3-Day Full Body Smith Machine Workout Plan for Muscle Gain

Full Body Smith Machine Workout

I’ve designed an ultimate full-body Smith machine workout plan. It involves training three days weekly, focusing on almost the entire body in each session.

Through this program, you’ll learn how to utilize the Smith machine in the best possible way for building muscle and strength.

Smith Machine 3-Day Full Body Workout Plan to Build a Strong Body

Equipment FocusSmith Machine
Split TypeFull Body
Sessions/Week3 (Mon/Tue, Wed/Thu, & Fri/Sat)
Duration/Session60-minutes
Workout Plan GoalDevelop Muscle Mass & Strength
Experienced RequireIntermediate
Target GenderMale & Female
Program Duration4 Weeks

Day 1

Warm-up: Perform 2 sets of 10-12 banded shoulder pass-through, 8-10 resistance band pull-apart, 10-second cobra pose, and one set of each exercise with Smith machine without plates. It will reduce muscle stiffness and prepare your entire body for strength training.

ExercisesSetsRepsTarget Muscle
Reverse Lunges310/legQuads
Overhead Press312-15Shoulder
Flat Bench Press312-15Chest
Bent-over Row312-15Back
Romanian Deadlift310-12Hamstrings

Day 2

Warm-up: Perform two sets of 6-8 Dive Bomber Push-ups, 5-6 Reverse Lunges per leg, 15-second jumping jacks, and one set of 10-12 reps for each exercise (mentioned below) with an empty bar. This warm-up will increase your muscle flexibility and prepare you for weight training.

ExercisesSetsRepsTarget Muscle
Inverted Row312-15Back
Front / Back Squat312-15Quads
Incline Bench Press312-15Chest
Chin-ups36-10Back
Upright Row310-12Shoulder
Calf Raises312-15Calves

Day 3

Warm-up: Perform 2 sets of the world’s greatest stretch (5 reps on each side with 5 seconds hold), arms swings (10 per side), and glute bridge (10-12 reps) before pull-ups and all exercises.

ExercisesSetsRepsTarget Muscle
Pull-ups36-10Back
Leg Press312-15Quads
Close Grip Bench Press312-15Triceps
Smith Lateral Raises310/sideShoulder
Machine Hip Thrust312-15Glutes
Hanging Knee Raises312-15Abdominal

Pros and Cons of Training with Smith Machine

Pros

  • Best Equipment for Compound Movements: You can do plenty of compound exercises on the Smith Machine, such as bench presses, squats, overhead presses, pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, and deadlifts.
  • Easy to Use: The Smith machine is simple to use. All you have to do is adjust the height according to the exercise you want to perform.
  • Provides Stability: The machine provides stability by restricting your excess movement, allowing you to perform each rep with better control.
  • Time Efficient: Training with the Smith machine involves staying at the same place, saving the time that you spend picking dumbbells or barbells or adjusting other machines.

CONS

  • Not Suitable for Building a Balanced Physique: You can’t build symmetrical physiques with only the Smith machine as it provides a restricted range of motion and allows you to perform a limited number of exercises.
  • Not Good for Allround Workouts: The Smith machine is not effective for building explosive strength and improving your mobility.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can You Build Muscle Using Only the Smith Machine?

Yes, the Smith machine is an excellent piece of equipment for performing various exercises that target almost every body part. For example, you can do bench presses for the Chest; overhead presses, lateral raises, shrugs, and inverted rows for the Shoulders; pull-ups, bent-over rows, single-arm rows, and deadlifts for the Back; squats, lunges, RDL, hip thrusts, and calf raises for the Lower Body; dips, chin-ups, biceps curls, triceps extension, and close grip press for Arms. These exercises are great for building strength and promoting hypertrophy.

However, you can’t build symmetrical physiques with only the Smith machine. To build a balanced physique, you need to train your muscles from all angles, which is impossible with the Smith machine. For example, you can’t do flyes, pulldowns, rowing variations, press downs, and neutral grip curls (the crucial physique development exercises) with the Smith machine. That’s why you need to combine other free-weight and gym machine exercises to prevent muscle imbalance and build a defined body.

I’m a Beginner. Can I Follow This Program?

If you’re a beginner, you may find it challenging to perform some of the exercises outlined in this program. For example, deadlifts, back squats, and hip thrusts are exercises, requiring experience to do them efficiently.

But if you want to follow this Smith Machine workout routine, you need to adjust it slightly.

I’ve rounded up 35 Smith Machine exercises in another article that you can save and use to design your exercise plan.

Can I Follow This Program to Lose Weight?

This program will strengthen your bones and joints, increase your strength, and build lean muscle mass but won’t help you lose weight. But if you follow a low-calorie meal plan and follow this routine, your body composition will surely improve.

The Full Body Smith Machine Workout Plan PDF


Download this free PDF and start utilizing the Smith machine in the best possible way.

If you follow this routine, try to keep challenging your muscles with progressive overload, drop sets, and negative reps to stimulate muscle growth.

Progressive overload involves gradually increasing load and pushing your muscles to work hard. This approach helps gain strength and mass over time.1 Plotkin D, Coleman M, Van Every D, Maldonado J, Oberlin D, Israetel M, Feather J, Alto A, Vigotsky AD, Schoenfeld BJ. Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. PeerJ. 2022 Sep 30;10:e14142. doi: 10.7717/peerj.14142. PMID: 36199287; PMCID: PMC9528903.

Drop sets involve lowering the weight once you reach failure and lifting again. It basically includes multiple sub-sets within one main set and allows you to do more work in less time.2 Sødal LK, Kristiansen E, Larsen S, van den Tillaar R. Effects of Drop Sets on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med Open. 2023 Jul 31;9(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s40798-023-00620-5. PMID: 37523092; PMCID: PMC10390395.

The negative reps involve going slow during the eccentric or lowering phase. This technique puts muscles under constant stress and may increase hypertrophy.

References

Share This Blog

Picture of Murshid Akram

Murshid Akram

I’m a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I help people achieve their best shape through my science-based and practical workout programs.
Picture of Murshid Akram

Murshid Akram

I’m a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I help people achieve their best shape through my science-based and practical workout programs.
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

About Me

Murshid Akram, Author at The Fitness Phantom

I’m Murshid Akram, a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I primarily design workout plans and share science-based and practical information that can help you become stronger, functional, and healthier.

Recent Posts

Sign up for our Newsletter

Sign up for practical, helpful, and unique content that can help you elevate your fitness.

SEARCH YOUR WORKOUT​

You can also use this search box to find your workout​

Search