Video of exercise being performed

How to do a Smith Machine Bench Press

Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology

About Smith Machine Bench Press

Sets Logged
1,007,314
Popularity Rank
153rd
Difficulty
Beginner
Chest Strength
67 mSCORE 51st
Equipment Required
  • Photo of Smith Machine
    Smith Machine
  • Photo of Flat Bench
    Flat Bench

Workouts with Smith Machine Bench Press

    Target muscles worked

    Primary Muscles
    Secondary Muscles

    Instructions for Proper Form

    Smith Machine Bench Press is a compound chest exercise that also recruits the triceps and shoulders. The use of the Smith Machine adds stability to the movement allowing you to focus more on exertion, or learning the movement.

    1. Lie your back onto a bench while squeezing your shoulder blades together and place your heels firmly on the ground underneath your knees.
    2. The bench should be in contact with your head, shoulders, and butt at all times.
    3. Position the smith machine bar over the middle of your chest before grabbing ahold just outside shoulder-width apart with an overhand grip.
    4. Keep your core braced as you unhook the bar and descend it towards your chest by flexing your elbows keeping them at a 45 degree angle from your torso.
    5. Gently touch the middle of your chest with the bar before exhaling it back to the starting position.

    Common Form Mistakes

    • Overusing the Smith Machine

      Smith Machines are great pieces of equipment, however they do hinder your ability to develop smaller stabilizing muscles. Try to work in other variations that require you to stabilize the movement as well.

    • Bouncing the Bar

      Bouncing the bar off your chest can help you lift heavier weights, but it increases your risk of injury, and makes the exercise less effective. Focus on slowly lowering the bar, and gently tapping your chest at the bottom of the movement.

    • Flared Elbows

      Flaring your elbows out can sometimes help you lift heavier weights, but it places more tension on your shoulders. The ideal position can vary slightly from person to person, but try to keep your elbows around 45 degrees from your torso, and make small adjustments from there.

    • Keep Your Wrists Straight

      Allowing your wrist to extend in order to grab a barbell may feel more secure, and less likely to slip out of your hands. The downside is that it places a lot of tension on your wrist, and can be a limiting factor to how much weight you can move. Focus on keeping your wrist in a neutral position inline with your forearm.

    Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator

    Average Smith Machine Bench Press standards by male, female, weight, age and height

    Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.

    • beginner
      8
      reps
      45
      lbs
      1 Rep Max
      55
      lbs
    • intermediate
      8
      reps
      60
      lbs
      75
      lbs
    • advanced
      8
      reps
      75
      lbs
      95
      lbs

    Enter your stats to calculate your Reps & Weight