Smith Behind Neck Press

Setup

1. 01Place a seat or upright bench under the Smith bar so the bar tracks just behind the head.
2. 02Sit tall and grip the bar wider than shoulder width.
3. 03Rotate the bar to unhook it and support it with locked arms overhead.
4. 04Confirm the safety stops are set just below your intended bottom position.

Execution

1. 01Lower the bar slowly behind the head toward the base of the neck.
2. 02Stop at ear level or wherever mobility allows a pain-free position.
3. 03Press the bar back up to full lockout along the fixed track.
4. 04Keep the torso vertical and the neck neutral throughout.

Checkpoints

• -Depth is limited to a comfortable, controlled range, usually ear level.
• -The head shifts slightly forward to clear the bar, not the whole spine.
• -Elbows track under the bar, pointing down and slightly out.
• -Every rep is smooth; no bouncing out of the bottom.

Common mistakes

• -Lowering the bar all the way to the neck without the mobility for it.
• -Craning the neck far forward and straining it.
• -Using a grip so wide that the bottom position pinches the shoulders.
• -Loading it like a front press; this variation needs lighter weight.