Legs · Smith Machine
Smith Chair Squat
How to do the smith chair squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Smith Machine
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set a bench or box behind you inside the Smith machine and rest the bar across your upper back. Squat down by pushing your hips back until you lightly touch the bench, then drive through your heels to stand back up without fully relaxing onto the seat.
- 1Your quads and glutes loading as you sit back to the bench
- 2A controlled touch, not a drop, onto the seat
- 3A strong drive through your heels to stand
Common mistakes
- Letting your knees cave inward or your heels lift
- Plopping down and bouncing off the bench
- Rounding your back or letting your chest collapse
Muscles worked
The smith chair squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the smith chair squat for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.