How to do it
Wrap your thumbs around the bar and keep wrists stacked over elbows.
- 1
Set the Smith machine bar to a height that's just above your shoulders.
- 2
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart under the bar.
- 3
Grip the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
- 4
Unrack the bar and start with it resting on your upper chest.
- 5
Press the bar straight up until your arms are fully extended.
- 6
Lower the bar slowly back to the starting position, just above your chest.
- 7
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Expert tip
Brace your core and glutes for stability, and avoid using your legs to 'push' the weight up.
Common mistakes
- ✕Leaning back into an incline press position
- ✕Bouncing the bar off the upper chest
- ✕Flaring the elbows out to the sides