Use the squat rack alternative to master new movements.
Do More With is a series highlighting equipment around the Club that can help you reach your fitness goals. In this installment, we highlight the Smith machine, available on the Club floor.
People love to hate the Smith machine. But in my opinion, it’s not always justified.
Let’s rewind. The Smith machine is essentially a squat rack with a fixed barbell that weighs 15 to 20 pounds — less than half of a traditional bar. As you move through, say, a squat, the bar will glide up and down along a set path that’s almost (or completely) vertical. Once you finish your set, you’ll flick your wrist, moving the safety hooks toward the pillars to lock it in place — no need to use extra safety bars.
These key features make it a relatively safe piece of equipment for members of all training levels. But it can be an equally effective training tool, too — if you use it correctly.
Why Train with the Smith Machine
Regardless of the exercise you’re performing on the Smith machine, the barbell’s path is fixed. It can only move up and down along the rails, so there's zero chance of the bar pulling you forward or backward or making you wobble. And that’s incredibly valuable if you’re experimenting with new movement patterns.
If you’re a beginner with back squats, for instance, it can feel strange to balance the long, heavy barbell across your upper back. You’ll also have to fire up small, stabilizer muscles to prevent you from swaying throughout the movement. With the Smith machine, you don’t have those same worries, so you’re able to focus entirely on your squat form and mechanics. That’s what makes it a great way to practice getting a fluid motion and recruiting the correct major movers. Barbell reverse lunges and bench presses are both worth practicing on the Smith machine when you’re first starting out.
The machine also makes bigger compound lifts more approachable for newbies. With a traditional squat rack, it can be difficult to set up the safety bars at the correct height, and you might even need a spotter. But you can rely on the Smith machine’s safety hook mechanism to quickly catch the barbell if you hit the bottom of your squat or bench press and you’re not able to dig yourself out of it.
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But new lifters aren’t the only members who can gain from these benefits. I personally use the Smith machine when I’m starting to max out on my reverse lunges or my bench press. I don’t have to worry about having all the tiny muscles near my shoulder joint activate to stabilize the bar. And I know I can quickly flick my wrist to lock the bar if I’m going to fail a rep, so I’m able to safely test just how much weight my major movers can actually handle.
How to Use the Smith Machine
You can do practically any barbell exercise on the Smith machine: squats, reverse lunges, deadlifts, bench presses, standing calf raises, rows (including inverted variations), and hip thrusts, to name a few. It’s much easier to set up your hip thrusts on the Smith machine than a traditional barbell. Just lock the bar a foot or two above the ground, add your plates, and slide your hips underneath — no bumper plates required. With a squat or lunge, I recommend practicing the movement pattern and marking your foot placement before adding any load; you might realize you need to step your feet forward or backward slightly due to the angle of the barbell’s path.
I also love to use the Smith machine with clients who are learning how to do pull-ups, starting with a “negative” variation. You might set the bar so it’s just above the chin when standing, lift your feet off the floor and bend your knees, and slowly lower yourself to the floor. Stand back up and repeat. Unlike a standard pull-up bar, you won’t have to stand on a spare bench to get yourself up to the starting position — or hop up and cling to the bar like a monkey.
That said, some moves are best performed with traditional barbells — including the shoulder press. As you push the barbell up to the ceiling, your biceps should almost align with your ears. But due to the slight slant of the bar’s path on a Smith machine, your arms will shoot further in front of your body, and that causes the muscles in the front of your shoulders to take on more of the workload. Other exercises to avoid: donkey kicks and leg presses. It’s so easy for your feet to slip off the bar, so just use a cable machine and leg press machine, respectively, to get the job done.
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While the Smith machine can be beneficial for safely trying heavier loads on occasion, there are drawbacks to consider: Your core doesn’t have to work as hard to keep you stable and upright, and neither do the synergistic muscles. Not to mention, you do want to practice activating those smaller stabilizing muscles that support your prime movers. That’s how your body operates in real life — like when you squat to pick up a sippy cup off the floor, all while holding your toddler in one arm — so it’s essential to train that process in the Club.
Also worth noting: Because the bar is locked on a single path, it could be forcing you to squat in a pattern that’s not best for your body, due to your torso and leg length, current level of mobility, and other factors. I suggest using the machine to practice loading your back, getting the hang of the general movement pattern, and then moving on to more unstable tools for your regular training.
In other words, think of the Smith machine as more of a transitional piece of equipment, not an essential for every exercise. Once you’ve worked up to the point that you have added 20 to 30 pounds of plates and can perform 10 to 12 reps comfortably, that’s your cue to move to a traditional rack.
When you make the switch, drop all the weight and do the movement just with the barbell. Remember, a traditional barbell weighs 35 to 45 pounds, and you’re going to feel your smaller muscle groups and core lighting up to keep you balanced as you move through your reps. Translation: The same exercise will feel more difficult with a regular barbell than with the Smith machine. Only once you’re comfortable with the new set-up should you start adding load.
The Smith machine is one of the most polarizing pieces of equipment. Even with those considerations, it has its time and place in a training program — and it may be just what you need to make notable progress toward your strength goals.
Michelle Goldberg is the personal training manager at Equinox Paramus in New Jersey. Michelle studied nutritional science at Rutgers University and started teaching group fitness in 2008. She's worked at Equinox since 2014 as a group fitness instructor, teaching classes in all four studios (cycle, barre, main studio, and tread), and as a personal trainer in New Jersey, Southern California, and New York City. She's certified in ViPR, Animal Flow L1, TRX, FRC, FMS L1, Kettlebell Athletics L2, Pre-Post Natal, Precision Nutrition L1, Trigger Point L1, Stick Mobility L1, Pain Free Performance, and Progressive Bodyweight Training. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, figure skating and watersports.