Smith Machine Split Squat

Split squat with a guided bar: steadier than free weights, letting you concentrate the effort on the front leg.

• Compound
• Machine
• Intermediate

How to do it

• Take a long enough step that the front shin is almost vertical at the bottom
• Weight shared between both feet and the front knee tracking over the foot
• Lower the back knee toward the floor without touching and drive through the front heel

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 8–12 reps · 1–3 RIR

Tempo: Lower for 2–3 s under control, drive up with intent without bouncing out of the bottom

Common mistakes

• Taking steps and losing the fixed position
• A step so short that the front knee travels far past the foot

Muscles worked

Primary

• Quads
• Glutes

Secondary

• Hamstrings
• Core / abs

Alternatives

• Barbell Split Squat
• Bulgarian Split Squat
• Alternating Dumbbell Forward Lunge