The chest press is one of the most commonly performed yet essential upper-body strengthening exercises included in most of the workout routine as one of the primary exercises; that impact your pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulders), and triceps (arms). There can be exercise variations using different types of chest press machines for targeting specific muscles. However, it is essential to perform this exercise safely using proper form and technique.
Often people tend to get confused between chest press and bench press; both the chest press and the bench press exercises are effective and impact the same muscle groups but in slightly different ways. In terms of which one is better or more preferable, it actually comes down to which one you prefer as per how the exercise feels to your body. You can also alternate the chest press and bench press on different days of your workout routine.
Stepwise Instruction on How to do Chest Press Exercise
- If you’re a beginner or if it’s your first time using the chest press machine, then place a lighter load on the weight carriage. Sit comfortably on the chest press machine with your feet placed firmly on the floor.
- On an adjustable seat, position yourself to ensure that it allows your arms to push at a horizontal position to the ground (while your arms are fully extended).
- Hold the handles, and maintain a neutral wrist position.
- Then push the handles outward for a full extension (without locking the elbow) and exhale as you’re pressing out.
- Keep your head steady against the upright backrest of the chair and your neck still.
- As you push, you should feel a significant amount of resistance.
- Hold for a few seconds at the full extension position, then slowly let the bars return back to the starting position towards your chest and breathe in during this recovery.
- Repeat this action a couple of times as per your fitness program or as per your trainer’s instructions.
- The last rep should always feel a bit difficult.
- Start with lesser reps, and make sure you listen to your body to avoid over-exertion or injury.
- Avoid arching your lower back and keep your spine flat throughout the exercise.
- You can use a raised platform under your feet if your feet aren’t flat on the floor while performing the exercise.
- Keep your feet firm on the floor or platform while working out.
- To target your pectorals, you can flare your elbows out away from your body.
- Keep your wrists at a neutral [position so that they don’t bend in either direction thus avoiding injury and incorrect form.
Avoid Common Mistakes and Injuries
Do Not Keep Your Elbows Very Far Behind
Make sure you don’t stress your shoulder joint by extending your elbows too far back while holding the handles. The handgrips should always be in front or ahead of your body line. Injuries are prone to occur if you hyperextend the shoulder while pushing even moderate weight.
Start with Lesser Weights
Start with lesser weights and gradually build up once you get the correct technique and form to perform it. If you’re a beginner it’s better to use a spotter to hold weights, check your form, support your movements, and keep a check that you’re using the correct weights.
Do Not Arch Your Back
Keep your back straight on the chest press machine against the back support of the chair. If you find yourself arching your back when you push, that means you are using too much weight beyond your current capacity. You can reduce the weight so that you can push with enough effort without letting your back arch.
Keep Your Movement Steady and Controlled
Keep your movement steady and controlled and not explosive while pushing and releasing the bar. If needed, you can keep a count while pushing, pause for a few seconds, and then again count as you release.
Benefits of Chest Press Exercise
The exercise performed using a chest press machine is one of the best exercises for developing chest muscles and building upper body strength.
Other effective exercises also include pec fly, cable crossover, and dips.
- The chest press targets your pectorals, deltoids, and triceps, building good muscle tissue and strength.
- Chest press exercise also works your serratus anterior and biceps.
- This developed upper body strength help with day-to-day activities such as pushing shopping carts, heavy doors, etc.
- It’s also beneficial for sports such as swimming, tennis, badminton, etc.
- You’ll gain muscle and lose fat, in turn, burning more calories even while at rest.
- Well-developed chest muscles look physically appealing and thus enhance your confidence and make you feel better.
Chest Press Exercise Variations
Listed below are some chest press exercise variations, each slightly different in the muscles they target. You can try out a few to see which one you prefer as per the target muscle or mix a few into your workout routine.
Incline Chest Press
This variation is performed using an incline bench, it targets the upper pectorals and shoulders while putting less strain on the rotator cuffs.
You may need to use a lesser weight for this variation to avoid over-straining your shoulders. However, don’t forget to take a break from your upper body workout the next day, to rest your shoulders to avoid any potential injury, and to allow muscle recovery.
Cable Chest Press
This variation allows you to move slowly along with controlled action. The cable chest press machine also strengthens your core muscles, which helps in improving balance and stability. You can perform this exercise using a single arm at a time and also adjust the height of each push to target different areas of your chest. You can even use resistance bands if you don’t have a cable machine in the gym.
Seated Chest Press
The seated chest press machine works your biceps and latissimus dorsi muscles along with developing your chest muscles. This machine enables you to lift heavier weights with more controlled movement. Make sure to use proper form and adjust the seat as well as the handles to achieve the correct position.
Standing Chest Press
The standing chest press exercise variation targets your stabilizer muscles including the rotator cuff, erector spinae, and transversus abdominus, and also improves balance. This chest press variation is ideal if you’re not a beginner and already have a firm foundation and excellent form. The only downside is that comparatively, it works your chest muscles a little less.
Plate-loaded Chest Press
There are plate-loaded chest press machines available that allow incline, decline, isolateral chest press exercises. Plate loaded chest press exercise isolates your inner pectorals and reduced the risk and the potential for injury. Muscle engagement is very well maintained throughout the exercise.
Types of Chest Press Machines
Into Wellness/Realleader USA manufacture and supply a wide range of machines including different types of chest press machines to target specific muscle groups effectively. These machines are ergonomically accurate that are made of superior material and scientific designs.
Listed below are some of the different chest press machines by Into Wellness which help to target specific chest muscle groups effectively:
M2 1001 – Chest Press
The M2 1001 Chest Press by Into Wellness/Realleader USA is one of the primary and essential pieces of equipment in any fitness facility. You can target your pectoral muscles in the chest as well as your deltoid and triceps effectively.
The Convergent motion effectively helps in the development of targeted muscles. The angled hand grips of this machine enable the isolation of the right muscles and the iso-lateral movement of the arms train each side effectively.
There are 4 levels of superior pre-stretch adjustments, pneumatic seat adjustment. and a plastic footrest offering maximum user comfort and convenience. Listed below are some of the benefits of using this chest press machine:
- This single station equipment directly targets the main muscle of the chest- the pectorals.
- Developing the upper body especially the pectorals is one of the common fitness goals as it improves the physical appearance.
- It is also beneficial in developing the strength and power needed for sports where you swing a bat or a racket recruiting the biceps and major muscles of the shoulders.
- Heavier weights can be lifted with more control using this M2 1001 chest press machine.
PF 1001 – Chest/Shoulder Press
The PF 1001 Chest/Shoulder Press by Into Wellness/Realleader USA is one of the versatile machines that offer a variety of pressing exercises for the chest, shoulders, as well as triceps all combined in a single machine. As the name suggests, this machine helps to target the pectoral and shoulder muscles effectively. It has precise angles and an adjustable 11 level adjustable knob-operated convertible seat for an easy, and quick shift between workouts thus enabling to train different pectoral and shoulder muscles.
This machine also has 6 levels of adjustment for moving arms and precision linear bearings for the EZ slide seat carriage adjustments. Below mentioned are some of the benefits of this machine:
- This combo machine helps in developing the pecs and deltoids both which is a fitness goal of a lot of people as these muscles when developed, enhance the physical appearance of a person.
- It is a well-known fact that strong shoulders are the base of most upper body movements; hence working out using this machine also has functional benefits as it helps to develop strength and power in these muscles.
HS 1002 – Chest/Back
The HS 1002 Chest/Back by Into Wellness/Realleader USA is one of the few dual plates loaded machines that help you target both your chest and back muscles making, hence making it an ideal equipment solution for a fitness facility with space constraints. It is a compact machine with an exceptional design allowing natural movements with real push/pull exercises for the chest and back through its sturdy and robust design.
It has a 10 degree angled back pad for chest press that provides sufficient support and centrally fixed handles that stabilize the body while performing the isolateral exercises. The isolateral movement of the arms helps in equal strength development. Here are some of the benefits of the HS 1002 Chest/Back machine:
- While performing the chest workout, this machine targets pectoralis major, triceps, and anterior deltoid, similarly the back workout help to target latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, trapezius, teres major-minor as well as your biceps.
- This exercise helps to develop the strength needed to carry out day-to-day activities such as placing objects on the shelf above your head.
HS 1008 – Incline Chest Press
The HS 1008 Incline Chest Press by Into Wellness/Realleader, as the name suggests targets the major chest muscles- the pectoralis major as well as the anterior deltoid. This machine has an angled seat that provides accurate support to the back while pushing. Also, separate weight horns engage independent diverging and converging motions.
The machine is perfectly designed with angled hand grips to isolate the right muscles and the iso-lateral movement helps equal strength development and muscle stimulation. The Incline chest press machine benefits are as follows:
- The unique path of motion of this machine fills the gap between the shoulder press and the chest press.
- It also targets the triceps while performing the pushing movement and helps develop strength and power in sports activities such as swinging a racket or bat.
Conclusion
You can talk to a certified fitness trainer or a doctor or a physiotherapist about whether this exercise is appropriate for you if you have had an injury or recent surgery involving your chest and/or shoulder muscles. While performing this exercise, if you feel pain in your arms, shoulders, or chest, then stop the exercise immediately to avoid injury. Also, make sure to adjust the machine to fit your torso and arm length and check the weights selected so you aren’t lifting an extreme amount.
Try a mix of the above-mentioned chest press exercise variations in your fitness routine to develop strong and well-built chest muscles.
