Exercise guide · Legs & Glutes

Smith Machine Squat

Smith machine squats use a bar fixed on vertical rails so you do not have to balance side to side. Foot placement changes how the squat feels; many lifters face forward and squat with the bar on their upper back like a back squat.

Targets: Quads
Equipment: Machine
Type: Compound

Step by step

How to do the Smith Machine Squat

Set the Smith bar to around upper-chest height. Load the bar and stand under it with the bar across your upper traps, similar to a back squat.
Unrack by rotating the bar to unlock the hooks. Step your feet forward slightly if needed so you can squat with knees tracking over toes.
Set feet shoulder-width, toes slightly out. Brace your core before descending.
Bend hips and knees to sit down with control until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor or to your comfortable depth.
Press through your feet to stand, keeping the bar locked in the rails. Rotate the bar to re-rack at the end of the set.

Form cues

Match foot position to your hip and knee comfort
Bar stays over mid-foot throughout
Control the descent—do not crash into the stops
Full foot contact on every rep

Common mistakes

Feet too far forward or back, creating awkward knee or hip angles
Letting knees cave inward on the way up
Bouncing off the safety stops at the bottom
Unlocking the bar before you are fully set under it

Muscles worked

Primary

Quads

Secondary

Glutes and Hamstrings

Safety: Learn how your machine locks and unlocks before loading heavy weight. Set safety stops just below your lowest depth if the machine has them.

Alternatives

Similar legs & glutes exercises

See all legs & glutes exercises · Browse the full exercise library