- EquipmentSmith machine
- PatternSquat
- Reps6 to 15 reps
- Joint loadKnee and Lower back
Set the Smith bar at upper chest height and the safety stops just below your lowest point. Step under it, rest it on your upper back and place your feet slightly in front of the bar.
First cueFind a foot position where your heels stay down.
How to do the Smith Machine Squat
Set up. Set the Smith bar at upper chest height and the safety stops just below your lowest point. Step under it, rest it on your upper back and place your feet slightly in front of the bar.
- Unhook the bar by rotating it.
- Squat down under control, keeping your chest up.
- Drive up to standing.
- Rotate the bar back onto the hooks after the set.
Form cues
- Find a foot position where your heels stay down.
- Keep the knees over the toes.
- Brace before each rep.
Common mistakes
- Placing the feet so far forward the lower back rounds.
- Forgetting to set the stops.
Muscles worked
Main target: Quads. The quadriceps are four muscles at the front of the thigh. They straighten the knee: squats, lunges, leg presses and every stair.
On the way: Glutes and Hamstrings.
Its other side: Hamstrings and Glutes, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Smith Machine Squat, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Cable Romanian Deadlift Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Smith Machine Squat first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Smith Machine Squat 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Cable Romanian Deadlift 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Goblet Squat
Kettlebell
Gym or cable swap
Leg Press
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Back Squat.
Other variations of the Back Squat: Front Squat, Hack Squat, Pause Squat, Belt Squat, Goblet Squat, Leg Press and Box Squat.
Do before it: Ankle Mobilisation (ankle range), Goblet Squat (same movement, lighter), 90/90 Hip Switch (hip range) and Bodyweight Squat (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Smith Machine Squat is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Smith Machine Squat?
Set up: Set the Smith bar at upper chest height and the safety stops just below your lowest point. Step under it, rest it on your upper back and place your feet slightly in front of the bar. Steps: 1. Unhook the bar by rotating it. 2. Squat down under control, keeping your chest up. 3. Drive up to standing. 4. Rotate the bar back onto the hooks after the set. Form cues: Find a foot position where your heels stay down. Keep the knees over the toes. Brace before each rep. Common mistakes: Placing the feet so far forward the lower back rounds. Forgetting to set the stops.
What muscles does the Smith Machine Squat work?
It trains the quads as its main target and works the glutes and hamstrings on the way.
What can I do instead of the Smith Machine Squat?
At home: Goblet Squat. In a gym: Leg Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Smith Machine Squat with?
Good partners in the same workout are Cable Romanian Deadlift, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Smith Machine Squat be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.