Shoulders
Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press
The Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press is a strength exercise in a Smith machine for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: front delts 35%, side delts 17% and triceps (lateral head) 11%.
How to do it
- Set a bench to a steep incline, about 75 to 80 degrees, inside a smith machine.
- Sit with your back against the pad and the bar lining up with your upper chest.
- Grip the bar just outside shoulder-width and unhook it.
- Press the bar up until the arms are straight.
- Lower it under control until it is level with your chin.
Tips
- The slight recline gives the bar room to pass the face while you keep a supported back.
- Keep the feet planted wide for a stable base.
Common mistakes
- Reclining so far that it becomes an incline bench press.
- Letting the hips slide forward on the seat.
- Losing control on the lowering.
Muscles worked by the Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Seated removes most of the trunk demand. Fixed path, little stabilising. Pressing overhead is shoulder flexion and abduction with elbow extension: the front delt leads, the lateral delt and triceps assist, and the upper traps and serratus rotate the shoulder blade up.
Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press work?
Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press good for beginners?
Yes. The Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press?
For example the Machine Overhead Press Seated, Machine Shoulder Press and Machine Shoulder Press (Neutral Grip). They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Smith Machine Seated Shoulder Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Seated Barbell Overhead Press and Overhead Press.
Sources
- Saeterbakken and Fimland 2013, JSCR 27(7):1824-1831 (standing, seated, barbell, dumbbell)
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