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Smith Machine Bench Press
How to do the Smith Machine Bench Press with good form: step-by-step technique, the muscles it works (chest), coaching cues and the mistakes to avoid.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Chest
- Secondary
- Delts, Triceps
How to do it
- Center a flat bench under the Smith machine bar so the bar lines up with your mid-chest.
- Lie flat on the bench, plant your feet firmly on the floor, and grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Unrack the bar by pushing up slightly and rotating the hooks off the safety pegs.
- Slowly lower the bar in a perfectly straight line down to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows tucked at 45 degrees.
- Pause for a brief second when the bar touches your chest to eliminate momentum.
- Drive the bar straight up to the starting position, extending your elbows fully without losing tension in the pecs.
Coaching cues
- Align the bar over the mid-chest
- Control the descent
- Drive evenly with both arms
Common mistakes
- Positioning the bench too far forward or backward
- Flaring the elbows out parallel to the shoulders
- Bouncing the bar off the chest
Equipment and setup
Smith machine, flat bench
Flat bench centered under the Smith machine bar.
Also known as: Smith Bench Press
Track your Smith Machine Bench Press in ROAN
ROAN fills in last session’s weight and reps, estimates your 1RM and keeps your best sets.
