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All you need to know.
A multi-press machine – also known as a Smith machine – is a professional strength station with a guided barbell that moves exclusively vertically on a fixed, defined path. Along the guide rails are safety catches into which the bar can be hooked at any time – even in the middle of an exercise. This allows for safe training without a spotter and makes the multi-press machine an ideal choice for the home gym. Many models also allow for free barbell training using J-hooks.
The Smith machine can be used to effectively train almost all major muscle groups. Popular Smith machine exercises include: Bench press (flat, incline, and decline) for the chest, squats and Bulgarian split squats for legs and glutes, overhead press for the shoulders, and deadlifts and lunges for the entire lower body. With an adjustable weight bench and suitable weight plates, the variety of training options can be significantly increased.
The choice between a Smith Machine and a Power Rack depends on your individual training goals. The Smith Machine offers guided training with maximum safety – ideal for beginners, solo trainers, and anyone who wants to target individual muscle groups in isolation. The Power Rack exclusively allows for free barbell training, which additionally activates stabilizing muscles. Many of our ATX Smith Machines combine both options: guided and free training at a single station – the most flexible solution for your home gym.
A multipress typically requires a footprint of approx. 1.5 x 2 m plus sufficient clearance around it. For a complete setup with an adjustable weight bench and training area, we recommend at least 8–12 m² of training space. A high-quality floor protection mat protects your floor, dampens vibrations, and ensures a secure footing – indispensable for any home gym.
Our clear recommendation is the ATX® Multipress Rack 780 Complete Station with Lat Pulldown Station - 125 kg Weight Stacks – studio certified, extremely robust, and designed for long-term use in home gyms and professional fitness studios. It combines guided barbell training with a full-fledged lat pulldown for maximum training variety at a single station. Supplemented with suitable weight plates and an adjustable weight bench, it creates a complete strength station for your home gym.
Yes – many of our ATX Multi-Presses can be expanded with a lat pulldown, cable pull and other attachments such as safety spotters or barbell holders. With an integrated lat pulldown, you can specifically train your back, biceps, triceps and shoulders – all at a single station. This transforms your multi-press into a complete strength station for your home gym, without requiring additional individual machines.
A multi-press – also known as a Smith Machine – is one of the most versatile and safest strength stations you can buy for your home gym or fitness studio. Unlike a classic free rack, the multi-press guides the barbell along a precisely defined, vertical path, ensuring a controlled, smooth movement during each repetition. This makes the multi-press particularly valuable for training beginners who do not yet have a refined technique, but also for advanced athletes who want to specifically isolate individual muscle groups and train with maximum intensity. In addition, the integrated safety mechanism with catch hooks allows training without a spotter – a decisive advantage for anyone training alone in their home gym. At motion sports, you'll find high-quality studio-grade multi-presses – robust, durable, and designed for long-term use.
A multi-press consists of a stable steel frame in which a barbell is guided vertically. The bar can only move up and down, which standardizes the movement and significantly reduces the risk of injury. Along the guide rails, there are catch hooks or notches at regular intervals where the bar can be hooked in at any time – even in the middle of an exercise if strength gives out. Many high-quality Smith Machines also allow free barbell training by attaching J-Hooks, so you can combine both guided and free training at a single station. By combining it with weight plates and an adjustable weight bench, the variety and intensity of training can be individually adapted and continuously increased.
One of the most common questions when buying a strength station is: multi-press or power rack – which is the better choice? Both devices have their justification but address different training needs. The multi-press excels with its guided movement, which offers maximum safety even without a training partner and enables isolated, technically clean training. The Power Rack, on the other hand, only allows free barbell training, which also activates stabilizing muscles and enables more functional training. For beginners, solo trainers, and anyone who wants to specifically build muscles in isolation, the multi-press is the ideal choice. Advanced athletes who focus on maximum strength development and functional training often opt for a Power Rack. Many of our ATX multi-presses combine both worlds: they allow both guided and free training, making them the most flexible solution for your home gym.
The multi-press offers a number of decisive advantages over classic free barbell training. The most important is increased safety: thanks to the guided movement and integrated catch hooks, you can train even with heavy weights without a spotter, without putting yourself in danger. At the same time, the standardized movement path enables isolated and targeted muscle training, where you can fully concentrate on the contraction of the target muscles. Furthermore, high-quality ATX multi-presses can be expanded into a complete home gym complete set-up with numerous extension options – such as an integrated lat pull, cable pull, or spotter arms. In summary, the Smith Machine offers the following advantages: maximum safety without a spotter, isolated and technically clean training, combinability of guided and free training, diverse expansion options, and a space-saving all-in-one solution for the home gym.
The multi-press is a true all-round device that allows you to effectively train almost all major muscle groups. Here is an overview of the most popular multi-press exercises.
Bench press on the multi-press: The bench press is the classic chest training exercise and can be performed on the Smith Machine in three variations: as flat bench press for the entire chest musculature, as incline bench press for the upper chest area, and as decline bench press for the lower chest area. Thanks to the guided movement, you can fully concentrate on chest contraction without having to expend energy on stabilization.
Squats on the multi-press: Squats on the multi-press are one of the most effective exercises for the anterior thigh muscles, adductors, and glutes. The guided movement allows you to perform squats with a more upright torso than with free barbell training – ideal for beginners or trainees with limited mobility.
Shoulder press on the multi-press: The shoulder press on the Smith Machine effectively isolates the shoulder muscles and allows for clean, controlled training even with heavy weights. The guided movement relieves strain on the spine and minimizes the risk of injury.
Back and bicep training: Every high-quality multi-press features a multi-grip pull-up bar for varied pull-up training. With an optional lat pulldown , back and bicep training can be further optimized.
Lunges and Bulgarian Split Squats: These leg exercises can be performed particularly cleanly and controllably on the multi-press, as the guided bar significantly simplifies the balance exercise and reduces the risk of injury.
Deadlifts on the multi-press: Deadlifts on the Smith Machine are an excellent variation for beginners who want to learn the technique before transitioning to free barbell training. The guided movement ensures a constant bar path and significantly reduces the risk of back injuries.
To get the most out of your multi-press training while avoiding injuries, you should follow some basic training tips. When performing all exercises, ensure a straight back and an actively tensed core musculature, as this stabilizes the spine and improves power development. Inhale controllably when lowering the weights and exhale powerfully when pressing or lifting – correct breathing technique supports body tension and increases performance. Perform all movements slowly and controllably to fully engage the target muscles and avoid momentum. Choose a weight that challenges you but still allows for clean execution throughout all repetitions, and systematically increase the load over weeks and months to continuously create new muscle stimuli.
The combination of a multi-press with an integrated lat pull is particularly recommended, as it allows you to perform both guided barbell training and targeted lat pull training for the back, biceps, and shoulders at a single station. A multi-press with cable pull further significantly increases the training variety and makes the device a complete strength station for the home gym. Our recommendation: the ATX multi-press with lat pull and stack weights – studio-certified, extremely robust, and designed for long-term use in home gyms and fitness studios.
When buying a multi-press, there are several important criteria you should consider. Load capacity and material quality are crucial: Look for a high maximum load capacity (at least 150 kg, 200 kg or more for professional models) and a stable steel frame with a high-quality powder coating. Expandability also plays an important role – a multi-press that can be extended with a lat pull, cable pull, or other attachments offers more training variety and better value in the long run. Also, check the bar guide: High-quality models feature precise, play-free guiding with ball bearings or plain bearings that ensure smooth movement. Finally, you should consider the space requirements: A multi-press typically requires a floor area of approx. 1.5 x 2 m plus sufficient freedom of movement all around.
Complement your multi-press with suitable accessories: weight plates for individual weight adjustment, adjustable weight bench for maximum exercise variety, lat pulldown handles for varied back training, and floor protection mats for the perfect surface. Also discover our complete range of strength stations and power racks as alternatives to the multi-press.
