Machine Chest Press
Pressing handles away from the chest on a seated machine - a stable, easy-to-load way to build chest, shoulder and triceps strength.
Also called: chest press, seated chest press, chest press machine, machine press
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Set the seat so the handles sit at mid-chest height. Sit tall with your back against the pad, feet flat, and grip the handles with wrists straight.
How to do the Machine Chest Press
- Press the handles forward until your arms are almost straight, without locking the elbows.
- Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down against the pad throughout.
- Lower under control until your hands are level with your chest.
- Breathe out as you press, in as you return.
Machine Chest Press muscles worked
The Machine Chest Press works the chest, shoulders and triceps.
Common Machine Chest Press mistakes
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears as you press.
- Letting the elbows flare straight out to the sides - keep them around 45 degrees.
- Bouncing the weight stack at the bottom instead of controlling the return.
Scale it
Easier: Lighter weight, or shorten the range so the handles stop a few centimetres in front of the chest.
Harder: Add a 2-second pause at the chest, or slow the return to 3 seconds.
Pairs well with
Bench Press
Pressing a barbell or dumbbells from the chest lying on a bench — the standard heavy upper-body push.
Cable Chest Press
Pressing against constant cable tension — keeps the chest loaded through the full range, easy on the shoulder since the angle is adjustable.
Floor Press
A bench press from the floor — the same pressing pattern with a built-in range limit that spares the shoulders.
Incline Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Press
Incline pressing with palms facing each other — a shoulder-friendly grip that still builds upper chest and front shoulder strength.