Smith Machine Row: How to and Exercise Guide

The Smith machine row is a safer alternative rowing movement with heavy weight. 

It’s no secret that rows are an excellent exercise for building strength and size in your back, and you can perform them using a variety of gym equipment such as barbells, dumbbells, or kettlebells. But have you ever tried Smith machine rows?

The Smith machine row is a variation of the classic barbell row, an exercise used by many bodybuilders and strength athletes alike. The barbell row can be tricky for a beginner, requiring better form and stability. The Smith machine allows you to combine the benefit of using free weights with the safety of a machine.

Smith machine rows also offer advanced lifters benefits since they allow you to lift heavier, focusing on the squeeze, and they help to increase hypertrophy in your back muscles. However, as with all other rows, form is critical when doing this routine. You can compromise the engagement of your lats and back muscles by using the wrong technique.

In this guide, our team at Generation Iron will share how to do the Smith machine row and discuss this exercise’s benefits. So if you plan to add this to your workout, then take a look. We also list some Smith machine row alternatives that you can use to spice up your back workouts further.

Smith Machine Row Techniques and Muscles Worked

Smith machine rows are a back movement that primarily targets your lat thickness. This compound exercise also recruits your rhomboids, teres major, teres minor, rear delts, traps, abs, biceps, glutes, hamstrings, and forearms. You can even vary your grip to increase or reduce the activation of your biceps. 

The Smith machine row is usually done in a bent-over position and is a great exercise for your posterior chain muscles. Using the right form with this exercise is important to avoid injury to your shoulders or lower back. Below is a step-by-step guide on the right techniques for a Smith Machine row.

1. Set the barbell on the Smith machine to a height just below your waist, then load it up with the appropriate weight. 
2. Step up to the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Stand in front of the machine and hold the barbell with a width that is slightly wider than shoulder width. You can use an overhand or underhand grip, depending on which is more convenient. 
4. Bend forward so that the bar is at knee-level height. Keep your spine neutral and hinge at your hips while bending your knees slightly.
5. Brace your abs and unlatch your barbell. This is your starting position.
6. Pull the barbell up and back toward your navel. Exhale while pulling up, and you should end with your elbows just behind your back. 
7. Return the barbell to starting position in a slow and controlled manner while inhaling to complete the rep.
8. Repeat for the desired number of reps and sets.

Benefits of Smith Machine Rows

The Smith machine row can be used in a strength training program to alleviate lower back pain since it strengthens the back muscles (2). However, there are many more reasons to try this exercise. Below are some of the benefits of performing Smith machine rows.

Safety

The Smith machine will keep you and the weights you use for your rows balanced. This helps you to focus on doing the exercise properly. This machine also has built-in safety features that can prevent the weight from shifting or falling off, leading to serious injury. 

Isolates Your Back

Since the Smith machine has a fixed track that eliminates the need to engage your stabilizers completely, you can get a better mind-muscle connection and it better isolates your back muscles. There’s no shifting or weight swinging, which means all the focus is on your pull. Better isolation means that you can train your upper back muscles more effectively.

Works on Your Posture

The more time you spend doing this row with the right form, your posture improves. This movement teaches you to lift weights in the right posture to prevent injury. This has carryover to other exercises like deadlifts, barbell bent-over rows, and single-arm dumbbell rows.

Improves Grip Strength

They force you to grip a heavy load. This improves the strength of your forearms and, ultimately, your grip. The heavier the weights, the more your forearms must engage to hold it while doing the rows, which develops your grip strength.

Beginner-Friendly 

The Smith machine row is easier than barbell and pull–ups but works the same muscles. The Smith machine allows you to adjust your weight for safer and smoother training. This exercise is also less injury prone. 

Builds Upper Body and Core

While primarily a back exercise, this routine also recruits your core. The bent-over position and bracing force your rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis to engage. However, the barbell bent over row will target your core more since it requires more stability. 

Glutes and Hamstrings Engagement 

The stance for Smith machine rows is the same for the deadlift. So ultimately, all posterior chain muscles, including your glutes and hamstrings, will receive some work. However, you should note that this is a byproduct of the Smith machine rows, not the primary goal, back engagement.  

Versatility

You can do Smith machine rows with different weight sizes, so this exercise is great for beginners and experienced bodybuilders. As you get stronger, you can increase your load to induce muscle hypertrophy (3). You can also change your grip width with this routine to enhance the growth of different muscle groups.

Smith Machine Row Alternatives

Ready to include Smith machine rows in your workout? How about adding some other variations alongside to vary your back workouts further? Or for when you don’t have a Smith machine available. Below are some good Smith machine row alternatives and variations. 

Single Arm Smith Machine Row

You can do the Smith machine row one arm at a time. This version is great for finding and working on muscle imbalances between your arms.

Bent Over Barbell Rows

If you don’t have a Smith machine, the bent-over barbell row is the closest alternative you can do. It’s the free weight version. 

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows

Bent over rows using a dumbbell can also be done in the same position as the Smith machine row. You can also do the single-arm variation with this exercise. Dumbbells will better isolate each side of your back and improve your core and stabilizer strength. 

Resistance Band Row

Are you at home with no Smith machine or free weights? How about doing a banded row? Just stand in the middle of the resistance band and do your rowing movements. This is a great way to keep tension on your back through each degree of the row. 

FAQs

Is the Smith machine good for rows?

The Smith machine is good for rows because it provides stability. This allows you to lift heavier weights, thus increasing muscle growth while also being a safer rowing variation. 

What muscles do the Smith machine row work?

The Smith machine row builds your back muscles and other muscles in your posterior chain. Check the guide above for a more detailed breakdown of the muscles worked.

Wrap Up

The Smith machine row is a powerful tool for building a thicker, stronger back when performed with proper form and control. By maintaining a neutral spine, driving with your elbows, and using a weight that challenges you without sacrificing technique, you’ll target your lats, traps, and rhomboids effectively. Remember to engage your core throughout the movement, avoid jerking the bar, and focus on a controlled squeeze at the top of each rep.

As with any exercise, consistency and progressive overload are key. Start with a manageable weight, perfect your form, and gradually increase resistance as your strength improves. Pairing the Smith machine row with other pulling and posterior chain exercises will ensure a balanced, well-rounded back workout. Keep safety in mind, listen to your body, and you’ll see steady progress in both strength and muscle development.

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References

1. Fenwick, C. M., Brown, S. H., & McGill, S. M. (2009). Comparison of different rowing exercises: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 23(2), 350–358. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181942019 
2. Dreisinger T. E. (2014). Exercise in the management of chronic back pain. The Ochsner journal, 14(1), 101–107.
3. Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017). Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 31(12), 3508–3523. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002200