Smith Machine Squat

Squats are one of the big three strength-based lifts, alongside deadlifts and bench presses. Whether you’re looking to build muscle or improve your strength, they should form the backbone of any high-quality training program.

Several squat variations exist, with each of them offering different benefits and applications. Smith machine squats use a fixed-path movement with less lower back loading. They’re also easier to perform and may be safer for beginners.

Below we discuss the correct form in detail, offering tips and programming advice. We finish by discussing relevant populations and the benefits that Smith machine squats can offer.

How To Do

  1. Start by setting up the Smith machine. Place the barbell at shoulder height and the safety bars at hip height. This should allow you to squat down to parallel.
  2. Stand in front of the bar with a shoulder-width stance. Step forward and bring your head under the bar so the barbell rests between your shoulders and your neck. Adopt the same shoulder-width stance, keeping your chest up and head facing forward.
  3. Inhale and engage your core. Stand up tall to unrack the barbell and rotate the hooks so it hangs freely.
  4. Exhale and lower down as if you’re sitting in a chair. Your hips should come slightly back while your knees bend. Come down under control until your quads are parallel to the floor.
  5. Pause briefly at the bottom position. Inhale and drive back to the starting position under control.

Tips From Expert

  • Make sure you keep a neutral back position throughout the movement. Your chest should stay up with your head facing forward. This limits potential lower back stress and therefore injury.
  • Set up the safety bar so they are around hip height. This limits possible injury risk, allowing you to fail the repetition if needed.
  • Change your stance to better target different muscle groups. Use a narrow stance to target your quads. Use a wide stance to target your hamstrings.
  • Use a safety pad if the Smith machine bar weight digs into your neck. This helps keep a better focus on the correct technique.

Optimal Sets and Reps

The table below summarizes the best sets and reps to perform for each of the main training styles. Use this as a general guide.

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 4–6
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–10
Endurance Training 3–4 12+
Power Training 3–5 1–3 (Explosive)
Optimal Sets & Reps of Smith Machine Squat

How to Put in Your Workout Split

Smith machine squats are a functional lower-body exercise. They use a fixed path movement, meaning they’re easier to perform and have less lower back stress. Because of this, they offer several workout options:

  • Bodybuilding Training — As a lower-body squatting exercise, it should be included as part of a lower-body or full-body workout. This would work well as part of a 3-day workout split. Include it near the start of your session with stiff leg deadlifts and dumbbell lunges.

  • Strength And Power Training — The compound movement pattern makes it great for non-competitive strength and power work. Include it as part of a full-body strength workout or leg session. Pair it with strength-based exercises like the overhead press and the clean and jerk.

  • Beginner Workout — The fixed movement pattern makes it great for beginners. Perform it at the start as you learn the correct technique. Pair it with simple machine-based exercises such as the leg press.

When using the loading recommendations above, work out your one repetition maximum, or 1RM, first. This is the amount of weight you can lift for one repetition. The given weight can then be used to calculate training intensity.

These are our suggested intensity recommendations:

  • Strength And Power — 80–100% of your 1RM, 2–3 minutes of rest.
  • Hypertrophy — 60–80% of your 1RM, 60–90 seconds of rest.
  • Endurance — 40–60% of your 1RM, 60–90 seconds of rest.

In terms of volume, ensure at least 10 weekly working sets according to your training goals. With this, Smith machine squats can also be included as part of a 5-day workout split.

Manage volume appropriately, taking adequate rest in between sessions. This should be at least 48–72 hours.

Primary Muscle Groups

Gluteus

Large, superficial muscles located at your buttocks just below your lower back area.

Quadriceps

Muscles located at the front portion of your upper legs, below your pelvis and above your knees. Consists of four parts.

Quadriceps

The quadriceps are a large muscle group at the front of the thighs. They consist of four muscle groups — the vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris.

These function to perform knee extension. This is the movement of straightening the knee joint, meaning the angle between the thigh and leg becomes bigger. They also help flex the hips, which happens when the angle between the pelvis and thigh decreases.

As you push out of the bottom position, the quads extends the knees. As you lower into the squat position, the quads help to flex your hips and control the descent.

When the quads push from the bottom squat position, their activation is approximately 55%–60% of their maximum contraction rate. This is the maximum force-generating capacity of a muscle when stimulated.

Gluteus

The gluteus muscles sit at the back of the upper legs. They’re made up of three muscle groups — the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Each of them performs vital roles in hip function and stability.

Their primary role is to perform hip extension. This happens when the hips open so the angle between the pelvis and thighs increases.

During Smith machine squats, the gluteus muscles extend the hips. They work alongside the quadriceps to push the body out of the bottom squat position.

The same study mentioned above also examined the activation rate of the glutes. Results showed that the glute maximus was activated between 50%–55% when coming out of the squat.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Hamstrings

Muscles located at the back of your upper leg, below your glutes and above your calves. Consists of three muscles.

Hip Adductors

Muscles located at the upper inside part of your legs between your quads and hamstrings.

Erector Spinae

Muscles that span the entire length of your spine on either side.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings consist of three muscle groups at the back of the upper legs. They’re located just below the gluteus muscles. The three muscle groups are the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus.

Each of them functions to perform knee flexion. This is the opposite movement of the knee extension performed by the quads. They also perform hip extension, working alongside the gluteus muscles.

As you lower into the squat position, the hamstrings perform knee flexion to control the descent. As you come up, they extend the hips.

Erector Spinae

The erector spinae are a group of muscles that run along the length of the spine. They stabilize the spine, preventing excessive flexion and extension. They work as secondary movers as your primary movers perform the squat.

Because of this stabilizing role, they help to maintain posture and spinal alignment rather than generating large movements.

Hip Adductors

The hip adductors are on the inner thigh. When performing Smith machine squats, the hip adductors prevent the knees from caving and keep the pelvis stable. They primarily control the movement of the hips during both phases of the squat.

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.

Alternatives

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

Hack Squat

Squat To Overhead Press

Barbell Deadlift

Barbell Squat

Dumbbell Lunge

Bodyweight Squat

Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squats

Donkey Kicks

High Knees

Cobra Stretch

Who Should Do?

Bodybuilders

As a bodybuilder, your goal is to build a well-rounded, muscular physique. To do this, you need to perform resistance training that stimulates muscular hypertrophy, or muscle growth. Your training should focus on exercise volume and exercise intensity.

Smith machine squats use a compound movement pattern that works multiple muscle groups. Therefore, they are good for increasing training volume and intensity. Program them alongside other compound movements before the smaller muscle group exercises.

Functional Fitness Athletes

Functional fitness athletes perform the majority of their training using movement patterns that closely resemble everyday activities and sporting movements. When done correctly, this allows them to improve movement efficiency and functional sports performance.

Smith machine squats resemble several functional movement patterns. Sitting down on a chair resembles the lowering portion of a squat. Pushing up from a squat closely resembles driving an opponent back from a lower position in rugby.

Beginner Gymgoers

As a beginner gymgoer, the majority of your initial training should consist of functional movement patterns. This allows you to build up a solid foundation that you can progress from. This is important as you learn the main training principles and exercise techniques.

The Smith machine is a great option for beginner gymgoers looking to do this. The fixed movement pattern means it’s easier to perform than normal squats as it requires less stabilization. Because of this, it offers a lower initial learning curve and allows you to learn the squat movement pattern before progressing.

Who Should Not Do?

Competitive Powerlifters

At this advanced stage, the main focus should be on training movements that closely resemble those used in performance. While Smith machine squats use the same squat movement, they require less work to keep an upright position. Therefore, they have less transfer to competitive performance.

Because of the reduced stabilization needed, the relative intensity is easier. Again, at this stage, the main focus should be on progressive overload, or increased training intensity. For these reasons, smith machine squats are not as suitable for these populations.

Those With Knee Injuries

The movement stabilization takes stress off the lower back region. However, a large amount of knee flexion and extension is needed to squat down and squat back up, respectively. 

Knee injuries such as an anterior cruciate ligament injury can cause pain and reduce range of motion. In this case, a full squat may not be possible, causing further pain and increasing injury risk.

For this reason, a partial range bodyweight squat may be a better option. This limits the risk of injury and reduces the intensity with less weight. The suitability of this can be assessed with the help of a healthcare professional.

Benefits Of The Smith Machine Squat

Tones Muscles

Muscle tone can be defined as the tension of muscles at rest which helps with movement and posture. It also significantly contributes to physical appearance. Good muscle tone is accomplished through regular resistance training and adequate nutrition.

As discussed above, smith machine squats are great for increasing training volume and intensity. This is especially the case for beginners and recreational gymgoers. Both of these things help to improve muscle growth and therefore muscle tone.

Minimizes Lower Back Stress

Lower back pain is a huge issue throughout society. In 2022, lower back pain affected 619 million people. Increases in desk-based jobs and poor posture can both contribute to this.

Smith machine squats use a fixed movement pattern and require less stabilization, helping to keep an upright position. While this makes them less suitable for the populations discussed above, this helps to minimize possible lower backloading.

If you’re looking for a functional exercise with less lower back stress, Smith machine squats are an excellent option. They can be used alongside normal squats to reduce it or as part of a rehabilitation program.

Alongside this, the safety catch and safety bar systems hugely reduce the chances of new lower back injuries occurring. They provide an extra level of safety for beginners and those who don’t have access to a spotter.

Good Exercise Variety

Whether your goal is muscular hypertrophy, muscle strength, or developing functional fitness, following the main training determinants is important. Alongside training volume and intensity discussed above, exercise variety is something that should be considered.

Performing a variety of different leg exercises allows you to work each muscle group with enough volume. Using a wider exercise variety can also improve training motivation, an often overlooked factor in successful programming.

Smith machine squats can be performed using multiple different stance positions to change the exercise focus. Use a narrow stance or bring the legs slightly forward to better target the quads. Use a wide stance to better target the hamstrings. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are squats on a Smith machine effective?

The effectiveness of Smith machine squats depends on workout variables such as volume and intensity. They provide a suitable workout stimulus for beginners, recreational gym-goers, and functional fitness athletes. High-level powerlifters should perform normal squats instead.

Why is it so hard to squat on the Smith machine?

Squatting on a Smith machine uses a fixed bar path. This means that the movement pattern is different from a normal squat. Therefore, it may take time to get used to the different movements and prove difficult.

Are Smith machine squats better than leg press?

Both exercises provide a good lower-body resistance training stimulus. They use a fixed movement pattern that challenges the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. The suitability depends on your programming and exercise goals meaning there isn’t a better option.

Is a Smith machine as good as free weights?

A Smith machine uses a fixed movement pattern. Therefore, it uses less stabilizer muscles than free weights. For functional movements and powerlifting performance, it isn’t as good as free weights.

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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