# Smith Machine Bench Press: how to do it

- Main muscles: chest
- Also works: front delts, triceps
- Equipment: smith, bench
- Level: beginner
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/smith_machine_bench_press/516deb9e04/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Set the bench so the bar lowers to your nipple line.
2. Lie back, feet flat, and grip slightly wider than shoulders.
3. Twist the bar off the hooks and lower it slowly to your chest.
4. Press straight up until your arms are nearly straight.

## Cues

- Bar lands on the nipple line
- Elbows about 45° out
- Shoulder blades stay pinned

## Common mistakes

- Bench too far forward or back; check where the bar lands first.
- Flaring elbows out to 90°; keep them angled towards your hips.
- Locking out hard and lifting shoulders; stop just short of lockout.

## Starting position

Flat bench, about 45 cm high, placed square under the bar and slid so the bar's straight-down path lands on the nipple line / lower sternum; when lying down the forehead is roughly under the bar at the top (NFPT). Head, shoulder blades and buttocks on the bench; feet flat, a little wider than shoulder width. Shoulder blades pulled back and down; natural low-back curve. Overhand closed grip about 1.5 × biacromial width (hands about 60–65 cm apart) so the forearms are vertical at the bottom. Wrists straight.

## The movement

The bar moves straight down and straight up along the rails, with zero horizontal drift. The arms hinge at the shoulders and elbows to follow it. Bar stays level. Torso, hips, head and feet stay still; shoulder blades stay pinned.

## End position

(turnaround point): Bar lightly touching the chest at the nipple line, or 1–2 cm above. Upper arm about 50° from the torso (45–65°). Forearms vertical. Elbows just below the level of the bench top.

## Tempo

Lower 2–3 s (NFPT), light touch with no bounce, press about 1.5–2 s, hold 0.3 s at the top.

## Form in numbers

| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rail angle | vertical (0°) | 0° (no tilt shown) |  |
| Bar touch point | nipple line | lower to mid chest |  |
| Grip width | 1.5 × biacromial | 1.3–1.7 × |  |
| Elbow angle at top (included) | 172° | 165–178° |  |
| Upper arm to torso at bottom | 50° | 45–65° |  |
| Elbow flexion at bottom | 95° | 85–100° |  |
| Bench height | 45 cm | 42–46 cm |  |
| Tempo down / up | 2.5 s / 1.75 s | 2–3 s / 1.5–2 s |  |

## Sources

1. [[NFPT: Flat Bench (Straight Bar)](](https://nfpt.com/flat-bench-straight-bar/)
2. [[Saeterbakken et al. 2020, PLoS One (Europe PMC full text)](](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/PMC7347144/fullTextXML)
3. [[Schick et al. 2010, J Strength Cond Res (Europe PMC abstract)](](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/search?query=EXT_ID:20093960%20AND%20SRC:MED&resultType=core&format=json)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/smith-machine-bench-press