7 Top Smith Machine Squat Alternatives

Smith machine squats can be helpful variation but you may not like them. Discover some alternatives to smith machine squats with similar benefits.

On top of regular squat benefits like strengthening leg muscles, the smith machine variation requires less balance and stabilizing muscles, does not require a spotter, makes it easy to add extra weight, etc.

Whether you don’t enjoy smith machine squats, you don’t have a smith machine available, or you want an alternative for any other reason, these alternatives to smith machine squats can offer you some or all of these benefits.

1. Hack squat

The hack squat machine is a leg gym machine that is basically a machine squat at a slanted angle. It has a platform to put your feet on and a shoulder pad to lift the weights.

To use it you simply adjust the machine for your personal size, select your desired weight, put your feet on the pad at about shoulder width, and put your shoulders under the pads.

After that, unlock the safety and push the weight up and down like you would with a normal squat.

The hack squat is basically the number one alternative to smith machine squats in terms of how similar these exercises are.

You have the same motion in machine form, no need for a spotter, and you are training basically the same muscles in the same ratios.

2. Leg press

The leg press is a gym machine where you push away weights from your body with your legs. This can be both sideways but more often upward while sitting in a low seat.

This machine looks like a seat with a pad with weight to put your feet against.

To do a leg press simply adjust the machine to your personal size, select your desired weight, take a seat, and put your feet on the pad at about shoulder width.

You then push the weights away from your body by stretching your legs.

One difference is that your upper body is at a different angle compared to the smith machine squat.

Even with that in mind, the leg press is still a smith machine alternative in the sense that it resembles this second option a lot.

You have a fixed trajectory, no need for a spotter, and you are training basically the same muscles in the same ratios.

3. Back squat

Squats are the main movement of the exercises so far. Back squats are the same exercise but with extra weight, often a barbell, resting on your shoulders.

Take the following steps to do a back squat with a barbell:

1. Find a squat rack and place the barbell at about chest height. Add the desired number of weight plates. If there are any safety bars adjust them to the right height.
2. Stand under the barbell, push your shoulders up so that the barbell rests on your higher back, and hold it there with your hands.
3. Unrack the barbell and take a few steps back so that you have room to squat. Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width.
4. Slowly lower your hips by bending your knees. How far depends on different factors like knee health but at your lowest point you want your hips to be at or lower than your knee height. You will likely have to bend forward for balance but keep your back in a straight line throughout the movement.
5. Push yourself up again into starting position by stretching your legs.
6. Rerack the barbell after your desired number of repetitions.

The similarities between a smith machine squat and a back squat are that you use a barbell to make the classic leg exercise heavier for your legs. Back squats will train similar leg muscles.

Back squats do require more balance and they focus more on core muscles because the barbell needs to be in a different location for balance (1).

Whether this is positive or negative for you depends on why you want a smith machine alternative.

4. Smith machine deadlift

The deadlift is a powerful compound exercise that can be done with a wide variety of weights. Take the following steps to do a deadlift with the smith machine:

1. Lower the smith machine bar as low to the ground as possible and load it with the desired amount of weight.
2. Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width.
3. Slightly fold your knees and tilt your upper body forward to grab the bar.
4. Stretch your knees and tilt back your upper body at the same time until your upper body and legs are stretched in one straight line. When doing a deadlift it is very important to keep your back in a straight line during the exercise.
5. Slowly move back into the position of step 3.

Good technique is important in any exercise to avoid injuries but especially so for deadlifts. Before trying to deadlift the heaviest weights it is smart to improve your technique first by starting with light or no weights at all.

Deadlifts are similar to smith machine squats in that they train your leg muscles in a fixed trajectory. You will also train your back muscles more with deadlifts on top of that.

Smith machine deadlifts can be a great alternative to squats if you want more of a compound exercise and even less risk for negative downsides if you manage to drop the weight.

5. Goblet squat

This next option is another variation of the regular squat exercise. This version is generally done with a dumbbell or kettlebell. Take the following steps to do a goblet squat with a kettlebell:

1. Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width. Hold onto the kettlebell with both of your hands at about chest height.
2. Slowly lower your hips by bending your knees. How far depends on different factors like knee health but at your lowest point you want your hips to be at or lower than your knee height. You will likely have to bend forward for balance but keep your back in a straight line throughout the movement.
3. Push yourself up again into starting position by stretching your legs.

Because you hold the weight in front of you, similar to smith machine squats you can do the exercise with a straighter back. This leads to less core engagement compared to a back squat.

A difference with the smith machine squat is that it is hard to add a lot of weight to the exercise. Your folded arms can hold less weight than your shoulders.

You will also have to use more balance and core engagement compared to the smith machine squat.

6. Step-ups

For step-ups you will need a stable object strong enough to stand on. A plyo box, a stepper, and even some weight benches are examples of suited objects for step-ups.

Once you have one of these, take the following steps to do a step-up:

1. Stand upright in front of the object facing toward it with your feet at shoulder-width.
2. Raise one foot and put it on the surface of the object. Make sure your sole is entirely on the surface.
3. Raise your body by exerting pressure with the leg of the foot that is on the object.
4. Put your second foot next to the other one.
5. Step down with the first foot.
6. Step down with the second foot.
7. Do a repetition with the other foot first.

Step-ups are a good alternative to smith machine squats to train your legs if you do not have a lot of gym equipment available.

Because your weight rests on one leg you train them more compared to regular bodyweight squats. You can also do step-ups with a relatively low focus on core muscles.

Where step-ups are different is that they require a lot more balance.

While step-ups are a great bodyweight exercise, you can also use leg workout equipment like a weighted vest, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc. to make step-ups more challenging for your leg muscles.

7. Bulgarian split squat

For Bulgarian split squats, you want a step, bench, or any other stable object at about knee height. Once you have that, take the following steps to do a Bulgarian split squat:

1. Stand in front of the stable object with your back toward it. Keep about a leg distance between you and the object.
2. Move one leg back and put the foot of this side on the object. The top of your foot should lean on the surface of the object.
3. Slowly lower your hips by bending the knee of your stretched leg until your hip is at about the height of your knee of the previously stretched leg. Use your arms for balance if needed.
4. Push yourself up again into the position of step 2.
5. Repeat the same number of repetitions on the leg of the other side to keep your muscle distribution balanced.

The Bulgarian split squat is another smith machine squat alternative for when you do not have a lot of equipment available. A lot of your weight rests on one leg which makes the bodyweight version relatively challenging.

Where Bulgarian split squats are a lot different is that they require a lot of balance. This can take the focus of the exercise away from your leg muscles.

Depending on if and how you add external weights to Bulgarian split squats you may also engage your core muscles more compared to smith machine squats.