Smith Machine Bent-Over Row
The Smith machine row trains the back from a bent-over position while the rail guides the bar along a fixed path.
BACK · PULL
How it is executed
- Stand inside a Smith machine with the bar set low and grip it slightly wider than shoulder-width with an overhand grip.
- Hinge forward at the hips to roughly 45 degrees, keeping your back flat and knees soft.
- Unrack the bar and pull it toward your lower ribcage by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower under control along the fixed track until your arms are fully extended.
- The guided bar path lets you focus on pulling without balancing the load.
- Muscles worked
- Back
- Primary muscle
- Mid back
- Equipment
- Smith machine
- Movement pattern
- Pull
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- What it is for
- StrengthHypertrophy
Common mistakes
- Standing too close: leave room for your knees.
- Extending the hips each rep: maintain your torso angle.
- Shrugging as you pull: drive the elbows back without lifting the shoulders to the ears.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the rail support your back?
- No. It guides the bar, but your trunk still holds the bent-over position. Use a chest-supported row to reduce that demand.
- Where should your feet go?
- Set your distance so the bar reaches the lower ribs without hitting your knees or forcing you upright.
- Is it the same as a free-bar row?
- They share the pulling pattern, but a free bar allows the path to change. On a Smith machine you must position yourself around the rail.
Sources and editorial approach
The explanation, variations and FAQs are Kaizer’s editorial synthesis. ACSM’s 2026 guidance provides general context on progression and resistance training in healthy adults; it does not independently validate the technique of each variation.
No individual professional review is recorded for this page.
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