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How to do the Smith Deadlift

Glutes & HamstringsGlutes & HamsSmith MachineBeginner

The Smith Machine deadlift gives beginners a guided path to mastering hip-hinge mechanics without worrying about bar drift, making it one of the smartest entry points for building serious glute and hamstring strength. Own this movement pattern and you lay the foundation for every pull variation you will ever train.

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Muscles worked

Primary
GlutesHamstrings
Secondary
Lower backCalves

Step-by-step

  1. Set the bar just below mid-shin, stand with feet hip-width apart and the bar skimming your legs, then grip just outside your thighs
  2. Unlock the bar, brace your core hard, and push the floor away rather than thinking about pulling the bar up
  3. Drive your hips forward at the top until you are fully upright with glutes squeezed, avoiding any lean-back hyperextension
  4. Lower the bar under control by hinging at the hips first, keeping it close to your body until it reaches the starting position

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips rise faster than the shoulders off the floor which turns it into a stiff-leg row on your lower back, fix this by setting your lats and pushing through the floor simultaneously
  • Rounding the upper back because the fixed bar path creates a false sense of security, fix this by pulling your chest tall and retracting your shoulder blades before the bar leaves the hooks
  • Locking the knees completely straight at the top which shifts stress off the glutes and onto the lumbar spine, fix this by finishing with a soft knee and a deliberate glute squeeze instead

Pro tip — Because the Smith bar travels a fixed vertical path, actively drag it back into your body on the way up by engaging your lats as if bending the bar around your legs, this keeps tension on the posterior chain and prevents the hips from shooting back out of position.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Get stronger4–5 sets × 3–6 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 10–12 reps

Rest: 2–3 min between sets (60–90s on lighter days).

More Glutes & Hamstrings exercises

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