Legs · Smith Machine
Smith Front Leg Elevated Split Squat
How to do the smith front leg elevated split squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Smith Machine
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set the Smith machine bar across your upper back and stand in a split stance with your front foot elevated on a low platform and your back foot planted behind you. Unrack the bar, then lower into the split squat by bending both knees until your back knee nears the floor, and drive through the front heel to return.
- 1Feel your front quad and glute load as you descend
- 2Push through the front heel to stand back up
- 3Keep your torso upright and core braced along the bar path
Common mistakes
- Don't let your front knee collapse inward
- Avoid bouncing out of the bottom; control the descent
- Don't lean too far forward onto the elevated foot
Muscles worked
The smith front leg elevated split squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, calves, and adductors assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the smith front leg elevated split 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.