Smith Standing Military Press

Also known as: standing smith military press, smith machine standing military press, standing smith machine military press

Intermediate

Delts

Smith Machine

Smith Standing Military Press is the middle rung where progress speeds up and works well after overhead pressing.

How to do Smith Standing Military Press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Lift the barbell off the rack and bring it down to shoulder level, with your palms facing forward.
Press the barbell upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to shoulder level.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Add to an AI Workout Plan All Shoulders Exercises All Smith Machine Exercises

Smith Standing Military Press Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Set the safety catches so you can train hard alone.

Hypertrophy

4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. The fixed path lets you push closer to failure safely.

Endurance

3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Add load in small steps since the bar is stable.

Common Smith Standing Military Press Mistakes

Assuming the guided bar means you can skip bracing

Brace the trunk exactly as you would under a free bar.

Shrugging the traps up to finish the last few reps

Keep the shoulder blade down and end the set when the shrug appears.

Easier and Harder Than Smith Standing Military Press

Easier progression

Dumbbell Upright Row

Harder progression

Lever One Arm Shoulder Press

Swap Smith Standing Military Press For

Dumbbell Full Can Lateral Raise

Cable Kneeling Rear Delt Row (with Rope) (male)

Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

Smith Standing Military Press — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Smith Standing Military Press?

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lift the barbell off the rack and bring it down to shoulder level, with your palms facing forward. Use a Smith machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Smith Standing Military Press work?

The Smith Standing Military Press primarily targets the delts. It is classified as a shoulders exercise and is performed with a Smith machine.

How many sets and reps of the Smith Standing Military Press should I do?

For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. The fixed path lets you push closer to failure safely. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Smith Standing Military Press good for beginners?

It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic shoulders patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.

What can I do instead of the Smith Standing Military Press?

Try the Dumbbell Full Can Lateral Raise, Cable Kneeling Rear Delt Row (with Rope) (male) or the Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.

Is the Smith Standing Military Press the same as the standing smith military press?

Yes. The Smith Standing Military Press is also commonly called the standing smith military press or the smith machine standing military press. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "standing smith military press" and "smith machine standing military press" refer to this same movement.