Best Smith Machine Exercises for Forearms — Top 3
Smith Machine training is training heavy without a spotter. Here are the best smith machine exercises for targeting your forearms, ranked by effectiveness. The Smith machine guides the bar along a fixed vertical path, removing the need for stabilization.
Ranked by forearms muscle activation percentage, range of motion quality with smith machine, and progressive overload potential.
The Smith machine wrist curl uses the fixed bar path to allow heavier wrist curls without worrying about balance. Kneel in front of the machine, rest forearms on a bench, and curl the bar with wrist flexion.
Key Form Cue
Kneel in front of a Smith machine with your forearms resting on a flat bench, wrists hanging over the edge.
The Smith machine shrug lets you load the traps heavier than free-weight shrugs because the fixed bar path eliminates balance demands. It is ideal for trap hypertrophy with maximum weight.
Key Form Cue
Stand in the center of the Smith machine, grab the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip.
The Smith machine drag curl uses the fixed bar path to enforce strict form on the drag curl pattern. The bar slides straight up your torso, isolating the long head of the biceps with zero cheating.
Key Form Cue
Stand inside the Smith machine facing the bar, grab it with an underhand shoulder-width grip.
Put these exercises into a real program
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