Smith Machine Arm Exercises
The Smith machine is an underrated arm station for one reason: it hooks. Close-grip bench pressing is the heaviest triceps exercise most people will ever do, and doing it alone with a free bar over your throat is the single riskiest thing in a solo session. On rails, a failed rep costs a wrist twist. The same fixed path also makes lying and incline triceps extensions safe to load, and the bar at a set height turns wrist curls and bicep curls into strict, swing-free movements.
Why train arm with Smith machine
- Close-grip pressing to failure with no spotter over your throat
- Fixed bar height makes wrist curls strict and easy to set up
- Incline and decline extension angles without balancing the bar
- Curls with zero body english because the path cannot drift
All 6 Smith machine arm exercises
Every guide below includes an animated GIF demonstration, numbered form cues, the muscle it targets, and sets and reps for strength, hypertrophy, and endurance.
Smith Close-grip Bench PressTriceps · Smith Machine · Beginner
Smith Machine Incline Tricep ExtensionTriceps · Smith Machine · Advanced
Smith Machine Decline Close Grip Bench PressTriceps · Smith Machine · Advanced
Smith Seated Wrist CurlForearms · Smith Machine · Intermediate
Smith Standing Back Wrist CurlForearms · Smith Machine · Intermediate
Smith Machine Bicep CurlBiceps · Smith Machine · Advanced
Smith Machine Arm Training FAQ
Is close-grip bench press the best triceps exercise?
It is the one that lets you load the triceps heaviest, which makes it a strong choice for the first exercise of a triceps session. It does not fully stretch the long head, though, because the upper arm stays by your side. Follow it with an overhead extension to cover the head that presses always leave short.
How close should my grip be on a close-grip press?
About shoulder-width, or a little inside it. Bringing the hands closer than that does not recruit more triceps and does put the wrists and elbows in an awkward line. If your wrists ache, the grip is too narrow, not too heavy.
Are Smith machine curls worth doing?
They are worth doing as a finisher when you want to remove every trace of cheating. The bar can only travel vertically, so there is no swinging the weight up with the hips. The trade-off is that your elbows have to follow a straight line, which some people find uncomfortable, so treat it as one option rather than a replacement for free curls.