60 Minutes Beginner Shoulders Workout with Smith Machine
A 60 minutes muscle building workout targeting your shoulders using smith machine equipment. 5 exercises, 19 total sets, designed for beginner lifters.
60 Minutes
Duration
19
Total Sets
8-12 reps
Rep Range
~798
Est. Calories
The Workout
Start with this as your primary movement. Warm up with 2 lighter sets first.
Form cues
- Set the bar at waist height and lie underneath it face up.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with an overhand grip.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Position the bench so the bar travels directly over your mid-chest.
Form cues
- Position the bench so the bar travels directly over your mid-chest.
- Retract your shoulder blades and maintain a slight arch in your lower back.
- Unrack by twisting the bar, then lower it under control to your chest.
Position the bench at 90 degrees or sit on a flat seat directly under the bar.
Form cues
- Position the bench at 90 degrees or sit on a flat seat directly under the bar.
- Set the bar at forehead height, grip just outside shoulder width.
- Unrack by twisting the bar and press straight up to full lockout.
Lie on a flat bench under the Smith machine with hands shoulder width apart or slightly narrower.
Form cues
- Lie on a flat bench under the Smith machine with hands shoulder width apart or slightly narrower.
- Unrack by twisting the bar and lower it to your lower chest with elbows tucked tight.
- Press the bar back to lockout, focusing on squeezing the triceps at the top.
Finish strong — take the last set close to failure.
Form cues
- Set the bar at glute height and stand facing away from it.
- Grip the bar behind you with a shoulder-width overhand grip.
- Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears while pulling slightly back.
Why This Workout Works
This workout is built around the principles of muscle building training. Use moderate loads (65-80% of your 1RM) with controlled eccentrics and full range of motion. Prioritize progressive overload by adding reps before adding weight. Train each muscle group 2x per week with 10-20 hard sets per muscle per week.
Training Parameters
- Rep Range: 8-12 reps — the hypertrophy sweet spot for maximum muscle growth
- Rest Periods: 60-90 seconds — long enough for quality reps, short enough for metabolic stress
- Sets Per Exercise: 3-4 sets — optimized for muscle building
Shoulders Training Tips
- *Most lifters over-train the front delt and neglect the rear delt — prioritize face pulls and reverse flyes.
- *Lateral raises work best with lighter weight and strict form — no swinging.
- *Press overhead with a slight forward lean to keep the bar path over your center of gravity.
Get this shoulders workout personalized for you
Revy's AI will analyze your training history, recovery status, and strength levels to customize every set, rep, and weight for maximum muscle building results.