How to do squats on a smith machine

The Smith machine squat is a variation of a traditional squat. It is a machine-based exercise that targets lower body muscles.

Whether you are new to strength training, don’t have a spotter or the squat rack is busy, a Smith machine squat could be the answer to your workout. Squats are the king of lower body exercises used in building muscle and overall health. You can do squats with a regular barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells or your body weight.

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The Smith machine

The Smith Machine looks similar to a traditional squat rack with the main difference being that it assists with the movement. The Smith machine barbell has around 15 pounds vs a 45-pound barbell, which means you can focus on proper form instead of how heavy you’re lifting.

Popular exercises using the Smtih machine are squat variations. However, you can work various muscle groups through different exercises including the bench press, Romanian deadlift, shoulder press and barbell back row.

How to do squats on a Smith machine

• Adjust the bar of the Smith machine so that it’s just below shoulder height.
• Position your hands about shoulder-width apart on the bar, and lightly grip the bar with an overhand grip.
• Get under the bar and position at the base of your traps looking straight ahead.
• With your feet about hip-distance apart, unlock the bar by lifting it up and forward.
• Shift your weight back into your heels. Brace your core muscles as you begin to lower into a squat, keeping your head and spine in a neutral position.
• Once your quadriceps muscles are at 90-degree angle with the floor, reverse the movement by driving your feet into the floor and stand back up. Be sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of your squat.

Tips

• Drive through the entire foot – you want 3 points of contact: big toe, little toe, and heel. Focus on keeping your feet planted on the ground without letting your heels or toes come up off the ground.

Squat variations

Narrow back squats

1. Set the bar to around shoulder height.
2. Stand under the bar with your legs in a narrow stance.
3. Grasp the bar with a wide grip and position the center of the bar on your upper back (traps). The bar should not sit on your neck. 
4. Take a slight step forward.
5. With your back straight and your eyes facing forward, slowly squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
6. Push up through your heel and raise the bar back to the starting position.

Front squats

1. The smith bar should be at collarbone height. Keep your feet at shoulder-width distance.
2. Crossed your arms and place the bar in its crook. You should have a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and torso.
3. Inhale before you lift the bar, ensuring that your elbows remain pointed straight forward. 
4. Rather than push your hips back, you will sit more straight down with a front squat.
5. Lower until your quads are parallel with the ground.
6. At the bottom exhale and push through the heel of your feet to a standing position.

Sumo squat

1. Adjust the bar of the Smith machine so that it’s just below shoulder height.
2. Position your hands about shoulder-width apart on the bar, and lightly grip the bar with an overhand grip.
3. Get under the bar and position at the base of your traps looking straight ahead.
4. Stand with your legs in a wider stance and your toes pointed out.
5. Shift your weight back into your heels. Brace your core muscles as you begin to lower into a squat, keeping your head and spine in a neutral position.
6. Once your quadriceps muscles are at 90-degree angle with the floor, reverse the movement by driving your feet into the floor and stand back up. Be sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of your squat.

Smith machine hack squat

1. Get under the bar, lift it up, and rotate to unhook the bar. Position your feet forward so your knees are behind your toes. This will allow you to sit back and keep your knees behind your toes when lowering down. 
2. Like any squat, ensure that your spine stays straight, and you have an engaged core.
3. You will want to squat to the point where you have a right angle between your shins and upper thighs. This squat is very similar to sitting down, only very low and in a chair that does not exist.
4. From the lowered position, rise up by driving force through the heels of your feet. 

Split squat

1. Set the bar to around shoulder height.
2. Stand under the bar with your legs shoulder-width apart.
3. Grasp the bar with a wide grip and position the center of the bar on your upper back (traps). The bar should not sit on your neck. 
4. Stagger your legs in a split stance
5. With your back straight and your eyes facing forward, slowly squat down until your right quad is at an a 90-degree angle with the floor.
6. Push up through your heel and raise the bar back to the starting position.

Zercher squat

1. Set the smith bar to waist height.
2. Stand with your feet slightly wider than a shoulder-length stance.
3. Extend your arms underneath the bar and wrap them around with the bar resting in your elbows. The position of your arms should be nearby your shoulders.
4. Lower into squat position until your elbows are slightly inside of your knees.
5. When your elbows have reached that position return to your starting position.

Leg presses

The leg press is an inverted squat where you are lying on the floor.

1. Start by removing the bar from the locks and setting the right weight.
2. Once the desired weight is up, and the bar is a comfortable reaching distance from the floor, lie down under the bar. Position yourself so you can look up and quickly place the balls of your feet on the bar.
3. Start by inhaling and driving the way up using your quads. Exhale while you push the weight up and inhale as you bring the weight down.
4. Lower back down and repeat.

Common mistakes with Smith squats

Setting up like a regular barbell squat

The biggest mistake we see is that people try to do a smith squat like a regular squat. Your feet need to be forward, not your heel under the bar like with a free barbell squat.

Knees caving in

When performing a Smith squat, do not let your knees to cave in. To avoid this, actively press your knees out as you squat up. 

Leaning forward

Leaning forward typically happens when you let your hips move faster than your knees. To stop yourself from leaning forward, practice slow and controlled movement and think about keeping your chest raised as you lower into the squat.

Wrap up

Smith machine squats are a great way to add squats into your lower body days whether you are an advanced lifter or just starting out.

Using the squat machine can help you work a wide range of muscles and perform a variety of moves. The best use of Smith squats is the growth of quads and glutes.

Smith machines will secondarily challenge other muscle groups. However, it does not act as an adequate replacement for regular squats.