Stop Ignoring Smith Machine Safety Stops (Read This First)

Most gym-goers look at the Smith machine and see a safety net built into the equipment. They assume that because the bar travels on a fixed rail, nothing can go wrong. That is a dangerous assumption. While the machine stabilizes the weight for you, gravity still works the same way. If you fail a rep without setting the smith machine safety stops, you can get pinned just as easily as you would with a free weight barbell.

I see this happen constantly: someone loads up the bar for a heavy bench press, un-racks it, and completely ignores the adjustable stoppers at the bottom of the rails. This guide explains why those metal catches are your best friend and exactly how to use them to train to failure safely.

Key Takeaways: Quick Summary

• Safety Stops vs. Hooks: The hooks are attached to the bar for racking; the safety stops (or stoppers) are the adjustable catches at the bottom of the rails that prevent the bar from crushing you.
• Proper Height Setting: Adjust the stoppers to be 1-2 inches below your bottom range of motion (e.g., chest level for bench, slightly below parallel for squats).
• The Wrist Twist: To unlock the machine, rotate your wrists backward. To re-rack, rotate them forward.
• Test Before Loading: Always perform a dry run with an empty bar to ensure the stops are even and at the correct height.

Understanding the Mechanism: Hooks vs. Stoppers

Before we get into adjustments, we need to clarify the terminology because beginners often confuse the two safety mechanisms on this machine.

Smith Machine Safety Hooks

These are permanently attached to the barbell itself. When you rotate your wrists, these hooks engage with the slots on the vertical columns. They are designed for starting and finishing your set. Relying only on these for safety is risky. If your muscles give out mid-rep, you might not have the strength or coordination to rotate your wrists and engage the hooks into the slot.

Smith Machine Stopper (The Real Safety)

These are the separate, adjustable mechanisms located on the vertical guide rods. Depending on the manufacturer, they might be spring-loaded pins or heavy-duty metal catches that slide up and down. These are your physical barrier against injury. If you drop the bar, these stops catch the load, not your ribcage.

How to Adjust Smith Machine Stoppers

Setting these up takes ten seconds, yet most people skip it. Here is the correct protocol for setting your depth.

First, analyze the mechanism. Most commercial gyms use a "lock and slide" system. You usually need to pull a pin out or tilt the stopper mechanism to disengage it from the holes in the frame. Once disengaged, slide it to your desired height and lock it back in. Give it a firm shake to ensure it is fully seated.

The placement is critical. If you place them too high, you bang the bar against the stops before hitting full depth, ruining your rep. If you place them too low, they become useless. The sweet spot is roughly one to two inches below the lowest point of your exercise.

How to Unlock Smith Machine (and Re-Rack)

The fixed path requires a specific wrist movement to initiate the lift. To unlock the bar, lift it slightly to take the weight off the rack, then rotate your knuckles back (extension). This pulls the hooks away from the pegs.

To re-rack the weight, rotate your knuckles forward (flexion) toward the mirror or the frame. This pushes the hooks back into the pegs. Always ensure both hooks are engaged before letting go. I have seen plenty of lifters engage only one side, causing the bar to tilt aggressively and jam.

Common Mistakes When Adjusting the Machine

Even experienced lifters get lazy with how to adjust smith machine settings. Avoid these errors:

• Uneven Stoppers: If the left stopper is one hole higher than the right, and you drop the bar, the impact will be uneven. This can damage the machine's linear bearings and jar your body violently.
• Trusting the "Click": Just because you heard a noise doesn't mean the stopper is locked. Visually inspect the pin or catch to ensure it's through the frame.
• Ignoring the Bottom Position: Don't guess the height. Lie down on the bench (or get into squat position) with an empty bar to measure exactly where your chest or shoulders are relative to the holes.

My Personal Experience with Smith Machine Safety Stops

I learned this lesson the hard way during a late-night session in an empty gym. I was doing incline bench presses on the Smith machine. I was feeling strong, so I kept adding plates, assuming that because it was a machine, I didn't need a spotter.

On my last rep, my triceps just quit. No warning, just total failure. I tried to rotate my wrists forward to rack the bar, but I didn't have the strength to twist and push simultaneously. The bar came down fast.

Thankfully, I had set the stops about an inch above my collarbone. The sound was distinct—a harsh, metal-on-metal CLANG that echoed through the empty room. The bar shuddered to a halt right in front of my face. If I hadn't spent those ten seconds adjusting the stops, that bar would have landed directly on my neck. The vibration through the frame was intense, but I walked away with nothing more than a bruised ego.

Conclusion

The Smith machine is an excellent tool for hypertrophy because it removes the need for stabilization, allowing you to focus purely on output. However, it is not magic. It cannot save you from gravity if you don't set it up correctly. Make it a habit to adjust your safety stops before every single exercise. It’s the difference between a failed rep and a trip to the ER.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the safety stops to do partial reps?

Absolutely. This is called "pin press" or "rack pulls" in a Smith machine context. You can set the stops high to limit the range of motion, allowing you to overload the top portion of a movement safely.

What if the safety stops are stuck?

Gym equipment gets abused. If the stoppers are difficult to move, check for rust or bent pins. Do not force them or kick them. If they won't lock in securely, do not use that machine. Report it to the gym staff immediately.

Do I need safety stops for squats?

Yes. Even though you can technically "bail" on a squat easier than a bench press, the Smith machine forces a fixed path. If you crumble at the bottom, you might get folded under the bar in an awkward position. Set the stops just below your parallel squat depth.