Incline Chest Press Machine

beginner · push_horizontal

Setup

Set the seat height so the handles align with your upper chest. If the machine has an angle pin, set the backrest to about a 30-35 degree incline. Sit in with your shoulder blades pinned to the backrest, load plates onto both pressing arms and lock them with collars before you start.

Execution

Keep your shoulder blades pinned to the backrest, with your feet planted on the floor or foot bar.
Exhale and press the handles up and forward along the seat's incline angle, until your arms are nearly straight.
Don't lock the elbows out hard at the top; hold for a beat before lowering.
Inhale and lower the handles back to the start under control until you feel a slight stretch in the upper chest.
If you run out of strength mid-set, stop with your arms nearly straight, ease the handles back slowly and come out of the machine instead of forcing the last rep.

Breathing

Exhale as you press up, inhale as you lower. Do not hold your breath to move a heavier weight; if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, a hernia or you are pregnant, never hold it at all, lighten the load and exhale on the press.

Quick cues

Shoulder blades glued to the backrest.
Press up on a slant toward the ceiling.
Lower over three counts.
Stop just short of lockout.

Common faults

Fault: The shoulder blades lifting off the backrest on a heavy press
Fix: Drop one plate increment and actively pin the shoulders to the pad before each press.
Fault: Choosing too steep an incline angle so the shoulders take over the press
Fix: Lower the incline to about 30-35 degrees if the machine allows it, keeping the load on the upper chest.
Fault: Locking the elbows out hard and loading the joint at the top
Fix: Stop just short of a hard lockout, then start lowering.
Fault: Letting the stack or plates drop hard at the bottom of the lowering phase
Fix: Lower over 2-3 seconds and ease into the bottom instead of letting go.

Equipment

machine

Muscle groups

chest, shoulders, arms