Shoulders · Smith Machine
Smith High Pull
How to do the smith high pull, 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
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand in front of a Smith machine bar set near hip height with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Pull the bar straight up along your body, leading with your elbows until it reaches chest height, then lower it under control. The fixed bar path keeps the pull vertical and lets you focus on the upper back and delts.
- 1Your side and rear delts and upper traps pulling the bar up high
- 2Elbows leading and finishing above the bar
- 3The bar staying close to your body the whole way
Common mistakes
- Using a big leg or hip heave to launch the bar
- Letting the elbows drop below the wrists at the top
- Leaning back excessively as the bar rises
Muscles worked
The smith high pull mainly works the side delts, upper traps, and rear delts, with the mid traps, biceps, and forearms assisting.
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsPrimary
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the smith high pull 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 shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.