Legs · Smith Machine
Smith Squat to Bench
How to do the smith squat to bench, 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 behind you under the Smith machine bar resting across your upper back. Squat down until you lightly touch the bench, keep tension, then drive through your heels to stand along the fixed bar path.
- 1Push your hips back and down and feel your glutes and quads load as you
- 2reach the bench
- 3Tap the bench lightly without relaxing, then drive up
- 4Keep your chest up and weight through your heels
Common mistakes
- Do not flop or rock back onto the bench between reps
- Avoid letting your knees cave inward or your heels lift
- Do not round your back or let your chest collapse
Muscles worked
The smith squat to bench 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 squat to bench 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.