How to Do Smith Machine Squats | Multipress Form Guide
Learn the correct technique for squats on the Multipress. Our guide covers foot placement, safety tips, and how to maximize quad growth with the Smith Machine.
How to Perform
- Position the bar so it rests comfortably across your upper traps, not your neck, while standing with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Step slightly forward so your feet are about 3 to 6 inches in front of the bar's vertical path to allow for better knee tracking.
- Disengage the safety hooks by rotating the bar and maintain a neutral spine with your chest upright and core braced.
- Lower your hips slowly by bending at the knees and hips until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
- Drive through your heels to return to the starting position, focusing on pushing the floor away with your legs.
- Exhale at the top of the movement and reset your bracing before beginning the next repetition.
- Re-engage the safety hooks by rotating the bar back into the locked position once your set is complete.
Common Mistakes
- Placing feet directly under the bar which can cause excessive heel lift during the descent.
- Allowing the knees to collapse inward rather than keeping them aligned with the toes.
- Rounding the lower back or leaning too far forward against the fixed plane of the machine.
- Using a range of motion that is too shallow to effectively stimulate the target muscles.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Quads
Stabilizers
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Adductors
- Lower Back
Related Guides
- 1 Leg Box Squat — Legs
- Abductor Machine — Legs
- Adductor Machine — Legs
Quads · Legs