How much does a Smith machine bar weigh? Brand chart

The short answer

There is no standard Smith machine bar weight. In the maker specs we checked, stated bar or starting weights run from about 16 lb (Marcy MD-9010G) to 45 lb (Hoist Dual Action Smith). Life Fitness lists 20 lb, Hammer Strength 30 lb and Force USA's G3 35 lb. Check your machine's manual or spec sheet, then log that number with every set.

Smith machine bar weight by brand

Every number below is copied from the maker’s own product page or article, checked on September 23, 2026. Makers use different terms. Some list the “bar weight,” others list “starting weight” or “starting resistance,” which is what you feel when you lift the empty bar. We kept each maker’s wording in the table so you know which one you are reading.

Brand	Model	Stated bar or starting weight (lb)	Counterbalanced?	Source
Life Fitness	Signature Series Smith Machine	20 (bar weight)	Not stated	Life Fitness
Hammer Strength	Smith Machine (7-degree)	30 (starting resistance)	Not stated	Life Fitness
Hammer Strength	Plate-Loaded Vertical Smith Machine	30 (starting resistance)	Not stated	Life Fitness
Hoist	CF-3754 Dual Action Smith	45 (starting weight of bar)	Not stated	Hoist
Hoist	CF-3755 Dual Angle Smith	25 (bar weight)	Not stated	Hoist
Hoist	MiSMITH Dual Action Smith	30 (bar weight)	Uses Hoist’s Ultra-Lite Lifting System to reduce bar weight	Hoist
Body-Solid	Series 7 Smith Machine (GS348B)	25 (bar starts at)	Not stated	Body-Solid
Force USA	G3 All-In-One Trainer	35 (Smith bar)	Not stated	Force USA
REP Fitness	Smith Machine Rack Attachment	About 33 (stated as “approximately 15 kg”)	No	REP Fitness
Bells of Steel	Smith Machine Rack Attachment	36 (Smith bar)	Not stated	Bells of Steel USA
Inspire Fitness	SCS Smith Cage System	30 (Smith bar)	Not stated	Inspire Fitness
Major Fitness	B52	31 (stated as 14.2 kg)	No	Major Fitness
Marcy	SM-4033	About 36	Not stated	Marcy
Marcy	SM-7553	About 20	Not stated	Marcy
Marcy	MD-9010G and SM-4903	About 16	Not stated	Marcy

A few notes on the chart. “Not stated” means the page we read did not say either way, not that the machine lacks a counterbalance. On the check date, the Marcy models showed as sold out on marcypro.com, the Bells of Steel attachment showed as unavailable, and Force USA was taking preorders for the G3. They are listed because many people already own one.

Some machines are counterbalanced, but the maker does not publish a number. Titan lists a “counterbalance system” on its Smith machine page, and Inspire calls the FT2 PRO bar “counter-balanced,” but neither page gives a bar or starting weight. We left them out of the chart rather than guess.

Why doesn’t a Smith machine bar weigh 45 lb?

A standard men’s Olympic barbell is built to a set length and weight. A Smith bar is not. It is part of a machine, so each maker picks its own bar length, tube size and hardware. That is why the chart runs from about 16 lb to 45 lb.

Three things drive the number you feel:

Bar and carriage mass. The bar rides on hooks, bearings and carriages that move with it. A hollow bar or lighter carriage lowers the total. REP says it lightened its bar enough that a counterbalance “was not needed.”
Counterbalance. Some machines run a cable from the bar over pulleys to hidden weights in the frame. That offsets part of the bar, so the starting weight is lower than the bar’s real mass. Major Fitness describes this setup in its bar weight guide.
Track angle and friction. Many commercial machines, including the Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and Body-Solid Series 7 units above, use a 7-degree track. A small tilt like that changes the load along the track by less than 1%, so angle matters far less than counterbalance or bearing friction.

Is there a typical range?

Major Fitness writes that Smith bars weigh “somewhere between 6 and 45 lbs, depending on the machine,” and that “most bars you’ll encounter at a standard gym land in the 15–25 lb range.” That is the maker’s general claim, not a measurement we made. The makers in our chart back up the wide spread: stated numbers run from about 16 lb to 45 lb, and several commercial units sit at 20 to 30 lb.

How do you find your machine’s bar weight?

Work down this list and stop at the first reliable answer:

Look for a label on the machine. Some commercial machines show starting weight on a placard near the track or on the frame. Gym staff may also know.
Read the maker’s spec page. Search the brand and model number, then look for “bar weight,” “starting weight” or “starting resistance.”
Check the owner’s manual. Most makers post PDF manuals. Not all list bar weight. The Cybex Plate Loaded Smith Press manual we read gives machine weight and max training weight but no bar weight.
Contact the maker. Support teams can usually give the figure for your model and year.

Using a hanging scale (last resort)

If no one publishes a number, a hanging luggage or crane scale can give a rough reading. Set the safety stops just below the bar first and remove all plates. Hook the scale to the middle of the bar, unhook the bar from its catches, and pull straight up along the track at a slow, steady speed. Note the reading while it moves.

Then let the bar travel down slowly while still holding the scale and note that reading too. Friction makes the upward number read high and the downward number read low, so the average of the two is a fair estimate. Make sure your scale is rated above the bar weight, and use a partner if the bar is heavy for you. Treat the result as an estimate, not a spec.

How should you log Smith machine weight?

The goal of a training log is to compare you with yourself. Pick one method and stick with it.

Write down the machine. Note the brand, model and the stated bar weight you used, such as “Hammer Strength Smith, 30 lb start.”
Log the total or the plates, but always the same way. For example, 30 lb bar plus two 45 lb plates is 120 lb total. Either “120” or “90 + bar” works if you never switch.
Keep Smith lifts separate. A guided bar with a different starting weight is not the same lift as a free barbell. Keep a separate line for Smith squats or presses.
Re-check when you change gyms. Two Smith machines can differ by 25 lb or more, based on the chart above.

For more on setup and form, see how to use a Smith machine. If you are still choosing equipment, compare the trade-offs in Smith machine vs power rack or browse our best Smith machines for home.

Safety notes

Set the safety stops just below the lowest point of your lift before you load the bar, and use collars on the plates. Keep the floor around the machine clear. A lighter starting weight does not make heavy sets risk-free, so add weight in small steps. If you feel pain, stop and talk to a qualified coach or physical therapist.

Everything here is researched from maker spec pages, manuals and maker articles. We did not weigh these bars ourselves. Read more about how we research.

Questions

How much does the bar on a Smith machine weigh?

It depends on the machine. Stated numbers in maker specs range from about 16 lb on some Marcy home units to 45 lb on the Hoist Dual Action Smith. Many commercial machines list 20 to 30 lb. Look up your exact model rather than assuming 45 lb like a standard Olympic barbell.

What is the starting weight on a Smith machine?

Starting weight, also called starting resistance, is what you feel when you lift the empty bar. On a machine with a counterbalance it can be lower than what the bar physically weighs. Hammer Strength lists 30 lb of starting resistance, and Body-Solid says the Series 7 bar starts at 25 lb.

Is a Smith machine bar 45 lb?

Usually not. Only one machine in our chart, the Hoist CF-3754 Dual Action Smith, lists a 45 lb starting weight. Most stated numbers fall between 16 and 36 lb, so counting a Smith bar as 45 lb will overstate your total on most machines.

Do you count the bar weight on a Smith machine?

Yes, if you want an honest total. Add the machine's stated bar or starting weight to the plates you load. What matters most is that you use the same method every time, so your log compares like with like.

Is lifting on a Smith machine the same as a free barbell?

No. The track guides the bar, so you do not have to balance it, and the bar weight is often different from a 45 lb barbell. Treat Smith machine numbers as their own record and don't compare them straight across to free-weight lifts.

How do I find the bar weight of a gym Smith machine?

Look for a label or placard on the frame, which some makers use to show starting weight. If there is none, search the maker and model name for its spec sheet or owner's manual, or ask the gym staff. As a last step, a hanging scale can give a rough reading.

How much does a Smith machine bar weigh? (Chart by brand)