Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Smith Machine Bench Press
The Smith machine bench press is a flat-bench chest press using a guided bar. It trains your chest, front shoulders, and triceps with less need to balance the weight than a free-weight press.
- Beginner
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Position the bench so the bar's path meets your mid-chest at the bottom.
- Lie faceup with your feet flat on the floor.
- Grip the bar evenly, slightly wider than shoulder width, with your thumbs wrapped around it.
- Unhook the bar by rotating it with your arms extended.
- Lower the bar under control toward your chest to a comfortable depth.
- Press the bar up until your elbows are straight.
- Rotate the bar into the rack hooks after your final repetition.
Form cues
- Keep your shoulder blades back against the bench.
- Stack your wrists over your elbows.
- Keep elbows slightly tucked, not flared wide.
- Exhale as you press.
Common mistakes
- Bouncing off your chestReverse direction smoothly without using your chest to rebound the bar.
- Lifting your hipsKeep your butt on the bench throughout the repetition.
- Forcing chest contactStop the descent before your shoulders roll forward, even if the bar does not touch your chest.
Safety
A failed repetition can pin your chest or neck if the safety stops are too low. The fixed bar path can also strain your shoulders if bench placement or depth does not suit you.
- Set both safety stops to catch the bar above your chest and neck when you relax your pressing position; test this without added weight.
- Practice the release mechanism without added weight, following the machine's indicated orientation if its rails are angled.
- Confirm both hooks are fully engaged before releasing your grip or sitting up.
- Add weight gradually, keeping enough strength in reserve to rack the bar securely.
If pressing causes shoulder or wrist pain, use a pain-free range or another chest-press variation and seek physiotherapist advice if symptoms persist.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Flat Bench
- Smith Machine
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Choose a load that lets you finish each set with about two repetitions left in reserve.