Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press

Also known as: seated smith behind neck press

In SetGrip: Smith Machine Shoulder Press (Behind Neck, Seated)

Secondary muscles
Triceps, Upper Back
Body part
Shoulders
Position
Standing
Laterality
Bilateral (both sides together)
Category
Strength

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The Smith machine's fixed rail removes the balance problem that makes free-weight behind-neck pressing so unforgiving: set the seat, line the bar up with your ears, and press along a locked groove. You still need the external rotation to get under the bar, so it stays an advanced choice; keep sets shy of failure and depth conservative.

How to do the Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press

  1. Adjust the seat height of the smith machine so that the bar is at shoulder level.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  3. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Lift the bar off the rack and step back, maintaining a stable stance.
  5. Lower the bar down to the back of your neck, keeping your elbows pointing forward.
  6. Press the bar up overhead until your arms are fully extended.
  7. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the bar back down to the starting position.
  8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tip: Squeeze the bar hard and keep the wrists straight over the elbows through the whole rep.

Muscles worked

Primary

Delts · Shoulders

The front delts assist every press and take over on Bradford and behind the neck variations.

Secondary

  • Triceps — The triceps lock out the elbow on every press and dominate close grip and skull press variations.
  • Upper Back

Common mistakes

  • Elbows flaring wide — on horizontal presses keep the elbows at roughly 45 degrees from the torso; pressing overhead, keep them under the weight instead.
  • Losing the shoulder blade position — on bench-style presses set the shoulder blades back and down and keep them there; overhead, let the shoulder blades rotate up naturally with the arms.
  • Bouncing or rushing the bottom — control the bar down and pause for a beat before driving up, especially on decline and close grip variations.
  • Not committing to a variation — Bradford presses, skull presses and the like are hybrids; pick a fixed range and stick with it for the whole set.

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

Presses are the main movement in a push session and should go first or second. Superset them with a row or pulldown for a push and pull pair using the same bench or station.

Variations and alternatives

Similar exercises

Without smith machine

Easier and harder

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press work?

The Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press primarily works the delts. It also involves the triceps and upper back, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.

Is the Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press good for beginners?

Not as a starting point. The Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.

What can I do instead of the Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press?

If you cannot do the Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press, try the Behind Neck Standing Barbell Shoulder Press, the Dumbbell Cuban Press or the Kettlebell Arnold Press. Each of them trains the delts 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 Behind Neck Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press, 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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