Machine Bench Press

How to perform

1. 01Sit down on the Chest Press Machine and select the weight.
2. 02Step on the lever provided by the machine since it will help you to bring the handles forward so that you can grab the handles and fully extend the arms.
3. 03Grab the handles with a palms-down grip and lift your elbows so that your upper arms are parallel to the floor to the sides of your torso. Tip: Your forearms will be pointing forward since you are grabbing the handles. Once you bring the handles forward and extend the arms you will be at the starting position.
4. 04Now bring the handles back towards you as you breathe in.
5. 05Push the handles away from you as you flex your pecs and you breathe out. Hold the contraction for a second before going back to the starting position.
6. 06Repeat for the recommended amount of reps.
7. 07When finished step on the lever again and slowly get the handles back to their original place.

Form cues

• —Brace your core before the first rep and keep it braced.
• —Drive through the full range — do not cut the lockout short.
• —Control the lowering phase — that is where most of the growth stimulus lives.

Common mistakes

• —Using momentum instead of the target muscle.
• —Cutting the range of motion short to add load.
• —Adding weight before the movement pattern is clean.