Gym Machine Chest Workout: 8 Best Exercises & Training Plan

In this article, I’m going to show you the following best gym machine chest exercises for building strength and muscle mass:

1. Smith Machine Bench Press
2. Pec Deck Machine Fly (Butterfly)
3. Seated Machine Chest Press
4. Cable Chest Fly
5. Hammer Strength Chest Press
6. Machine Low Chest Press
7. Seated Cable Chest Press
8. Flat Machine Chest Press

These exercises target pectoral muscles from multiple angles and help you build a muscular chest.

I’ll also show you how to use these exercises to create an effective machine chest workout routine so that you can your chest strategically.

Whether you want to build muscle or lose fat, whether you’re a beginner or working out for a while, whether you’re male or female, these machine chest exercises can easily fit into your training plan.

8 Best Chest Exercises Using Gym Machines for Building Muscle

Gym machines are easy to use, safer than free weights, and effective for building strength and muscle mass.

They offer adjustable inclines, declines, and cable systems, providing a range of exercises to target different areas of the chest muscles.

They help focus on building strength and technique without the added challenge of stabilizing free weights.

Here are the eight best exercises I’ve picked up that anyone who wants to build muscle land strength safely can add to their routine.

1. Smith Machine Bench Press

The Smith machine is a multi-functional exercise equipment that allows you to train various muscle groups, including the chest.

With the Smith machine, you can do bench presses to train and grow your pectoral muscles.

This machine allows you to adjust the angle so you can train the upper, lower, and middle chest effectively.

It is suitable for pressing heavier weights with better control and that too without a spotter.

Steps to do it:

1. Bench Placement: Place a bench under the bar in the middle of the two ends. The bar should be lined up approximately midway between your collarbone and your belly button when you lie down.
2. Bar Adjustment: Put the desired weight into the bar and set it at an appropriate height. Flat for targeting middle pecs, 30-degree incline for upper chest, and 15-30 degree decline for hitting the lower chest.¹ Rodríguez-Ridao D, Antequera-Vique JA, Martín-Fuentes I, Muyor JM. Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 8;17(19):7339. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197339. PMID: 33049982; PMCID: PMC7579505.
3. Position Your Body: Lie on the bench with your face up. Tuck your shoulder blades back and down, engaging your lats with your arms fully extended in front of your body. Grip the bar evenly between each hand, taking care to stay dead center on the bench and the machine. Maintain this grip width with your shoulders back and down for the duration of the set.
4. Perform the First Rep: Slowly lower the bar close to your chest, then press with your full strength until your arms are almost straight.

Recommend sets and reps: Perform 3-5 sets. Keep the reps range under 8 for building strength and between 8-15 for muscle definition.

2. Pec Deck Machine Fly (Butterfly)

The pec deck is the best and safest exercise for engaging pectoral muscles. It provides the deepest stimulation in all three pectoral heads and builds a strong and symmetrical chest.² What are the Top 3 Most Effective Chest Exercises? – American Council on Exercise (ACE)

This machine also allows you to use one arm at a time so you can train your chest unilaterally.

Unilateral exercises help correct the imbalance between your strength and improve muscular symmetry.

Steps to do it:

1. Machine Setting: Sit on the machine with your back firmly against the backrest and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Get into the Starting Point: Hold one handle with each hand, with your palms facing each other and your elbows at chest level.
3. Perform the First Rep: Slowly pull the handles toward your body, contracting your pectoral muscles. Focus on squeezing your chest muscles as you bring the handles toward your chest. Hold the handles in front of your chest for about 1-2 seconds. Then, return the handles to the starting position, keeping control throughout the entire range of motion.

Recommend sets and reps: Since the pec deck fly is an isolation exercise, I suggest performing 4 sets of 12-16 reps with good form. You can also try Drop sets or pyramid sets to train your muscles from a different technique.

3. Seated Machine Chest Press

The seated machine press is an easy and effective exercise that helps build an aesthetic chest and increase pushing strength and works as a great alternative to bench press for those with mobility or injury concerns.³ Muyor JM, Rodríguez-Ridao D, Oliva-Lozano JM. Comparison of Muscle Activity between the Horizontal Bench Press and the Seated Chest Press Exercises Using Several Grips. J Hum Kinet. 2023 Apr 20;87:23-34. doi: 10.5114/jhk/161468. PMID: 37229415; PMCID: PMC10203828

Steps to do it:

1. Adjust the machine: Sit with your back firmly supported against the backrest. Adjust the seat height so that the handles are level with your mid-chest and positioned no deeper than chest level (level with the front of your chest).
2. Position your body: Keep your feet firmly planted on the floor, about shoulder-width apart. If the seat is adjustable, ensure it allows your arms to be horizontal when fully extended.
3. Grasp the handles: Hold the handles tightly with your palms facing forward.
4. Perform the First Rep: Begin with a weight that allows you to maintain proper form throughout the entire range of motion. Exhale as you press the handles away from your chest. Allow the handles to slowly come in until they are in line with your chest, no farther. Inhale as you allow the handles to come back in towards your chest.

Recommend sets and reps: Perform four sets of 8-15 reps. You can use heavy weight during this exercise.

4. Cable Chest Fly

The cable chest fly provides a good stretch and stimulation to the chest muscles and helps develop a stronger and bigger chest.

It also makes your chest muscles flexible and your upper body functional.

With a cable machine, you can do high-to-low, upward, and parallel cable flies to hit your upper, middle, and lower chest effectively.

Steps to do it:

1. Setup: Set the cables to the middle at chest height for Parallel Cable Fly, at the highest point for Decline Cable Fly, and the lowest point for Upward Cable Fly.
2. Stance: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. For a more challenging variant, you can use a staggered stance with one foot forward (e.g., right foot forward for a right-handed person).
3. Grab the Cable and Prepare for the Execution: Hold the cable handles with a firm grip, maintaining a soft bend in your elbows.
4. Perform the First Rep: Keeping your elbows slightly bent, pull the handles forward and together, meeting in the center of your chest. Focus on squeezing your chest muscles as you pull the cables together.

Recommend sets and reps: Aim for four sets of 10-15 reps with good form and moderate weight.

5. Hammer Strength Chest Press

The hammer strength machine allows you to push heavier weights and helps you primarily isolate chest muscles.⁴ Lyons TS, McLester JR, Arnett SW, Thoma MJ. Specificity of training modalities on upper-body one repetition maximum performance: free weights vs. hammer strength equipment. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(11):2984-2988. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e726c6 It is suitable for people who find bench pressing difficult.

Steps to do it:

1. Make Yourself Comfortable on the Machine: Sit down on the Hammer Strength Chest Press machine and adjust the seat and backrest to make yourself comfortable.
2. Grip the Handles: Grasp the handles with your hands, palms facing forward. The handles should be at a slight angle, with your wrists in a neutral position.
3. Get Ready for the Press: Slowly lower the weight to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body. Focus on squeezing your chest muscles as you descend.
4. Perform the First Rep: Press the weight back up to the starting position, extending your arms fully. Avoid arching your back or using momentum to lift the weight.

Recommend sets and reps: Perform four sets of 8-15 reps. You can use heavy weight during this exercise.

6. Machine Low Chest Press

This machine provides stability and support and helps target the lower portion of the pectoralis major.

Training lower pecs is equally important for developing a proportional chest and with this machine, anyone can do that.

Steps to do it:

1. Sit Down: Sit down on the machine with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest, if available.
2. Grip the Handles: Hold the handles with your palms facing down and your thumbs wrapped around the handle. Your grip should be comfortable and allow for a full range of motion.
3. Get Ready for the Press: Slowly lower the handles to a position just above your mid-chest, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your body.
4. Perform the First Rep: Press the handles upwards, extending your arms and squeezing your chest muscles. Focus on using your lower chest muscles to lift the weight, rather than relying on your shoulders or triceps. Pause for a brief moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the handles back to the initial position.

Recommend sets and reps: Aim for four sets of 10-15 reps with good form and moderate weight.

7. Seated Cable Chest Press

The seated cable press provides constant tension around your chest throughout the movement, including the top fully contracted position, making it an effective exercise for building strength.

It also allows you to control the range of motion, reducing the strain on your shoulder joints.

Steps to do it:

1. Position the Bench and Pulley: Place a bench in the middle of the cable pulley station, adjust it to a 90-degree angle, and set the cable to your chest height. Anchor D-handles in the carabiner.
2. Get on the Bench: Sit with your back firmly supported against the bench and keep your feet firmly planted on the floor.
3. Grip the Handles: Grasp the handles with an overhand grip with your palms facing down. Bend your elbows and hold the handles at the level of your mid-chest
4. Perform the First Rep: Press the weight forward until your elbows are fully extended, but not locked. Pause momentarily, then slowly return to your starting position, allowing your elbows to flex (bend) in a slow, controlled manner.

Recommend sets and reps: Start with 3-4 sets and adjust based on your fitness level and goals. Aim for 10-12 reps to focus on building strength and muscle. If you’re looking to increase intensity, you can reduce the reps to 6-8 and increase the weight.

8. Flat Machine Chest Press

It helps build foundational pushing strength and prepares for free-weight bench presses. It is easy to learn and can fit into anyone’s training plan, from teenagers to old people.

Steps to do it:

1. Put the Weight: Set the machine to a flat position and put the desired weight into it.
2. Lie Down: Lie flat on the machine’s bench and keep your feet flat on the ground.
3. Grip and Arm Position: Grasp the handles with your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing upward.
4. Prepare for the Lift: Extend your arms and keep them in line with your shoulders, with a slight bend in your elbows. That’s the start.
5. Perform the First Rep: Slowly press the handles away from your body until your arms are extended, then slowly return to the starting position. Focus on squeezing your chest muscles as you extend your arms.

Recommend sets and reps: Perform four sets. Start with lightweight, then gradually add small increments after each set and perform till failures.

How to Program Gym Machine Chest Workout?

You’ve seen various machine chest exercises but you also need a well-structured routine that can yield the best results.

I’ve designed two samples, one that can fit all and the other primarily for advanced lifters who want a high-volume workout.

30-Minute Gym Machine Workout for Chest:

• Pec Deck Machine Fly: 4 sets of 15 reps
• Seated Machine Chest Press: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Hammer Strength Incline Chest Press: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Rest for 1-2 minutes between sets.

1-Hour Advanced Machine Chest Workout:

• Smith Machine Incline Bench Press: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Hammer Strength Incline Chest Press: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Flat Machine Chest Press: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Pec Deck Machine Fly: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• High to Low Cable Chest Fly: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Machine Low Chest Press: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Rest for 1-2 minutes between sets.

References

• 1
  Rodríguez-Ridao D, Antequera-Vique JA, Martín-Fuentes I, Muyor JM. Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 8;17(19):7339. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197339. PMID: 33049982; PMCID: PMC7579505.
• 2
  What are the Top 3 Most Effective Chest Exercises? – American Council on Exercise (ACE)
• 3
  Muyor JM, Rodríguez-Ridao D, Oliva-Lozano JM. Comparison of Muscle Activity between the Horizontal Bench Press and the Seated Chest Press Exercises Using Several Grips. J Hum Kinet. 2023 Apr 20;87:23-34. doi: 10.5114/jhk/161468. PMID: 37229415; PMCID: PMC10203828
• 4
  Lyons TS, McLester JR, Arnett SW, Thoma MJ. Specificity of training modalities on upper-body one repetition maximum performance: free weights vs. hammer strength equipment. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(11):2984-2988. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e726c6