Get The Most Out Of Chest Machines | Targeting The Muscle 

Timestamps: 00:40 Seat height 01:37 Range of motion 03:06 Grip width 05:45 Elbow position

I give a lot of credit to this channel for defeating much of the dogmatism towards machines that was more common in gym culture a few years back. 👌

What I love about this channel is that it hasn’t fallen into that RU-vid pitfall of clickbait such as “15 things you’re doing WRONG on the chest press!” Instead Mike and the team show you how to do it right while, and most importantly imo, allowing room for variance depending on everyone’s unique body

Even if you never use a chest machine, this is still good information to learn. If you decide to train/coach a client and they want to use a certain piece of equipment, you can still give them this type of knowledge.

Keep in mind, the Five stars are based on my needs for this item ru-vid.comUgkxUHHotQRjIQnfuxEeVotlkHVYWH0DXZoS When I first bought the bike I was going to return it immediately. After trying it out for several days/weeks I came to realize it is actually perfect for WHY I bought it.This is not a workout, the resistance is, eh, it makes a bit of noise, not loud, and it isn’t very stable even with the mat. The mat certainly keeps the bike from sliding but nothing keeps the mat from sliding (if that makes any sense, lol). Mine is place on my hard wood floor. Maybe it would be better with a rug underneath??I sit for long hours for work and wanted something to keep my legs moving. This bike does exactly that! For the price it is amazing, it is compact, easy to use, light weight, keeps track of time, calories etc (not sure how accurate it is) but good little product. I am happy with it.

I just can't believe how it's possible to have this ''targeting the muscle'' series for free with a ton a excellent informations about training. That's why I bought some shirts of Renaissance Periodization. Since I applied deep stretch, controlled eccentric and some paused reps works in my training, my SBD numbers jumped! Thanks for everything you do in the fitness world Dr. Mike!

One of the aspects of using machines that I really like is the psychological/intensity angle. We’ve all done intense sessions on say a normal bench. Even with a cage or pins in place there’s always that little voice in the back of your head whispering…If I totally fucking stall out and fail, how am I going to keep from fucking killing my self with this weight?…And that voice makes you always hold a little back. Well on these types of equipment that voice disappears and you really can go all in.

thank you d.mike , you are such a blessing to the fitness community, you serve great knowledge along with an extremely good sense of humor, im literally going through a rough time mentally and your videos are truly a relief for me . thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️

This isn't funny anymore doc. You're making it a habit to post a video about an exercise exactly after I finished my 4 sets of it. My loss of gains is immeasurable and my session is ruined.

For machines that don’t have the “full stretch mode on” you can hack the system by adding folded yoga mats behind you and basically increase the ROM.

What I like about these videos is that it's always about what's best for you. None of this "never do this" crap. It's just simple information.

RP is the best channel in ALL of RU-vid. Thank you to the entire RP team, especially Dr. Mike and Jared.

"Experiment, and then use whatever whacked your target muscle/s hardest." Best possible advice!

I switched from bench press to DB press to a converging handle machine press and I love it. I get all the tricep gains plus WAY more chest stretch and chest contraction. It’s like a press and fly in one.

Thanks so much Dr. Mike! As someone with shoulder instability due to an old injury, this machine is my bang-for-buck best option for hitting my chest. I really appreciate the breakdown and will be making some adjustments, especially to the cadence and depth!

Love the series. Great content. Thanks, all the best to you

These are a great series of videos. Please keep them coming. A video on lat prayers would be very useful.

Great info as always! Thank you!

I just did chest. You are absolutely right the stretch makes all the difference. It’s great. Chest shaking as I write this.

You're such a good teacher. Could you please do one on hip lift (hip thrust) I just can't get the hinge movement down.

Thank you for all the information.

Fun fact, you can apply these concepts to all the machines in your gym regardless of the muscle :-) Just remember, tension and stretch good, pain bad.

Whenever I train the Chestpress at our commercial gym, I select a narrow grip and while controlling the eccentric, when I hit the bottom part of the movement, my elbows which are usually rather tucked in, flare out and up. This way my chest just screams growth at me. So you could even switch elbow position intra-rep if your joints allow you to do so.

Oath, please more machine technique queue videos! Maturing in the gym is realising that machines are just as helpful as compounds. Only having to move a seat height and plug in a pin is quite convenient.

I have never felt my chest so well until this video. Thank you. Always had right shoulder discomfort until now.

Great tips as always! My gym’s hammer strength press machines don’t have a way to adjust the ROM or back pad position, so I will go get the little step (≈4inches tall) from the aerobics class and put it on the back pad. This lets me get unreal stretch and has changed those machines from trash to treasure for me.

RP DrI seems really TOP shelf. Switched from flat bench (shoulder pain) to dumbbells and machine press. Extremely ENCOURAGING to know less can be much much more (eg, 50# dumbbell incline crushes 475# bench).

Keep ‘‘em coming, your videos are too notch

Thank you for the info, ALWAYS! Big lit.

Only recently discovered dr Mike. Glad I did!

If the machine isn't adaptable I simply add another back seat dense foam pad, usually it is enough to get another 1-2 inch of motion and a good stretch. In some gyms you will find these extra pads around seated machines. Only once I have found a gym with a chest press machine where the handles also moved to horizontal adduction for a real full range of motion, unfortunately this gym went bust and closed after a while.

Great video. I wouldn't mind seeing you do a correct Smith machine row!

This is great Mike. Unfortunately, I have to lift at a fitness center (eg-not a gym and with no good bench) and without a training partner-ie, where I have to use a chest press machine. So this is very helpful. Thanks.

Been having issues with a shoulder strain and pecs suffered. Then jumped on a Smith press for some insane reason and boom, problem went away. Straight over to a press machine for the last month now ready for dumbbells again... Machines have a use for sure.

I came here to check out how I could apply the tips to the machine I use regularly and he was actually using it! Now I don't have to think as much :)

There’s a flat machine bench press (still have to load plates) at the that I’ve been using for the last couple mesos (it’s a great machine). Just never fails that any time it’s chest day and go over there I have to take plates from underneath the part that touches the floor at the bottom of the rep because everyone that goes on that machine is so use to those limited ROM machines that they think it’s how it’s suppose to be. The day I see someone doing that machine full ROM I will go up to them and shake their hand.

I love this series

There's an older machine at my gym that allows for the back to be adjusted to increase ROM and has different hand placements. I like to throw in a set or two after my standard bench. Crazy pump and mind muscle connection.

Nice, just used this same exact machine at my gym today after bench press. Was wondering what I could to to maximize it as I wasn't sure of the seat height, ROM etc etc.

@Dr. Mike 📨 I’d love to see a video on Jefferson Squat - Kai Greene Style 👊🏾 Thxs !

Hi Dr.Mike nice video.Can you please do one about calves training? Thank you

Thank you for another great video! Always address elbow positioning please. I worry about that often. The greatest ice cream flavor ever is Ben&Jerry Chunky Monkey: Banana! Ice cream with fudge chunks and walnuts. By the way, “Fudge Chunks and Walnuts” is a great name for Dr Mike and Jared’s breakdance duo for the RP Father/Son picnic.

Could you record a quick video on how/whether we can count non-animal proteins for bodybuilding purposes? Can we take the grams at face value or must we combine them strategically to achieve complete protein profiles?

What are your thoughts on converging machines vs straight press machines? I prefer converging ones because you can really squeeze at the top and stretch at the bottom of the movement.

Tldr: go deep, feel the spreading, do what feels best

"Omg pecs morse code" 😂🤣 8:27

Who makes the transition overlays between sections of your explanation here? Good job. What software was used?

Thanks!

Dr. Mike is the GOAT

My gym has the exact same chest press machine. I'll try using a thumbless grip like how Dr. Mike did here; a regular grip feels hard on the wrists for me. Neutral grip feels fine on the wrists, but I don't know if it's better or worse for pec activation.

Funny, my gym has the lifetime fitness chest press machine and when I first started watching RP and team full rom content, I made sure to put the handles to setting “E” which is all the way back so I’d get the extended range of motion. I have to admit after 4 mesocycles, I still feel a great disruption with it and haven’t swapped it out yet. Barbell bench press got stale quicker than machine chest press for me.

I got you I got you, hamstring curl machine, seated vs lying down, what do they hit and how to optimize

Mike is just the best

Great video.

I will look into implementing a wide grip on a Nautilus chest press machine.

Great tips as always this form immediately lit up my pecs better, more out of less weight is always good

Machine Flys have always been kinda hard for me to feel. You should make a machine fly or dumbbell fly video

Welcome back to the It Depends series!

Dr. Mike!!! LETS GOOO!!!

I just want to thank you for helping me fix my shitty ass form on every single exercise I've ever performed in my ignorant ass life. I'm 31 years old and it's only thanks to you I've realized I had never done exercise properly.

Can you do a video on the peck deck AND reverse peck deck. There is alot of adjustments that can be done there going from one of those exercises to another on top of all the different grip locations! That you for the content ! Best on RU-vid

I don't have a problem targeting my pecs, but I just watch everything you release.

Hey Dr.Mike , what are your thoughts on static stretching after workout??

Watching this video alone helps me feel my chest real hard lol thank you sir

Another great video by dr mike. Pls do lat pulldows next pls pls pls

Man I wish I could go full ROM and get that pec stretch at the bottom of chest exercises. But I've found that if I don't do that and limit my ROM, unfortunately, my shoulders (particularly right) don't hurt afterwards. I have no idea what's wrong but both shoulders, mainly my right, kind of "pop" when I do movements like a lateral raise. It's painless and I've had it for many years but it was only when I started lifting 3 years ago it became a problem, seems to be an issue when weight is applied to the movement. I found I can actually do lateral raises if I don't come all the way back to my sides and stay out at a 30 degree angle about. And I found that pressing no longer hurts it if I limit my ROM. Sucks though. I have a feeling it's due to three decades of slouching and my shoulder isn't centered in socket, plus muscle imbalances, but that's just a guess. It hasn't gotten better since I started lifting and my posture is much improved and I now actually have some (small) back muscles. fml

I would love to see a video like this for incline chest

Thank you, Papa.

I was literally about to leave for the gym to do machine chest press. Did Trevor send you my program? 😂❤

Hi Dr. Mike, I've trouble in maintaining hip hinging position due lower back disc bulge (L4-L5). Are the chest assisted rows as beneficial as barbell rows for spinae erectors?

you are a legend

God I love his shiny head. Thank you for the education giant gym genius guy

could you guys cover neck training?

This dude is awesome

Bro Mike. Please do a tutorial on a standing cable sternal press around.

We've got a series of adjustable machines where you use plates and each side is independent of the other. For guys like me who are new AND over the hill AND prone to shoulder inflammation, they're frigging great! Just started using them. I love them so far. Looking forward to where I can get with them. Maybe 3rd base?

We love doctor Mike

What about the neutral grip?

I love you haha fantastic video

I can’t believe this information is free. I just found him tonight and I’m jacked.

Please please do a video about training with and around tennis or golfers elbow please.

I’ve noticed there are many people that are triceps dominant..with all pressing movements. I’m actually pec dominant. It could be because I have wider clavicles and a bigger humerus to forearm ratio. So I don’t get much elbow flexion when I bench press. When I try to go narrow it doesn’t feel right on my joints.

How would you make the most out of suboptimal machines? None of the gyms within an hour drive of me have anything except Hammer Strength machines, which for the most part leave a lot to be desired. Every time I use the chest press I wonder why the handles are fixed and depth is limited, it's such an easy fix.

Thx

Great video. Quick question though. If my gym doesn't have an incline press machine, can I target the upper chest by lowering the seat in one of this? Hope someone sees this!

nah I absolutely lost it at the " pec morse code " part

Hey dr mike, can u explain why lower amplitude movements should be done higher rep and vice versa in order to increase time generating tension. Cuz shouldn’t the time not matter as long as u r approaching failure?

I’ve been trying using a foot assist bar at a higher weight than i can do a full set with and then dropping the feet and focusing on a slow and controlled negative and the stretch opening up my chest at the end. Is this advised?

Amazing

Can you do a video on how to program loaded carries?

1 tip I'd give anyone that struggles feeling their chest is at the end of the movement, imagine squeezing your elbows together (even though they can't because you're holding a handle). Just imagine flexing your pecs with that additional weight from the machine. As long as you don't go too heavy, it's a really safe way to begin finding that mind to muscle connection in your chest because machines are generally safer with the assisted movement path.

I have a lot of trouble really feeling lat pull-downs in my actual lats, hope there's a video on the way about that

Movie Night from a local ice cream shop. Popcorn ice cream, chocolate Krispy chunks, and a caramel swirl. Fantastic.

If your answer is mint fing chocolate chip i despise you. Fantastic content Dr. Mike! Would love to see you break down all the different angles for chest flyes and the ones you consider most optimal. Also, would love your expert opinion on the myriad of squat machines and leg press machines and their respective effectiveness at targeting quads while limiting systemic stress.

Hey Doc, what do you consider the best engaging exercise for side pec? I’ve heard that wide grip bench works, but I feel like I’m just exhausting my chest.

Was gonna do legs today but this is a sign I gotta do chest again

I dislocated my shoukder and broke my arm 2 years ago. Since recovery it always feels like I can't isolate my shoulder and lower chest properly and my lat always wants to be activated and help instead. Any ideas to get my body mechanics working properly again?

I have a hard time feeling my upper chest in general. also I would be curious what the difference between palms down like mike is doing vs palms facing the body.

Long-torsoed brothers unite!

sumo deadlifts and glute ham raises next!