Equipment
Smith machine Exercises
A barbell on a fixed vertical or near-vertical rail. It removes the balance demand of free-weight lifting, which makes it easier to load and easier to fail safely.
The fixed path is the trade: it is stable, but it does not let your joints find their own groove, so set your foot position deliberately. Excellent for pressing and squat patterns taken close to failure alone.
13 smith machine exercises in Gym Journal
11 compound and 2 isolation, each with a default rep range and rest interval already set. Everything here is in the free app.
| Exercise | Muscle | Type | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decline Smith Pressalso Triceps, Shoulders | Chest | compound | 8–12 |
| Smith Incline Bench Pressalso Triceps, Shoulders | Chest | compound | 8–12 |
| Smith Machine Bench Pressalso Triceps, Shoulders | Chest | compound | 6–12 |
| Smith Machine Calf Raise | Calves | isolation | 10–15 |
| Smith Machine Front Squatalso Glutes, Abs | Quads | compound | 6–10 |
| Smith Machine Hip Thrustalso Hamstrings | Glutes | compound | 8–12 |
| Smith Machine Romanian Deadliftalso Glutes, Lower back | Hamstrings | compound | 8–12 |
| Smith Machine Shoulder Pressalso Triceps | Shoulders | compound | 8–12 |
| Smith Machine Shrugalso Forearms | Traps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Smith Machine Split Squatalso Glutes, Hamstrings | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Smith Machine Squatalso Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Smith Machine Upright Rowalso Traps, Upper back | Shoulders | compound | 10–12 |
| Smith Rowalso Lats, Biceps | Upper back | compound | 8–12 |
Log them, and watch the numbers move
Every exercise here is in the free app, with form instructions, its own progression chart and PR tracking. No account needed to start.