Standing Machine Chest Press

How to do the Standing Machine Chest Press

1. 1Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your feet flat on the ground.
2. 2Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and position your hands at chest level.
3. 3Push the handles forward until your arms are fully extended, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
4. 4Pause for a moment, then slowly bring the handles back towards your chest, maintaining control throughout the movement.
5. 5Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tip: Squeeze the bar hard and bend it toward your feet to keep the elbows in and the lats tight.

Muscles worked

Common mistakes

• Elbows flared to 90 degrees — this puts the shoulder in a poor position at the bottom; tuck the elbows to about 45 to 60 degrees and touch the bar on the lower chest.
• Losing shoulder blade position — the shoulder blades should be pulled back and down before the unrack and stay there; if they roll forward, the chest loses leverage.
• Bouncing off the chest — control the bar to a light touch and pause for a beat before pressing; a bounce hides how much you can actually press.
• Feet dancing around — plant the feet flat and drive them into the floor for the whole set to keep the body tight.

Where it fits in a workout

Bench press goes first in a chest or push session when you are strongest. Superset it with a row for a push and pull pair, or follow it with flies for volume.

How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.

Variations and alternatives

When to talk to someone

• Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
• Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
• Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.

More exercises

• All chest exercises
• All machine exercises
• Machine chest exercises
• Barbell Bench Press
• Close Grip Barbell Bench Press
• Decline Barbell Bench Press
• Decline Reverse Grip Barbell Bench Press
• Incline Barbell Bench Press
• Incline Close Grip Barbell Bench Press

Sources

1. ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
2. ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
3. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
4. CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)

Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.