Smith Machine Seated Overhead Press

The Smith machine seated overhead press is a popular exercise among fitness enthusiasts. It's not surprising! You can lift heavier weights with more control and directly target the shoulders, speeding up muscle growth. The fixed bar path lowers the risk of injury, while the seated position helps maintain proper posture.

Read along as we give expert tips for performing it. Discover how to incorporate it into your workout routine, its benefits, and the muscles it targets.

How To Do

  1. Get an adjustable bench and place it in the middle of the Smith machine.
  2. Set the seat back to a vertical angle. 
  3. Sit on the bench and secure your back and head against the pad. 
  4. Grip the bar with your palms facing forward, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  5. Rotate your wrists to unlock the safety hooks and remove the bar from the lock.
  6. Inhale, and lower the bar below the chin by bending the elbows. 
  7. Exhale as you extend your arms and press the barbell back to the start.
  8. Repeat.

Tips From Expert

  • Position the bench slightly behind the Smith machine bar so it doesn’t hit your chin or nose.
  • Keep your feet flat on the ground.
  • Set the bar to a height you can easily reach and un-rack while seated. However, make sure it's high enough so you don’t strain your shoulders.
  • Secure the safety stops at a level that will prevent the bar from dropping too low.
  • Lean back against the bench and keep your head back.
  • The bar should come just about an inch below the chin and over the chest.
  • Avoid flaring the elbows out or pushing them behind you. Instead, keep them at around a 75-degree angle.
  • Push the bar up until your arms are extended, but the elbows are not locked out.
  • Keep your chest tall, and maintain a braced core and neutral spine position.
  • Start with a lighter weight, and increase it gradually for safety purposes.

Optimal Sets and Reps

The seated Smith machine overhead press is the perfect exercise for shoulder and arm development. Below you can find the ideal reps and sets based on your workout goals.

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 4–6
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–12
Endurance Training 3–4 12–20
Power Training 3–5 1–3
Optimal Sets & Reps of Smith Machine Seated Overhead Press

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The seated Smith machine overhead press primarily targets the shoulders, increasing strength and muscle gains. It makes a great addition to a day dedicated to your upper body. 

That's because the predictable bar path offers a different challenge compared to other exercises. It allows for more reps or a higher load. You can consider adding them to your push-workout days, along with free weight or shoulder machine exercises.

Start with 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with moderate weights. As you build strength and become more comfortable with the movement, make it harder. Make sure to rest at least 60–90 seconds so that you can maintain your workout intensity. 

Athletes who require more overhead strength for their sport should implement it in a full-body program. If this is you, aim for 3–5 sets of 4–6 reps. Rest up to 3 minutes after each set to maintain proper form. 

If you are a beginner, do not worry! This exercise is suitable for your workouts, too. The fixed bar and seated position are safer and allow for more stability and proper technique. This also makes it a great alternative for other overhead movements.

Start with a light load or just the bar with high reps of 20 reps. Recover up to 1 minute. This can be part of your full, upper body, or push workout routine.

Primary Muscle Groups

Anterior Deltoid

Muscles located at the front of your shoulder region

Lateral Deltoid

Muscles located at the side of your shoulder which gives your shoulders a rounded appearance.

Anterior Deltoid

The anterior head sits closest to the chest in the front. It originates from the lateral third of the collarbone and inserts into the upper arm bone called the humerus. It lifts the arm in front of you, across your chest, and behind your back.

The anterior deltoid plays a leading role in the Smith machine seated overhead press. It helps to lift the barbell by flexing the shoulder joint. It also assists in abduction when the bar is at the bottom. It's highly involved in stabilizing the shoulders throughout the movement. 

Lateral Deltoid

The lateral head is on the outer side of the shoulders. It originates from the shoulder blade and inserts into the humerus.

Its primary function is to raise the arms to the side beyond the first 15 degrees. When the upper arms are around shoulder level, it's highly active in pressing the bar overhead. It's an essential muscle for power generation and overall shoulder stability by controlling the descent phase.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Clavicular Head of Pectoralis Major

Muscles located at the top of your chest, running from your armpit to collar bone. Smaller portion of your chest muscle.

Serratus Anterior

Small, fan shaped muscle that lies deep under your chest and scapula.

Upper Trapezius

Triangular shaped muscles located between your neck and shoulder blades.

Triceps Lateral Heads

Muscles located on the back of your arm between your shoulder and elbow.

Triceps Medial Heads

Small muscles located at the back of your arms. Deep to the triceps long heads between the shoulder and elbow.

Triceps Long Heads

Large muscles located at the back of your arms between your shoulder and elbow. Most outside portion of the tricep.

Wrist Flexors

Muscles that span the inside of your lower arm, between your elbow and wrist palm side up.

Wrist Extensors

Muscles that make up the back portion of your lower arm, between your elbow and wrist.

Triceps Lateral Heads

The triceps is a muscle that spans almost the entire back of your upper arm. They are made up of three heads: the long, medial, and lateral heads. The lateral head originates from the humerus and unites with the other heads to attach to the forearm bone called the ulna.

The long head is responsible for elbow extension during the overhead press. It works hard to push the bar up by straightening the arms. It maintains stability at the elbow joint so that you can keep the load overhead safely. 

It also assists the deltoids when the elbows are near full extension. This is an important role for force generation, so you can smoothly complete the press. 

Triceps Medial Heads

The medial head of the triceps sits on the inner part of the upper arm, underneath the other two heads. Similarly to the lateral head, it straightens the elbows. However, its role is slightly different in the overhead press.

The medial head of the triceps provides continuous support throughout the full range of movement. It makes sure that the bar reaches overhead from start to finish. 

Triceps Long Heads 

The long head of the triceps sits between the medial and lateral head. It crosses both the shoulder and the elbow joint and originates from the scapula into the forearm. It performs elbow extension, just like the others. Since it crosses two joints, it can also assist in shoulder extension.

During the Smith machine seated overhead press, it helps push the weight up and keeps your shoulders stable in a fully extended position. 

Upper Trapezius

The trapezius is a large triangular muscle that extends from the neck down to the top of the mid-back. It is divided into three parts: the upper, middle, and lower traps.

The upper portion starts from the base of the skull and inserts into the collarbone. It works together with the lower trap and serratus anterior to achieve scapular stability during overhead movements. This is called the scapular force couple.

The upper trap's role is to rotate and elevate the scapula upwardly during the Smith machine overhead press.

At the top, the upper trap continues to support the scapula while the anterior shoulder flexes the arm. During the lowering phase, it helps decelerate the bar and stabilize the scapula, preventing excessive downward movement. 

Serratus Anterior 

The serratus anterior is a fan-shaped muscle wrapped around the rib cage. It originates from the eighth and ninth rib and inserts into the shoulder blade. 

When you perform the Smith machine seated overhead press, it assists in scapular upward rotation. It plays a key role in shoulder blade stability, keeping it against the rib cage when pressing.

Clavicular Head 

The pectoralis major is a large superficial muscle on the chest. It is divided into three segments: the clavicular, sternal, and abdominal head. The clavicular head originates from the medial half of your collarbone. It attaches to the humerus.

It brings the arms towards the midline and internally rotates them. The clavicular head also assists in shoulder flexion when the arms are straightened. This happens during the last phase of the seated overhead press. It helps to complete the lift. Additionally, it stabilizes the shoulder, reducing the risks of injuries.

Wrist Flexors And Extensors 

The wrist flexors are a group of muscles between the upper arm and wrist. They originate from the humerus and attach to various parts of the hands and wrists. 

The wrist extensors straighten the wrist, moving the back of the hands closer to the forearm. This happens when you unlock the bar from the safety hook and rotate the wrists into a straight or slightly extended position.

They stabilize the wrist joint, maintain a slightly extended wrist during the press, and keep the bar secure. It's a very important role.

The wrist extensors are responsible for the opposite. They provide stability for the wrists so they do not collapse inwards and forward. This keeps them neutral and adds to your grip strength so you can safely perform the overhead press.

Equipment

Smith Machine

Smith Machine

This is great for working on pressing and pulling movements whilst reducing accessory muscle activity. Make sure to set up safety bars.

Variations

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the same equipment.

Smith Machine Upright Row

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the different equipment.

Squat To Overhead Press

Barbell Military Press

Dumbbell Front Raise

Dumbbell Arnold Press

Alternating Dumbbell Press

Barbell Front Raise

Pike Push-Up

Arm Circle

Dynamic Arm Swing

Bear Crawls

Who Should Do?

Beginners

People who are new to weightlifting might find the Smith machine seated overhead press useful. It has a fixed bar path, so the bar moves up and down in a straight line. Plus, the seated support can increase your confidence in the weight room. 

This also prevents beginners from worrying about balance or dropping weight, making the exercise safer and easier to learn. 

If you don’t have a workout buddy to spot you, the Smith machine is a great choice. It has safety stops that you can set to catch the bar if you cannot lift it anymore. 

Body Builders

The Smith machine seated overhead press helps bodybuilders target their shoulders more effectively. The fixed bar path means less work for your core to balance the weight. Your focus shifts to your upper-body muscles, which keeps them under tension throughout the exercise, leading to muscle growth.

The safety stops let you safely increase the load each session, boosting its effectiveness in bodybuilding. It’s easy to set up and use, saving you time during your workouts. 

Athletes

The Smith machine seated overhead press can significantly improve the overhead strength of athletes. This focused training builds the necessary stability and strength for their sport. The Smith machine provides a safer way to push themselves and reduce the risks of injuries. 

Who Should Not Do?

People With Shoulder Injuries

Individuals with chronic shoulder pain should avoid the Smith machine seated overhead press. The fixed bar doesn’t allow you to change the movement path and match your comfort. It may force your shoulders into a painful position, irritating the injured tissue.

For example, flaring your elbows can strain the shoulders. You should ‘break the bar’ by pushing your hands outward. Maintain a 75- to 45-degree angle with the elbows. 

This might be hard if you lack shoulder mobility, which is essential for proper technique. If that’s the case, you should avoid the exercise and focus on mobilization instead.

Those Who Want To Correct Muscle Imbalances

Free weights demand greater stability and coordination than resistance machines.

The Smith machine seated overhead press doesn’t engage stabilizing muscles as much as the standing overhead press does. Programming heavily on resistance machines can lead to muscle imbalances. 

This does not mean you should avoid the Smith machine overhead press. Instead, you should mix it up with free weights. This can challenge your body to continue making progress and prevent muscle imbalances. 

Free weights offer more chances to do this because they are less predictable and need more control. Relying solely on machines can restrict your body’s functionality, causing some muscles to be over or underused. 

Therefore, combining free weights with Smith machine overhead presses helps develop all muscles evenly. 

Benefits Of The Exercise

Healthy Shoulder Development

The Smith machine seated overhead press targets your shoulder muscles. Therefore, doing it regularly can build strength in your upper body. Strong shoulders are important for daily activities like reaching the shelves, throwing balls, or even for overhead sports.

Learning proper form on the Smith machine sets a solid foundation for free weights, making your progression more effective and safer. Free weights provide an additional challenge to your shoulders, which require more experience, control, and stability. 

Therefore, the Smith machine overhead press can aid in gradual and healthy shoulder development. It prepares you for more demanding compound moves, preventing injuries and muscle imbalances. 

Increase the load or volume regularly on the Smith machine, as this is key to building strong and healthy shoulders.

Enhanced Shoulder Mobility

Lifting your arms above your head can improve the range of motion in your shoulders. Regularly moving your shoulders through this range can keep your muscles active and flexible, and the joint mobile. 

Doing the Smith machine seated overhead press can strengthen the ligaments and tendons around your shoulder joint. This prevents them from getting stiff or sore. Strong muscles and tissues can support your shoulder joint during exercise and daily life. 

Improved Posture  

Many people have rounded shoulders due to poor posture and prolonged sitting. Strengthening the shoulders, upper back, and core can improve posture and reduce musculoskeletal pain.

The Smith machine seated overhead press strengthens the upper traps, serratus anterior, shoulders, and arms. This can support better shoulder alignment, support your spine, and encourage better posture. 

However, you should maintain good posture beyond training sessions to further reduce pain associated with poor sitting posture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the overhead press on the Smith machine good?

Yes, the overhead press on the Smith machine is good.  
The fixed bar path makes it easier to control the weight, reducing the risks of injuries and helping maintain proper form. The safety stops also lead to a faster and safer load progression.

What angle is the bench on the Smith machine seated shoulder press?

You should set the bench to a 90-degree upright angle. This angle supports your back and head for correct form and targets the right muscles.

Is a seated overhead press effective?

Yes, a seated overhead press can effectively work your shoulders, increasing muscle mass and improving upper body strength.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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