Functional Trainer + Smith Machine Combo Program
This is a 4-day upper/lower workout program for anyone with access to a functional trainer (a dual-stack cable machine), a Smith machine, and a bench, a common equipment pairing at commercial gyms and larger home setups. Having all three unlocks enough exercise variety to move from full body training to a proper upper/lower split.
Equipment needed
The Smith machine and bench together cover the fixed-bar-path compound lifts (squats, presses, hip thrusts) while the functional trainer fills in constant-tension accessory and isolation work, which is why the combination supports more volume than either machine alone.
The program
Four or five days gives you enough room to separate upper and lower body without dropping below twice-a-week frequency for any muscle group, while keeping each session more focused than a full body workout.
Day 1: Upper body
Warm-up
5 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, then arm circles and band pull-aparts to open up your shoulders. Finish with 2-3 ramp-up sets on your first exercise before your working weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable Chest Press | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Lat Pulldown | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Cable Tricep Pushdown | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Cable Face Pull | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Cable Bicep Curl | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
Cool-down
A few minutes of static stretching for your chest, shoulders, and triceps, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Day 2: Lower body
Warm-up
5 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, then bodyweight squats and leg swings to open up your hips. Finish with 2-3 ramp-up sets on your first exercise before your working weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Machine Squat | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Smith Machine Hip Thrust | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squat | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Bodyweight Calf Raise | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Cable Glute Kickback | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Cable Crunch | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
Cool-down
A few minutes of static stretching for your quads, hamstrings, and calves, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Day 3: Upper body
Warm-up
5 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, then arm circles and band pull-aparts to open up your shoulders. Finish with 2-3 ramp-up sets on your first exercise before your working weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Machine Incline Bench Press | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Diamond Push-Up | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Single-Arm Cable Row | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Prone Y-Raise | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Cable Hammer Curl | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
Cool-down
A few minutes of static stretching for your chest, shoulders, and triceps, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Day 4: Lower body
Warm-up
5 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, then bodyweight squats and leg swings to open up your hips. Finish with 2-3 ramp-up sets on your first exercise before your working weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box Jump | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Curtsy Lunge | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Single-Leg Calf Raise | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Wall Sit | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Single-Leg Glute Bridge | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Cable Woodchopper | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
Cool-down
A few minutes of static stretching for your quads, hamstrings, and calves, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
How to progress week to week
Once you can hit the top of the rep range for every set on this upper/lower split plan, add weight on your Cable machine and Smith machine and Bench the next session and expect reps to dip back toward the bottom of the range. That cycle of adding reps, then adding weight, is what steadily builds size over time. At an intermediate level, progress typically settles into something closer to this pattern, a small jump every week or two rather than every session.
Want this tailored to your exact schedule?
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Keep the tools free →Frequently asked questions
Why does having two machines change the split, not just the exercise list?
A wider exercise pool supports more total weekly volume per muscle group before exercises start repeating too often within a week, and a 4-day upper/lower split is where that extra volume actually gets applied, split across more sessions than a 3-day full body plan allows.
Is a functional trainer the same thing as a cable machine for this program?
Yes. A functional trainer is a dual-stack cable machine with adjustable pulley heights, and every cable-based exercise in this program works identically on either one.
What if a gym only has one of the two machines?
Use the single-machine version instead: the Cable Machine Workout Program or the Smith Machine Workout Program, both linked below, are each built to stand on their own.