10 Best Smith Deadlift Alternatives for Glute Strength

The Smith Deadlift is done standing with a Smith machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Lever Deadlift, the Smith Bent Knee Good Morning and the Trap Bar Deadlift.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Smith Deadlift

Smith DeadliftPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Glutes
Equipment
Smith-machine
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Lower Back

How to perform Smith Deadlift
  1. Set up the smith machine with the bar at hip height.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
  3. Bend at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight and chest up, and grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Engage your core and lift the bar by extending your hips and knees, keeping the bar close to your body.
  5. Stand up straight, fully extending your hips and knees.
  6. Lower the bar back down by bending at the hips and knees, maintaining control and keeping your back straight.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Filter Smith Deadlift alternatives by your equipmentTell us what you have and we'll hide exercises you can't do.

Quick presets

Equipment you can use
20 more equipment types

Sign in to remember your equipment on every page.

Ranked Smith Deadlift Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Smith Deadlift on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Best match
    Lever DeadliftPlay demonstration

    1. Lever Deadlift

    99% match
    • Glutes
    • Lever
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have a lever machine to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Adjust the seat height and foot platform to your desired position.
    2. Sit on the machine with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the foot platform.
    3. Grasp the handles or the sides of the seat for stability.
    4. Engage your glutes and hamstrings, and push through your heels to lift the weight up.
    5. Keep your back straight and avoid rounding your shoulders.
    6. Extend your hips fully at the top of the movement, squeezing your glutes.
    7. Lower the weight back down in a controlled manner, keeping tension on your glutes and hamstrings.
    8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Smith Deadlift
  2. Smith Bent Knee Good MorningPlay demonstration

    2. Smith Bent Knee Good Morning

    90% match
    • Glutes
    • Smith-machine
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.
    2. Place the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps.
    3. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
    4. Lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
    5. Engage your glutes and hamstrings to raise your torso back up to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Smith Deadlift
  3. Trap Bar DeadliftPlay demonstration

    3. Trap Bar Deadlift

    84% match
    • Glutes
    • Trap-bar
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have a trap bar to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the trap bar on the ground in front of you.
    2. Bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself down and grip the handles of the trap bar with an overhand grip.
    3. Keep your back straight and chest up as you begin to lift the trap bar off the ground by extending your hips and knees.
    4. As you lift, focus on driving through your heels and squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
    5. Lower the trap bar back down to the ground by bending at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight throughout the movement.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Smith Deadlift
  4. Dumbbell Straight Leg DeadliftPlay demonstration

    4. Dumbbell Straight Leg Deadlift

    83% match
    • Glutes
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
    2. Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, hinge at the hips and lower the dumbbells towards the ground, allowing your torso to lean forward.
    3. Continue lowering the dumbbells until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, keeping your knees slightly bent.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then engage your glutes and hamstrings to lift your torso back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Smith Deadlift
  5. Cable DeadliftPlay demonstration

    5. Cable Deadlift

    83% match
    • Glutes
    • Cable
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Bend at the hips and knees, lowering your torso until your back is parallel to the ground.
    3. Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight and your shoulders back.
    4. Engage your glutes and hamstrings to lift the cable handles, extending your hips and standing up straight.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the cable handles back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Equipment: a cable, not a machine
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Smith Deadlift
  6. Smith Machine Stiff-legged Deadlift

    6. Smith Machine Stiff-legged Deadlift

    80% match
    • Hamstrings
    • Smith-machine
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the hamstrings rather than the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. To begin, set the bar on the smith machine to a height that is around the middle of your thighs. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, grasp the bar using a pronated (palms forward) grip that is shoulder width apart. You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
    2. Lift the bar up by fully extending your arms while keeping your back straight. Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
    3. Keeping the knees stationary, lower the barbell to over the top of your feet by bending at the waist while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Exhale as you perform this movement
    4. Start bringing your torso up straight again as soon as you feel the hamstrings stretch by extending your hips and waist until you are back at the starting position. Inhale as you perform this movement.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, not glutes
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Smith Deadlift
  7. Barbell Hip Thrust

    7. Barbell Hip Thrust

    80% match
    • Glutes
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Begin seated on the ground with a bench directly behind you. Have a loaded barbell over your legs. Using a fat bar or having a pad on the bar can greatly reduce the discomfort caused by this exercise.
    2. Roll the bar so that it is directly above your hips, and lean back against the bench so that your shoulder blades are near the top of it.
    3. Begin the movement by driving through your feet, extending your hips vertically through the bar. Your weight should be supported by your shoulder blades and your feet. Extend as far as possible, then reverse the motion to return to the starting position.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Smith Deadlift
  8. Leverage Deadlift

    8. Leverage Deadlift

    79% match
    • Quads
    • Machine
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Load the pins to an appropriate weight. Position yourself directly between the handles. Grasp the bottom handles with a comfortable grip, and then lower your hips as you take a breath. Look forward with your head and keep your chest up. This will be your starting position.
    2. Return the weight to the starting position.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: quads, not glutes
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Smith Deadlift
  9. Dumbbell DeadliftPlay demonstration

    9. Dumbbell Deadlift

    78% match
    • Glutes
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body, arms extended downwards.
    3. Bend at your hips and knees, lowering the dumbbells towards the ground while keeping your back straight.
    4. Push through your heels and extend your hips and knees, lifting the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Smith Deadlift
  10. Lever Seated Good MorningPlay demonstration

    10. Lever Seated Good Morning

    77% match
    • Glutes
    • Lever
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Adjust the seat height so that your hips are slightly higher than your knees.
    2. Sit on the machine with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the footrests.
    3. Grasp the handles or the sides of the seat for stability.
    4. Keeping your back straight, slowly lean forward from your hips until your upper body is parallel to the ground.
    5. Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position by pushing through your glutes and hamstrings.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Smith Deadlift
    • Body position: seated, not standing

Smith Deadlift FAQ

What muscles does Smith Deadlift work?

The Smith deadlift primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinae, with accessory involvement from the quads and core. Because the Smith-machine enforces a vertical bar path, stabilizer activation is reduced and the movement can bias the quads depending on foot placement; hinge from the hips to emphasize the posterior chain.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.

Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology