- EquipmentMachine
- PatternPush
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Adjust the seat so the handles start level with your upper chest. Sit back against the angled pad with your feet flat.
First cueKeep your back against the pad.
How to do the Incline Machine Press
Set up. Adjust the seat so the handles start level with your upper chest. Sit back against the angled pad with your feet flat.
- Press the handles up and forward until your arms are almost straight.
- Pause briefly.
- Lower under control to a stretch in the upper chest.
Form cues
- Keep your back against the pad.
- Keep your shoulders down.
- Keep your wrists straight.
Common mistakes
- Arching the back off the pad.
- Letting the stack crash between reps.
Muscles worked
Main target: Chest. The chest muscles fan out across the front of the ribcage, from the breastbone and collarbone to the upper arm. They bring the arm forward and across the body, which is the work of every press, push-up and fly.
On the way: Front delts and Triceps.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Incline Machine Press, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Seated Cable Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Cable Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Incline Machine Press first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Incline Machine Press 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Seated Cable Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Cable Upright Row 3 × 10 to 15 reps
- Cable Shrug 3 × 10 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Single-Arm Cable Press
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Machine Chest Press.
Other variations of the Machine Chest Press: Converging Chest Press and Single-Arm Cable Press.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades), Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range) and Push-Up (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Incline Machine Press is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Incline Machine Press?
Set up: Adjust the seat so the handles start level with your upper chest. Sit back against the angled pad with your feet flat. Steps: 1. Press the handles up and forward until your arms are almost straight. 2. Pause briefly. 3. Lower under control to a stretch in the upper chest. Form cues: Keep your back against the pad. Keep your shoulders down. Keep your wrists straight. Common mistakes: Arching the back off the pad. Letting the stack crash between reps.
What muscles does the Incline Machine Press work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the front delts and triceps on the way.
What can I do instead of the Incline Machine Press?
At home: Dumbbell Bench Press. In a gym: Single-Arm Cable Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Incline Machine Press with?
Good partners in the same workout are Seated Cable Row, Cable Upright Row and Cable Shrug.
How heavy should the Incline Machine Press be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.