, there is a distinct stimulus to each head of the deltoid. Therefore, it is essential to select workouts based on specific training objectives. 

You can also do a seated shoulder press if you want some added back support.

Additionally, individual preferences such as personal fitness goals and aesthetic preferences may also influence the choice between front and back variations.

If you want to ensure a comprehensive approach to arm development, try incorporating an overall shoulder and bicep workout into your routine. You can also try this list of shoulder workouts with a machine. Doing so can lead to improved symmetry, strength, and stability. 

Overhead Smith Machine Press Benefits

Personal trainers often prescribe the Smith machine shoulder press to the general population, not only athletes or weightlifters. This Smith machine shoulder press mimics a traditional barbell but offers more steadiness. It is also typically easier the handle and set up than a pair of dumbbells, adding extra comfort. 

The versatility of the Smith machine allows for an easy setup and added safety benefits. 

Muscle Development

When compared to free weights, the Smith machine offered similar results^[5] in muscle growth in men. However, recent studies have shown there is a difference in the effect of free testosterone in the body. 

Free testosterone refers to the portion of testosterone in the bloodstream that is not bound to proteins. This type of testosterone is readily available for use by the cells. In men, testosterone plays a crucial role in various aspects of health, including:

• Muscle mass.^[6]
• Bone density.
• Libido.

Functional Strength

Common activities of daily life often require you to move in functional movement patterns. This is widely prescribed for patients and athletes who have difficulty reaching overhead. Having adequate shoulder strength and stability is paramount for being able to do certain tasks with ease.

For example, everyday activities include putting away groceries, reaching for a high shelf, or lifting boxes overhead. These movements require effort from the deltoids and trapezius, two major muscles targeted by the Smith machine shoulder press. 

These movements require a combination of shoulder flexion, abduction, and elbow extension. The rotator cuff also plays a role in steadying the shoulder blade. 

As you build these muscles, you equip yourself with the strength and resilience needed for everyday activity. 

Increased Bone Density 

Exercise training, particularly resistance exercise, is a promising intervention against osteoporosis and sarcopenia.^[7] Osteoporosis and sarcopenia are both age-related conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system.

Osteoporosis is characterized by weakened bones, making them more fragile and prone to fractures. Sarcopenia is the involuntary loss of muscle mass and strength. Compound exercises such as the Smith machine shoulder press expose the body to mechanical load. 

By stimulating loads that exceed that of daily activity, the body stimulates osteogenic effects. Osteogenesis refers to the process of developing bone. These effects are vital for counteracting bone loss and maintaining bone density. 

Smith Machine Overhead Press Muscles Worked

The Smith machine overhead press is a compound exercise that recruits multiple muscle groups, making it essential for strength training. It can be divided into two phases: a concentric push upwards and subsequent eccentric lowering. Overall, the Overhead Press is a compound push movement that targets the deltoids, trapezius, triceps brachii, serratus anterior, and rotator cuff.  

Deltoids

The deltoids are the primary movers in this workout. They consist of the anterior, lateral, and posterior deltoid heads. The Overhead Press primarily targets the anterior deltoid, which is responsible for shoulder flexion. The front deltoids initiate the pressing as you raise the bar up from the set position. 

Trapezius

The trapezius, particularly the upper trapezius fibers, play a significant role in the elevation and upward rotation of the scapula. Proper scapular control involves proper recruitment of the fibers of the trapezius for upward rotation of the shoulder blade. 

Triceps Brachii

The triceps are synergists in the overhead press. Their function is to aid with elbow extension during the pressing phase. 

Serratus Anterior

The serratus anterior, located on the lateral aspect of the rib cage, is also known as the boxer’s muscle. Its purpose is to protract the scapular forward. This is engaged during the pushing phase of the movement and helps facilitate stabilization of the scapulae. 

Rotator Cuff Muscles

The rotator cuff consists of the following: 

• Supraspinatus, which assists in initiating the abduction of the arms during the initial phase.
• Infraspinatus and Teres Minor, which are responsible for the external rotation of the shoulders 
• Subscapularis, which aids in the internal rotation of the shoulder and stabilizes the shoulder blade. 

These play a vital role in stabilizing the shoulder joint.

Conclusion

The Smith machine shoulder press is a great alternative to traditional barbells or free-weight exercises. It engages the deltoids, trapezius, triceps, serratus anterior, and rotator cuff. The Smith machine shoulder press also promotes functional strength and contributes to growth. Whether you’re a fitness novice or a seasoned weight lifter, mastering this exercise can help elevate your shoulder workout.