Chest · Compound

Smith Machine Bench Press

A guided bench press that lets you push close to failure with a fixed bar path.

MAIN MUSCLE
Chest
ALSO WORKS
Front delts, Triceps
EQUIPMENT
Smith machine, Bench
LEVEL
Beginner
REPS
8-12
TEMPO
3-1-1
THE FIGURE FROM THE APPWORKING MUSCLE

HOW TO DO IT

  1. Place a flat bench so the bar lines up with your mid-chest.

  2. Grip slightly wider than shoulders and twist the bar to unhook it.

  3. Lower the bar to the mid-chest with control.

  4. Press up to straight arms and re-hook the bar when finished.

COMMON MISTAKES

  • Flaring elbows to 90 degrees; tuck them to roughly 45-70 degrees from the torso.
  • Losing shoulder-blade retraction; pin the blades back and down before the first rep.
  • Bouncing the weight; control the descent and pause lightly at the bottom.

TIPS

  • Drive your feet into the floor and push yourself away from the weight.

QUESTIONS

Which muscles does Smith Machine Bench Press work?

The main muscle is Chest. It also works Front delts, Triceps.

How many reps should I do?

FORGE suggests 8-12 reps for Smith Machine Bench Press. The app adjusts sets and reps to your goal and level.

What can I do instead of Smith Machine Bench Press?

These train the same muscles: Barbell Bench Press, Machine Chest Press, Dumbbell Bench Press.