- EquipmentMachine
- PatternPush
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Adjust the seat so the handles line up with the middle of your chest. Sit back against the pad with your feet flat and grip the handles.
First cueKeep your back against the pad.
How to do the Machine Chest Press
Set up. Adjust the seat so the handles line up with the middle of your chest. Sit back against the pad with your feet flat and grip the handles.
- Push the handles forward until your arms are almost straight.
- Pause briefly without locking your elbows hard.
- Let the handles come back under control until you feel a stretch in the chest.
Form cues
- Keep your back against the pad.
- Keep your shoulders down.
- Control the return.
Common mistakes
- Setting the seat too low or high so the shoulders take over.
- Letting the weight stack slam 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: Triceps and Front delts.
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 Machine Chest 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 Machine Chest 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.
- Machine Chest 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
Smith Machine Bench Press
Smith machine
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: Barbell Bench Press.
Other variations of the Barbell Bench Press: Incline Barbell Bench Press, Decline Barbell Bench Press, Smith Machine Bench Press, Close-Grip Bench Press, Dumbbell Bench Press and Floor Press.
Its variations: Converging Chest Press, Incline Machine 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 Machine Chest 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 Machine Chest Press?
Set up: Adjust the seat so the handles line up with the middle of your chest. Sit back against the pad with your feet flat and grip the handles. Steps: 1. Push the handles forward until your arms are almost straight. 2. Pause briefly without locking your elbows hard. 3. Let the handles come back under control until you feel a stretch in the chest. Form cues: Keep your back against the pad. Keep your shoulders down. Control the return. Common mistakes: Setting the seat too low or high so the shoulders take over. Letting the weight stack slam between reps.
What muscles does the Machine Chest Press work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the triceps and front delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Machine Chest Press?
At home: Dumbbell Bench Press. In a gym: Smith Machine Bench Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Machine Chest Press with?
Good partners in the same workout are Seated Cable Row, Cable Upright Row and Cable Shrug.
How heavy should the Machine Chest 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.