RepCount App IconRepCount

Chest press

Also called machine chest press, seated chest press, chest press machine.

What is a machine chest press?

The chest press is a seated machine exercise that presses handles forward on a guided path. It mainly trains the pectoralis major, with the anterior deltoids and triceps assisting.

Anatomical illustration of a seated machine chest press at the bent-arm and extended-arm positions, with the chest, front shoulders and triceps highlighted.

How do you perform a machine chest press?

Set up

  1. Adjust the seat so the handles begin around mid-chest height, then sit with your back and head supported.
  2. Plant your feet, take an even grip and use the start lever if the machine provides one to bring the handles within reach.

Execution

  1. Press the handles forward until your arms are straight without forcing the elbows into a hard lock.
  2. Keep your shoulders, back and hips against the pads while the levers move.
  3. Return under control to a comfortable chest stretch, then use the start lever before releasing the handles if available.

Common mistakes

  • Setting the seat too high or low

    The handles then start above or below the intended chest-level path. Adjust the seat before loading the set.

  • Letting the shoulders roll forward

    Stay against the backrest and stop the return where the shoulders remain comfortably supported.

  • Ignoring the start lever

    When the machine provides one, it reduces the awkward reach needed to take or release the handles.

Where it fits in a session

Use it as a main horizontal press or after a free-weight bench press for additional chest work.

Record seat height and handle choice so the start position stays consistent between sessions.

Muscles worked

Front
Front — Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.
Back
Back — Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

Primary

Secondary

Select a muscle name to locate it.

Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

The pectoralis major is the main target; the anterior deltoid and triceps assist the guided press.

Variations

  • Anatomical illustration of a barbell bench press, two frames side by side. A figure with the skin removed to show the muscles lies on a flat bench inside an upright rack, feet flat on the floor, holding a loaded barbell with a grip a little wider than the shoulders. In the left frame the bar is down at the chest with the elbows bent and flared out to about forty-five degrees; in the right frame the arms are pressed to straight above the chest. The pectoralis major is shaded red in both frames, with the shading reaching up over the front of the shoulder in the pressed frame. The triceps on the back of the upper arm is not shaded. The grip width and elbow angle in the drawing are one option among several, not a prescription.
    Barbell bench pressUses a free bar while lying on a bench instead of a guided seated lever.
  • Anatomical illustration of a flat dumbbell bench press in two frames, side by side on white. In the left frame the lifter lies on a flat bench at the bottom of the rep, palms facing forward, elbows out and down so the upper arms sit at about the line of the torso and the dumbbells are level with the chest. In the right frame the same lifter is at lockout, arms straight overhead with the dumbbells close together above the shoulders. Both figures are drawn with the skin removed to show the muscles, and the chest is shaded red in both frames, with the back of the upper arm picked out in the lockout frame. Feet are flat on the floor and the shoulder blades stay on the bench.
    Dumbbell bench pressEach hand balances a dumbbell through an independent path.
  • Single-arm machine chest press — Presses one independent lever at a time when the machine permits it.

Related tools

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the machine chest press work?

It mainly trains the pectoralis major. The anterior deltoids and triceps help press the handles forward.

How high should the seat be on a chest press?

Adjust it until the handles begin around mid-chest height and the elbows sit slightly below shoulder level in a comfortable start.

Is a chest press machine the same as a bench press?

Both are horizontal presses, but the machine supports a seated torso and guides the handles. A bench press uses a free bar that the lifter must balance.

How far back should the handles go?

Return until you feel a comfortable chest stretch while the shoulders, back and hips remain supported. Do not force extra depth by letting the shoulders roll forward.

Sources

  1. Solari F, Burns B. Anatomy, Thorax, Pectoralis Major. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK525991/
  2. Tiwana MS, Sinkler MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Triceps Muscle. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536996/
  3. Elzanie A, Varacallo MA. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Deltoid Muscle. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537056/

Track your progress over time with RepCount

Log every set, see plate loading in context, and track your strength over time. Available on iOS and Android.

Download on the

App Store

Get it on

Google Play