Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat

In SetGrip: Smith Machine Back Squat (Low Bar)

Secondary muscles
Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
Body part
Upper Legs
Position
Standing
Laterality
Bilateral (both sides together)
Category
Strength

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Placing the bar low across the rear delts on a Smith machine lets you lean into the hips-back, low-bar position with the rails carrying the balance a free bar would demand. Walk your feet further forward than feels natural so the hinge has room, and expect more glute and hamstring work than the high-bar setting gives.

How to do the Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat

  1. Set up the smith machine with the barbell at a height that allows you to comfortably rest it on your upper back.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned outwards.
  3. Step under the bar and position it across your upper back, resting it on your traps.
  4. Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  5. Unrack the bar by straightening your legs and stepping back from the rack.
  6. Take a deep breath and brace your core.
  7. Initiate the squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
  8. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
  9. Keep your chest up and your back straight throughout the movement.
  10. Drive through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees.
  11. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tip: Screw the feet into the floor and spread it apart to keep the knees out and the arch of the foot from collapsing.

Muscles worked

Primary

Glutes · Legs

The glutes extend the hip on the way up and take more of the load the deeper you go and the wider your stance.

Secondary

  • Quads — The quads extend the knee and drive you out of the bottom, and front squats and close stance variations put more on them.
  • Hamstrings
  • Calves

Common mistakes

  • Knees caving inward — push the knees out over the toes on the way up, especially out of the bottom where they most want to collapse.
  • Hips shooting up first — if the hips rise faster than the chest on the way up, you turn the squat into a good morning; drive the chest and hips up together.
  • Cutting the depth — get the hip crease below the top of the knee on every rep unless mobility genuinely stops you, in which case work on it.
  • Losing the brace — take a big breath into the belly before each rep and hold it through the sticking point, then exhale on the way up.

Sets, reps and where it fits

GoalSets × repsRest
Strength4–5 × 3–62–3 min
Muscle growth3–4 × 6–1290–120 s
Endurance2–3 × 12–2060 s

Squats go first in a lower body session when you are freshest. Follow them with Romanian deadlifts or leg press, or superset lighter sets with pull-ups to use the same rack.

Variations and alternatives

Similar exercises

Without smith machine

Easier and harder

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat work?

The Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat primarily works the glutes. It also involves the quads, hamstrings and calves, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.

Is the Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat good for beginners?

It is rated intermediate, so it suits people who already train regularly. Beginners can still do the Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat with light load and a spotter or coach watching the first few sessions; if it feels awkward, pick an easier variation from the alternatives below first.

What can I do instead of the Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat?

If you cannot do the Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat, try the Curtsy Lunge, the Box Bulgarian Split Squat or the Supported Bodyweight Squat. Each of them trains the glutes through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.

How many sets and reps should I do?

It depends on your goal. For the Low Bar Smith Machine Back Squat, a sensible starting point is strength: 4–5 × 3–6 with 2–3 min rest; muscle growth: 3–4 × 6–12 with 90–120 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 12–20 with 60 s rest. Put it early in the session while you are fresh, before isolation work for the same muscles.

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