Smith Machine Bench Press

Smith Machine Bench Press trains 3 of the 18 muscle groups Full Coverage tracks: Chest 95%, Triceps 50%, Front delts 35%.

Backbone movement Level: Beginner Smith machine Bench Push Easy on the lower backEasy on the kneesNo load on the spineEasy on the shoulders

Smith Machine Bench Press - Start position — Start position

Smith Machine Bench Press - Finish position — Finish position

How to do it

Lie on a flat bench set inside a Smith machine.
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width and unrack it.
Lower the bar under control to your mid-chest.
Pause briefly without bouncing.
Press the bar back up until your arms are fully extended.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

Light Main

How it compares

Compared with the Barbell Bench Press, it loads Chest 5 points lower, Front delts 5 points lower. It needs Smith machine + Bench where the other uses Barbell + Bench. Compared with the Dumbbell Flys, it loads Triceps 50 points higher, Front delts 20 points higher, Chest 5 points higher. It needs Smith machine + Bench where the other uses Dumbbells + Bench.