7 Best Smith Machine Shoulder Exercises

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The Smith machine is often overlooked when building great shoulders, but don’t forget about it.

It’s one of the best tools for building the strong, defined shoulders you’ve been wanting!

Why? It provides stability and controlled movement patterns that let you focus 100% on muscle activation rather than balancing weights.

In this guide, I’m sharing the 7 most effective Smith machine shoulder exercises I’ve personally tested and verified with top strength coaches.

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Table of Contents

7 Best Smith Machine Shoulder Exercises

Here are the best shoulder exercises with a Smith machine to make your deltoid muscles bigger and stronger.

1. Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press

The shoulder press is the most popular exercise for building big, round shoulder muscles.

The Smith Machine shoulder press is a compound, upper-body pushing movement that primarily targets the deltoid muscles (especially the anterior and medial heads) and engages the triceps, upper chest, and core stabilisers.

The Smith machine provides a safety net, so you can push closer to failure more confidently because you can quickly rack the bar at any point. This is huge for progressive overload.

The seated position with back support also minimises lower back strain and helps lift heavy objects.

How To Do It

  1. Place an adjustable bench (ideally with back support) inside the Smith machine. Adjust the bench angle (75-90 degrees).
  2. Position the bench so that when you unrack the bar, it’s roughly at upper chest/chin level and will travel comfortably for your shoulders.
  3. Set the safety catches just below the lowest point of your range of motion. Set the bar itself at a height you can comfortably unrack and re-rack.
  4. Sit on the bench with your back firmly against the pad. Plant your feet firmly on the floor for stability.
  5. Grasp the bar with a pronated (overhand) grip, slightly wider than shoulder width. At the bottom of the movement, your forearms should be roughly perpendicular to the floor.
  6. Slowly and controllably lower the bar towards your upper chest or chin. Keep your elbows tucked slightly forward.
  7. Once the bar reaches the desired depth (without bouncing or losing tension), powerfully press the bar straight until your arms are almost fully extended (or fully, depending on preference).
  8. Complete for the desired number of repetitions.
  9. Carefully guide the bar back to the hooks and rotate to secure it.

2. Smith Machine Standing Shoulder Press

Unlike the seated version, the standing press requires the coordination of your shoulders, arms, core, and lower body to maintain balance and posture, even on a fixed path.

Standing presses teach you to create tension from the ground up—feet rooted, glutes engaged, core braced. This technique is better suited to athletic movements and free-weight standing overhead presses.

How to Do It

  1. Set the Smith machine bar to a height where you can comfortably unrack it from roughly upper chest/clavicle level when standing.
  2. Position your feet shoulder-width apart, or slightly wider for a more stable base. Ensure your feet are directly under or slightly behind the bar’s path. 
  3. Take a pronated (overhand) grip, slightly wider than shoulder width. Your forearms should be near vertical when the bar is at chest level.
  4. Rotate the bar to unrack it. Allow the bar to rest at your upper chest/clavicle. Elbows should be slightly in front of the bar.
  5. Exhale and press the bar straight overhead.
  6.  Inhale slowly, with control, and lower the bar back to the starting position on your upper chest.

3. Smith Machine Upright Row

If you want to carve out well-defined shoulders (mainly lateral delt) and upper traps, the Smith machine upright row should be in your arsenal.

The upright row has a bad rep because of shoulder impingement risk, especially with poor mobility or bad form. With the Smith machine, you gain more control and can stop just below the danger zone. If you have any shoulder discomfort, I suggest:

  • Using a wider grip (~shoulder width)
  • Limiting the range to chest height
  • If machine upright rows bother you, consider a dumbbell, cable upright row, or banded options, as these place less stress.

How To Do It

  1. Stand close to the bar with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower. Stand tall, core engaged, and bend the knees slightly.
  2. Take an overhand grip at least shoulder-width apart, or even slightly wider. 
  3. Allow the bar to hang with extended arms, resting against your thighs.
  4. To start the pull, move your elbows up and outward. Keep the bar close to your body as it slides up.
  5.  Pull the bar only to your lower chest or sternum height. DO NOT pull the bar to your chin or neck, especially with a wider grip.
  6. At the top of the (modified) movement, your elbows should be higher than your wrists, and your upper arms should be roughly parallel to the floor or slightly above.
  7. Focus on squeezing your delts and traps.
  8. Slowly and with control, lower the bar back to the starting position.

4. Smith Machine Shrug

The Smith Machine Shrug is a highly effective exercise that targets the Upper trapezius muscles.

The Smith machine’s safety features and fixed path enable you to handle substantial weight with greater confidence and less concern for balancing a free barbell, allowing you to train your traps effectively.

How To Do It

  1. Set the Smith machine bar to a height where you can comfortably grip it with extended arms, typically around mid-thigh level.
  2. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and the bar right under your thighs or in front of them.
  3. Take a pronated (overhand) grip on the bar at shoulder width. Some people prefer a slightly narrower grip, but shoulder width is a good starting point. Ensure your grip is even.
  4. Your shoulders should be relaxed and depressed (downward) to allow for a full range of motion. Keep your chest up and head neutral (looking straight ahead or slightly up).
  5. Elevate your shoulders straight up as high as possible without bending your elbows.
  6. Focus on squeezing your trapezius muscles hard at the peak of the contraction. Imagine trying to touch your shoulders to your earlobes.
  7. Hold the peak contraction for a second or two to maximise muscle activation.
  8. Avoid rolling your shoulders forward or backwards. The movement should be almost purely vertical.
  9. Slowly and with control, lower your shoulders back to the starting position.
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5. Behind The Back Smith Machine Shrug

The Behind the Back Smith Machine Shrug is a powerful variation of the traditional shrug that trains the upper and middle fibres of the trapezius while recruiting stabilisers like the rear deltoids and rhomboids.

I’ve found it helps clients who tend to round their shoulders forward during standard shrugs, as the bar behind them forces a more upright and retracted shoulder posture.

How To Do It

  1. Adjust the Smith machine bar to a height just below your glutes.
  2. Stand facing away from the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Grasp the bar behind your back with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  4. Reach behind your back and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  5. Shrug your shoulders upwards and raise the bar as high as you can comfortably.
  6. Squeeze your traps at the top of the movement for a second, then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for 8–12 repetitions, 3–4 sets.

6. Smith Machine Behind The Neck Shoulder Press

The standard military press and the overhead dumbbell press hit more of the anterior head of the deltoid, which is often stimulated a lot, even during the bench press.

On the other hand, the behind-the-neck press stimulates all three heads of the shoulder and recruits the triceps, traps, and rhomboids.

I only recommend this movement for lifters with adequate shoulder and thoracic mobility. If you lack range of motion or feel pinching, switch to front presses or landmine variations.

Because of the rotator cuff and shoulder joint risk, I always suggest moderate weights, slower reps, and perfect form. This is not a max-strength movement.

How To Do It

  1. Set the Smith machine bar high enough to unrack it without excessive strain, and low enough that the safety catches are positioned just below your safe bottom range of motion.
  2. Sit or stand, so the bar path is directly aligned with your spine when viewed from the side.
  3. Take a pronated (overhand) grip significantly wider than the shoulder width.
  4. Unrack the bar and stabilise it overhead. Lower the bar behind your head towards the base of your neck/upper traps.
  5. DO NOT lower the bar past ear level or to a point where you feel ANY pinching, discomfort, or loss of control. For most, this will be a much shorter range of motion than a front press.
  6. Press the bar back up to the starting position.
  7. Do 8–12 Reps

7. Bent Over Smith Machine Row

The bent-over Smith machine row is a compound, horizontal pulling exercise that targets the middle back, rhomboids, lats, and rear delts. It also targets the biceps, shoulders, and traps to a lesser degree.

Use a wide grip to emphasise lats or a narrower grip to target rhomboids and traps more. An underhand grip can increase biceps involvement.

How To Do It

  1. Set the Smith machine bar low enough to achieve a proper bent-over position with your arms nearly extended,.
  2. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. You’ll likely need to position your feet slightly behind the bar’s vertical path so it can be pulled towards your torso without hitting your shins or knees.
  3. Hinge at the hips, maintaining a neutral spine and angling your torso until it is approximately 45 degrees or nearly parallel to the floor.
  4. Take a pronated (overhand) grip on the bar, typically slightly wider than shoulder-width. Some prefer an underhand (supinated) grip for more biceps and lower lat activation, but overhand is standard.
  5. Pull your shoulder blades back together or retract your scapulae. Then, pull the bar towards your lower chest or upper abdomen.
  6. Slowly lower to the starting position in a controlled manner.
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FAQs

Free Weight Vs Smith Machine Shoulder Exercises

  • Free-weight shoulder exercises also allow for a more natural arc of movement because a machine does not constrain you.
  • The Smith machine offers a controlled path of motion and safety latches if you get stuck.
  • Free-weight presses require the most help from the shoulder stabiliser muscle groups. This helps strengthen muscles that are often challenging to target, such as the rotator cuff, making you stronger and less susceptible to injuries.
  • The Smith machine relies on fewer stabiliser muscles, but this benefit comes with the tradeoff that smaller, weaker muscles will not interfere with your strength. This means you can lift heavier weights.
  • Even though the free-weight barbell shoulder workout is your go-to exercise for building muscle, switch between the two exercises regularly to get the best of both worlds. 
  • Don’t rely exclusively on the Smith machine; otherwise, your stabiliser muscle groups will weaken, eventually putting you at a greater risk for a shoulder injury.

Takeaways

Some exercisers go their entire lives without training on a Smith machine. They think it will hurt them, even though they have never used it.

The reality is that when used correctly, this much-maligned piece of gym equipment can be instrumental, especially if your goal is hypertrophy.

They allow you to train safely and focus on lifting and lowering the weight instead of balancing or stabilizing it.

With the Smith machine, you can do many shoulder exercises to strengthen and build muscle.

References

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