Smith Shoulder Press

Setup

1. 01Position a bench or stand under the Smith bar so it tracks just in front of the face.
2. 02Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width.
3. 03Brace the trunk and stack the wrists over the elbows.
4. 04Set the safety stops a notch below the bottom of your range.

Execution

1. 01Unhook the bar with a wrist rotation and take the load overhead or at the shoulders.
2. 02Lower the bar under control to chin or clavicle level.
3. 03Drive the bar back up to a full elbow lockout.
4. 04Keep tension through the delts by not resting at lockout between reps.

Checkpoints

• -The body is positioned so lockout lands over the shoulder joint.
• -The bar moves at an even tempo along the rails, no jerking.
• -Elbows point down and slightly out at the bottom.
• -Full range every rep, from chin level to lockout.

Common mistakes

• -Setting up too far under or in front of the bar so the load line is off the shoulders.
• -Overloading because the machine balances the bar, then grinding half reps.
• -Flaring the elbows straight out at the bottom.
• -Forgetting to check the hooks and stops before the first heavy rep.