Chest-Supported Smith Machine Row

With the chest on an incline bench you do not have to hold the torso: all the effort goes to the back.

• Compound
• Machine
• Intermediate

How to do it

• Guided bar: feet under the bar and torso inclined before unlocking the hooks
• Chest firmly against the support and arms hanging at the start
• Drive the elbows back and squeeze the shoulder blades without lifting your chest

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 8–12 reps · 1–2 RIR

Tempo: Drive up explosively, hold 1 s at the top, lower for 2 s under control

Common mistakes

• Lifting the chest off the support to get momentum
• Choosing a start height that forces you to round the back to reach the bar

Muscles worked

Primary

• Back
• Lats

Secondary

• Biceps
• Rear delt
• Traps

Alternatives

• Seal Row
• Incline Bench Dumbbell Row
• Machine Row (chest-supported)
• Seated Cable Row