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Chest · Machines · 21 exercises

Chest workouts with machines

A chest workout using machines only — chest press, pec deck and the Smith machine — so you can push every set close to failure without a spotter.

A good chest workout pairs a heavy press for strength with lighter presses and flyes for volume. Flat pressing trains the whole pec; an incline of 15 to 30 degrees shifts more of the work to the upper chest, and flyes load the muscle at a long stretch, which presses can’t.

Machines guide the weight along a fixed path, so you can push close to failure without balancing the load or needing a spotter. That makes them quick to learn, easy to progress, and a good fit for the later exercises in a workout.

Machine chest workout

Free of balance demands, so every set can go close to failure.

  1. Lever Chest Press
    Sets
    4
    Reps
    8–10
    Rest
    2 min
  2. Smith Incline Bench Press
    Sets
    3
    Reps
    8–10
    Rest
    2 min
  3. Lever Incline Chest Press
    Sets
    3
    Reps
    10–12
    Rest
    90 s
  4. Pec Deck
    Sets
    3
    Reps
    12–15
    Rest
    60 s

Can’t do one of these?

Machine taken or training somewhere else? Each of these has substitutes that work the same muscles.

Tips

  • Set your shoulder blades back and down before you unrack, and keep them there. It protects the shoulders and gives the chest a stable base to press from.
  • Lower the weight under control to the bottom of the range. Most chest growth comes from the stretched position, so half reps leave a lot behind.
  • Ten to twenty hard sets a week is the range most lifters grow on. Start near ten and add sets only while you keep recovering.
  • Adjust the seat so the joint you are moving lines up with the machine’s pivot; most machines mark it with a coloured dot.

Run this workout in SPLYT

Every exercise here is in SPLYT’s library. Save the workout as a template, log your sets on iPhone or Apple Watch, and next time your weights are already filled in from what you lifted.

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21 chest exercises with machines

Every one links to step-by-step instructions and a demonstration. Swap any of them into the workouts above.

All chest exercises →

Questions

How many chest exercises can you do with machines?

SPLYT’s exercise library has 21 chest exercises you can do with machines, including Pec Deck, Lever Chest Press and Lever Incline Chest Press. Each one links to step-by-step instructions and a demonstration.

How often should I train chest?

Twice a week suits most people: it lets you split ten to twenty weekly sets across two sessions so each one stays productive. Once a week works too if the session is big enough.

Should I do incline or flat bench first?

Start with whichever press you most want to get stronger at, since the first lift of the day gets your freshest effort. If your upper chest lags, lead with the incline.

Are machines good for building muscle?

Yes. Muscles respond to hard sets, not to whether the weight is free. Machines also make it safe to take sets close to failure.

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