Why do the reverse-grip bench press on a Smith machine instead of with a barbell?

The fixed track, hooks and safety stops make the awkward underhand grip much easier to control, and you can train it safely without a spotter. The trade-off is less balancing work, and the bar cannot follow its own path, so you have to place the bench carefully. The Barbell Bench Press (Reverse Grip) is the next step once the grip feels secure.

How wide should my grip be?

About shoulder width or slightly wider works for most people. A much narrower grip bends the wrists and crowds the elbows, while a much wider one makes it hard to keep the wrists stacked over the elbows with the palms turned up.

Where should the bar touch, and how do I set the bench?

Aim for the lower part of your chest with your elbows close to your sides. Do a rep with the empty bar first: if it lands near your neck or upper chest, shift the bench so your head sits farther past the bar, and if it lands on your stomach, shift it the other way.

Usually not, as long as the safety stops are set just below the point where the bar touches your chest. A spotter is still useful for your first heavier sets while the grip and the re-racking twist feel unfamiliar.

Is the reverse grip better for shoulder pain?

Not reliably. Some lifters find the tucked elbows more comfortable than a standard grip, while others feel it in the wrists, elbows or front of the shoulder instead, so test it with a light load and stop if it hurts.

Smith Machine Bench Press (Reverse Grip)

What Is the Smith Machine Bench Press (Reverse Grip)?

Smith Machine Bench Press (Reverse Grip) is a compound exercise that primarily targets the chest and also engages the front shoulders and triceps. It is an intermediate-level movement that combines an underhand grip, palms facing your face, with the fixed bar path of a Smith machine on a flat bench.

Turning the palms up pulls the elbows in close to the ribs and changes how the chest shares the work. In a study of 12 healthy men holding isometric barbell bench press positions, turning the palms up increased activity in the upper (clavicular) chest fibers and the biceps. That makes this press a common choice for lifters who want more upper chest work without moving to an incline bench, and some lifters also find the tucked elbow position easier on their shoulders than a standard grip, though it does not suit every shoulder.

The Smith machine takes care of the hardest part of reverse-grip pressing with a free bar: keeping an underhand bar balanced and safe. The bar runs in a fixed track, hooks let you rack it at any height, and safety stops can catch it if your grip or strength gives out, so it is practical to train alone. The trade-off is that the track decides the bar path for you, so where you place the bench sets where the bar meets your chest. It works best as an accessory after your main pressing, in moderate rep ranges with loads you can control at the bottom.

If you want more emphasis on the upper chest and front shoulders, the Smith Machine Incline Bench Press (Reverse Grip) raises the bench angle, while the Barbell Bench Press (Reverse Grip) adds the balance and unracking demands of a free bar. Build a solid Smith Machine Bench Press with a standard grip first, and start the reverse grip light, because it asks more of the wrists, elbows and biceps than the overhand version.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Pectoralis Major: Primary
Deltoid: High
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): Medium
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Medium
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): Medium
Biceps Brachii: Low
Serratus Anterior: Low
Flexor Carpi Radialis: Minimal

Instructions

Place a flat bench under the Smith machine so the bar lines up over your lower chest, and set the safety stops just below where the bar will touch your chest.
Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and your shoulder blades pulled back and down into the bench.
Grip the bar underhand, palms facing your face, with your hands about shoulder width or slightly wider and your thumbs wrapped around the bar.
Seat the bar low in your palms so your wrists stack over your elbows rather than bending far back.
Press the bar up slightly and rotate it to release it from the hooks, then hold it with your arms straight over your chest.
Lower the bar under control, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides, until it lightly touches your lower chest.
Press the bar straight back up along the track until your arms are extended, without bouncing it off your chest.
After your last rep, rotate the bar back onto the hooks and check that it has caught before letting go.

Common Mistakes

Thumbless grip
Leaving the thumbs off the bar lets it roll toward your fingers and slip, so wrap them fully around it on every rep.
Flaring the elbows
Letting the elbows drift out away from the ribs fights the underhand grip, strains the wrists and shoulders and loses the tucked path that makes this variation useful.
Bench in the wrong spot
Because the bar cannot leave its track, a bench set too far up or down makes it land on your upper chest or stomach instead of your lower chest.
Wrists bent far back
Holding the bar in the fingers lets it fold the wrists back under load, so seat it low in the palms with the wrists stacked over the elbows.
Bouncing off the chest
Dropping the bar fast and rebounding takes tension off the chest and jars the wrists and shoulders, so lower it under control and touch lightly.
Half-turned hooks
Not rotating the bar fully onto the hooks when you re-rack can leave it unhooked, so check it has caught before you let go.

Injuries

Smith Machine Bench Press (Reverse Grip) is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The fixed track and safety stops make a dropped bar far less likely than with a free barbell, but the underhand grip still places unusual load on the wrists, elbows and biceps, and a grip that is not fully wrapped can slip.

The wrists take the most strain, especially when the bar drifts into the fingers and bends them far back. The inside of the elbow and the biceps tendon at the front of the shoulder can also get irritated, because a supinated grip asks more of the biceps than a standard press. Wrap your thumbs around the bar, keep it low in your palms with the wrists stacked over the elbows, set the safety stops just below your bottom position, and add load gradually so the grip has time to adapt.

If the wrists or elbows complain, go back to the Smith Machine Bench Press with an overhand grip, or try the neutral grip of the Dumbbell Hammer Bench Press. Once the Smith version feels solid, the Barbell Bench Press (Reverse Grip) is the progression, ideally with a spotter.

Stop the set if you feel sharp pain in the wrist, inside of the elbow or front of the shoulder, or if the bar starts sliding in your hands. End each set while your elbows still track close to your sides rather than grinding reps as they drift out.

Overview

Primary Focus: Chest
Equipment: Smith machine and bench
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do the reverse-grip bench press on a Smith machine instead of with a barbell?: The fixed track, hooks and safety stops make the awkward underhand grip much easier to control, and you can train it safely without a spotter. The trade-off is less balancing work, and the bar cannot follow its own path, so you have to place the bench carefully. The Barbell Bench Press (Reverse Grip) is the next step once the grip feels secure.
Q: How wide should my grip be?: About shoulder width or slightly wider works for most people. A much narrower grip bends the wrists and crowds the elbows, while a much wider one makes it hard to keep the wrists stacked over the elbows with the palms turned up.
Q: Where should the bar touch, and how do I set the bench?: Aim for the lower part of your chest with your elbows close to your sides. Do a rep with the empty bar first: if it lands near your neck or upper chest, shift the bench so your head sits farther past the bar, and if it lands on your stomach, shift it the other way.
Q: Do I need a spotter?: Usually not, as long as the safety stops are set just below the point where the bar touches your chest. A spotter is still useful for your first heavier sets while the grip and the re-racking twist feel unfamiliar.
Q: Is the reverse grip better for shoulder pain?: Not reliably. Some lifters find the tucked elbows more comfortable than a standard grip, while others feel it in the wrists, elbows or front of the shoulder instead, so test it with a light load and stop if it hurts.