10 Best Smith Machine Bench Press Alternatives for Gym & Home

The Smith Machine Bench Press is done lying on your back with a machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Smith Bench Press, the Smith Wide Grip Bench Press and the Smith Machine Incline Bench Press.

Smith Machine Bench Press

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Smith Machine Bench Press

The steps for the Smith Machine Bench Press itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Pectorals, with shoulders, triceps · Machine · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Place a flat bench underneath the smith machine. Now place the barbell at a height that you can reach when lying down and your arms are almost fully extended. Once the weight you need is selected, lie down on the flat bench. Using a pronated grip that is wider than shoulder width, unlock the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
  2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest.
  3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
  4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  5. When you are done, lock the bar back in the rack.

The 10 Best Smith Machine Bench Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Smith Machine Bench Press on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Smith Bench PressPlay demonstration

    1. Smith Bench Press

    99% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

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

    • Smith-machine
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the height of the smith machine bar to chest level.
    2. Lie flat on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground.
    3. Grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    4. Unrack the bar and lower it towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
    5. Pause for a moment when the bar touches your chest.
    6. Push the bar back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
  3. Smith Machine Incline Bench Press

    3. Smith Machine Incline Bench Press

    90% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the pectorals.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. Place an incline bench underneath the smith machine. Place the barbell at a height that you can reach when lying down and your arms are almost fully extended. Once the weight you need is selected, lie down on the incline bench and make sure your upper chest is aligned with the barbell. Using a pronated grip (palms facing forward) that is wider than shoulder width, unlock the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
    2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your upper chest.
    3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
    4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
    5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
  6. Band Bench PressPlay demonstration

    6. Band Bench Press

    88% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

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

    • Band
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
    2. Grasp the band handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Extend your arms fully, pushing the bands away from your chest.
    4. Slowly lower the bands back down to your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
    • Equipment: a band, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Smith Machine Bench Press
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Smith Machine Bench Press

Smith Machine Bench Press FAQ

What muscles does Smith Machine Bench Press work?

The Smith Machine bench press primarily targets the pectoralis major (sternal and clavicular heads), with secondary loading of the anterior deltoid and triceps. Because the bar path is fixed, you get less rotator-cuff and serratus anterior stabilization compared with free-weight presses; retract the scapulae to emphasize pec recruitment.

Can I build muscle without doing Smith Machine Bench Press?

Yes. You can build chest mass using barbell bench, dumbbell presses, dips, and progressive overload via reps, load, or tempo. Track progressive increases, pause reps at the bottom to boost time under tension, and focus on pec contraction to ensure hypertrophy.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

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