The Smith machine greatly simplifies movements and allows for an abundance of squat variations.
Specifically, bodybuilders can take advantage of the Smith machine's simplification to target their glutes and legs. Powerlifters or general fitness enthusiasts might find themselves in a hotel where a Smith machine is their only option.
Any type of athlete can maximize the use of a Smith machine to get closer to their goals.
The 9 Smith machine squat variations are:
- Smith Machine Wide Stance Squat
- Smith Machine Rear Foot Elevated Squat
- Smith Machine Front Squat
- Smith Machine Sissy Squat
- Smith Machine Leg Press
- Smith Machine Box Squat
- Smith Machine Reverse Lunge
- Smith Machine Platz Squat
- Smith Machine Heel Elevated Squat
Here, I have provided a variety of squat variations that can emphasize different muscle groups when it comes to developing the lower body.
These are all exercises I have personally observed to be effective at some point in my coaching and lifting career.
Without further ado, let's begin!
Table of Contents
Why Smith Machine Squats Over Barbell Squats?
Due to its fixed bar path, the Smith machine squat is commonly frowned upon by gym-goers. I believe there is some merit to this, especially when squats are done improperly.
However, there are plenty of use cases where the Smith machine, when done properly, can be one of the most effective tools in your arsenal.
A huge drawback of free barbell squatting is the complexity of the movement. Even the most advanced lifters find themselves on an off day where they aren’t able to cultivate the right mind-muscle connection.
For this reason, barbell squatting might not be the most effective secondary or tertiary tool for building size. Here, we might want to implement a Smith machine squat variation towards the middle or end of the workout as a supplemental exercise.
Want to improve your squat technique?
What Makes a Good Smith Machine Squat Variation?
A good Smith machine squat variation will accomplish one of the following:
- Use fundamental muscles that are involved in a squatting pattern
- Simplify the squatting movement to achieve greater focus on execution
Muscles Used in the Squat
The prime movers of the squat are:
- Erectors (Spinalis, longissimus, and iliocostalis, which are the muscles that enable you to straighten your back and rotate your torso)
- Glutes (Maximus, minimus, and medius)
- Quadriceps (Lateralis, intermedius, medialis, and rectus femoris)
- Hamstrings (Semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris)
The squat is a comprehensive multi-joint compound movement that targets the stabilizers and the muscles of the lower extremities, which are the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
Takeaway: A good Smith machine squat variation should also target some or all of these muscles.
Squat Simplification
An important feature of the Smith machine is that it simplifies exercise execution. Regular barbell squats require adept movement pattern development and thousands of reps to perfect execution.
The complication of the regular barbell squat means it can be more difficult to master. It can be a huge barrier for beginners and take focus away from muscle activation.
The Smith machine allows you to take focus away from the technical aspects of a squat and place a greater emphasis on muscle activation.
Being able to place greater emphasis on muscle activation is why elite-level bodybuilders have revered its implementation.
Takeaway: A Smith machine squat variation will simplify the squatting movement, which in turn will create less barrier to entry for beginners and allow for greater focus on muscle activation.
Smith Machine Squat Variations
1. Smith Machine Wide Stance Squat
The Smith machine wide stance squat places a greater emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings rather than the quads while reducing the range of motion to lift more weight.
The Smith machine wide stance squat is a great bang-for-buck option for those who are bodybuilders or are in a mass-building phase.
While I typically recommend everyone to barbell squats, beginners may struggle with free weights in some capacity. In this case, they can benefit from the simplicity of the Smith Machine wide stance squat.
How To Do It
- Set up the Smith Machine to be at chest height when fully racked.
- Get under the bar with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and build as much tension as possible prior to unracking.
- To build tension, drive the entire body through the upper traps and into the bar while simultaneously engaging the back by pulling the bar down.
- Stand up with the bar and roll the Smith Machine bar till it is unlocked from the rack.
- Initiate by sitting back with the hips until the thighs are about parallel with the ground.
- From the bottom of the movement, push through the midfoot at full force to stand up into complete hip and knee extension.
Pro Tip
Slowing down the lowering phase, or eccentric phase can create more time under tension, resulting in greater fatigue. Tempo reps will also help promote motor pattern development and a sense of awareness during the squat.
For this reason, I highly recommend starting a block with tempo Smith machine squats to become a more effective squatter while simultaneously enhancing the size of the legs.
Learn more about tempo squats and why you should do them in 7 Reasons To Do Tempo Squats (Plus, How to Program It).
2. Smith Machine Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
The Smith machine rear foot elevated split squat allows you to increase your single-legged strength while emphasizing quad and glute activation.
Unilateral strength is commonly overlooked by most for a multitude of reasons, some being that they are just a less popular option and that absolute loads are much less.
However, plenty of research backs the benefits of implementing unilateral movement into training by reducing imbalances and achieving a higher level of quad and glute stimulus.
How To Do It
- Parallel to the smith machine, have a flat bench set up.
- Rest the back foot with the laces atop the bench.
- Firmly tighten the bar on top of the upper traps to stabilize the load.
- In relation to the posture, ensure that the bar is over the center of mass by being loaded over the hips and midfoot.
- Unrack the bar from the Smith machine by extending at the single leg and hips.
- Initiate by sitting back with the hips and letting the front knee travel over the second and third toes.
- Squat down until the thigh is at or just above parallel with the floor.
- From the bottom, push through the midfoot until the hip and knee are at complete extension.
Pro Tip
You can achieve a greater range of motion by also elevating the front foot. This can result in developing knee and hip mobility and stretching the muscles involved in the rear foot elevated split squat to a greater degree, which can result in more quad and glute growth.
For more split squat variations, check out 9 Best Bulgarian Split Squat Alternative (With Pictures).
3. Smith Machine Front Squat
The Smith machine front squat allows you to emphasize your quad development while also targeting the core.
How To Do It
- Have the Smith machine barbell racked on the front of the shoulders.
- Create a shelf by allowing the bar to sit on the fingertips or by crossing the arms and elbows.
- For this shelf, the upper arms should be parallel with the ground, while the elbow position should aim to be as high as possible.
- To build tension, drive the entire body through the front of the shoulders and into the bar while simultaneously building stiffness in the torso by engaging the back.
- Unrack the bar by unlocking it from the Smith machine and standing up with it.
- Initiate this movement by sitting back with the hips until the thighs are about parallel with the ground.
- From the bottom, proceed to stand up with the weight.
Pro Tip
It is common for individuals to let their hips rise first or for their chest to cave in at the bottom of the squat. A great way to fix this is to cue to punch your elbows up to maintain positioning during the Smith machine front squat.
4. Smith Machine Sissy Squat
The Smith machine sissy squat can be a simple bodyweight activity that places a greater focus on quad development while recruiting core stabilizers and hip flexors for greater balance.
The Smith machine sissy squat places low stress on the knee joint, making it a viable low-intensity bodyweight option for those recovering from a knee injury.
How To Do It
- Stack two plates atop each other below the center of the bar to elevate the positioning of the bar to be just behind the knee.
- Lock the bar on the lowest setting of the Smith machine.
- Position yourself right in front of the bar with the feet shoulder-width apart.
- Allow the bar to keep the lower leg fixed in place while sitting back until the thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Stand up to complete the repetition.
Pro Tip
To increase the stimulus for this exercise, hold a dumbbell in the heels of the hand, similar to a goblet squat.
If sissy squats are uncomfortable or difficult for you, try one of these sissy squat alternatives instead.
5. Smith Machine Leg Press
The Smith machine leg press simulates an actual leg press while focusing specifically on leg extension, primarily targeting the quads and glutes.
How To Do It
- Lay down under the Smith machine bar to set up for this activity.
- The bottom of the feet should be on the bar and be positioned at about midfoot.
- Unlock the bar from the safeties to begin the exercise.
- Push the bar away until the knees are at complete extension.
- Return to the starting position to finish the repetition.
Pro Tip
Rather than focusing on loading up the bar, aim for greater than 15 repetitions per set with the goal of high fatigue.
Since the goal of this exercise is to achieve higher repetitions, place this movement towards the middle to end of the workout to increase the effectiveness of its implementation.
6. Smith Machine Box Squat
The Smith machine box squat utilizes a touch point at the descent of the squat, which promotes proper posture and cueing to execute the movement.
Beginners to intermediate lifters can have trouble finding proper squat depth or maintaining proper posture during the regular squat.
The box squat can be helpful for developing good habits and internal cueing for the squat.
How To Do It
- Place a box inside the Smith machine that’s high enough so your thighs are at parallel or 3 inches above parallel at the bottom of a squat.
- Firmly place the Smith machine bar on the upper traps.
- To maintain a balanced center of mass, ensure that the bar position is stacked on top of the hips and in line with the midfoot.
- Initiate by sitting back with the hips while allowing the knees to come forward.
- Descend until the hips are firmly placed over the box.
- To complete the repetition, stand up off the box with full force until hips and knees are completely extended.
Pro Tip
The size of the box you should use should be based on the area of the squat that you struggle with most.
If you are struggling at lockout with the squat, then utilize a higher box for this exercise. However, if you struggle at the bottom or with depth, use a lower box to cue a proper bottom position of the squat.
7. Smith Machine Reverse Lunge
The Smith machine reverse lunge places less stress on the joints while placing a greater emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings.
The Smith machine reverse lunge is the perfect option for those that are going through a back, knee, or hip injury.
The reverse lunge is easier to stabilize by reducing the balance component compared to the forward lunge's dynamic movement.
How To Do It
- Firmly place the Smith machine bar on the upper traps.
- To maintain a balanced center of mass, ensure that the bar position is stacked on top of the hips and in line with the midfoot.
- To begin the rep, step back with one foot.
- Let the back knee bend and the heel come up off the ground at the same time while the knee of the front leg bends over the 2nd and 3rd toe.
- Descend until the front knee is bent at 90 degrees.
- To complete the repetition, return the back leg to the starting position.
- Repeat the previous steps until you have achieved equal repetitions for both sides.
Pro Tip
People should implement this exercise if they experience knee pain during conventional exercises.
Additionally, an example workout template with the implementation of the reverse lunge could be as follows:
- Barbell Back Squat: 3 x 3 @ 75%
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts: 4 x 8 @ RPE 7
- Smith Machine Reverse Lunge: 4 x 10ea @ RPE 7
- Seated Hamstring Curls: 4 x 12 @ RPE 7-8
- Calf Raises: 3 x 20 @ RPE 8-9
Learn more about the differences between forward lunges and reverse lunges in Is It Better To Do Forward or Backward Lunges?
8. Smith Machine Platz Squat
The Platz squat was named after Tom Platz, who would squat with a narrow stance, which required greater hip and ankle mobility while targeting the quads to a greater degree.
How To Do It
- Get under the Smith machine with the bar firmly placed on the upper traps.
- To maintain a balanced center of mass, ensure that the bar position is stacked on top of the hips and in line with the midfoot.
- Place your feet about hip-width apart.
- Initiate the movement by sitting back with the hips while letting the knees travel over the second and third toes.
- Descend until the thighs are parallel with the floor, then subsequently push through the midfoot to return to the starting position.
Pro Tip
The aim of Platz squats is to aim for higher rep counts with lower weights. However, Platz squats can be programmed with a strength progression as well.
A way to program Platz squats can be as follows:
- 4 x 20 @ 40%
OR
- 5 x 5 @ 75%
9. Smith Machine Heel-Elevated Squat
Elevating the heels with plates or a squat wedge during the Smith machine squat will increase your range of motion, allowing for greater depth while emphasizing quad recruitment.
How To Do It
- Similar to the Smith machine squat, set up the Smith machine to be at chest height when fully racked.
- Elevate the heels by using either 5 lbs plates or a small wedge.
- Get under the bar and build as much tension as possible prior to unracking.
- To build tension, drive the entire body through the upper traps and into the bar while simultaneously engaging the back by pulling the bar down.
- Stand up with the bar and roll the Smith machine bar till it is unlocked from the rack.
- Initiate by sitting back with the hips until your hip crease is below the knee.
- From the bottom of the movement, push through the midfoot at full force to stand up into complete hip and knee extension.
Pro Tip
Combine the heel-elevated squat with a Platz squat and keep a narrow stance while elevating your heels to further focus on isolating the quads during this movement. For this movement, you can benefit from implementing 10 – 20 reps and 3 – 5 sets to focus on hypertrophy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Okay To Do Squats in a Smith Machine?
There is nothing inherently wrong with utilizing a Smith machine for squats. Smith machine implementation can be detrimental when you execute the exercise with too much load or use improper technique. When used correctly, Smith machine squats are a great addition to any program to promote size and strength.
Are Smith Machine Squats Better for Glutes?
Smith machine squats can target the glutes more effectively when doing the reverse lunge and the rear foot elevated split squat variation. However, every Smith machine squat variation will target the glutes to some degree.
Are Smith Machine Squats Better for Quads?
When compared to barbell squats, Smith machine squats simplify the squatting pattern, which allows for a greater focus on quad development. Variations such as front squats, Platz squats, and sissy squats are the most effective Smith machine exercises for targeting the quads.
Final Thoughts
Many view the Smith machine as an incredibly unsafe piece of equipment at the gym. However, when utilized correctly, the Smith machine can be a valuable asset to building muscle while improving your ability to squat effectively.
Additionally, most weight rooms and hotel gyms have a Smith machine, and there are plenty of weight rooms that don’t have squat racks. For this reason, you might need to use the Smith machine to some degree to maintain consistency in the weight room.
About The Author
Javad Bakhshinejad was born and raised in the Washington Area. Currently, he is a student at Seattle University where he’s been pursuing an MS in Kinesiology, and has been a Strength Coach in the athletic department. He was a competitive bodybuilder for 8 years where he later transitioned to competitive powerlifting for 4 years. Currently, He has his own personal coaching business, where he works with powerlifters and bodybuilders.
