Chest Press

This month we are featuring the chest press on our Cybex Chest Press machine.  Although there are numerous ways of working the chest muscles, utilizing the Cybex machine allows you to work the chest muscles without a spotter. It isolates the pectoralis muscles and this can be beneficial if your supporting muscles are fatigued.
The chest press is a great exercise to strengthen the pectoralis major as well as supporting chest, arm, and shoulder muscles. You may ask yourself, why should you strengthen the chest?  The chest muscles are primarily responsible for flexion of the humerus, adduction of the humerus, and rotation of the humerus medially.  Examples of these motions may include throwing a ball side-arm, lifting a child, flapping the arms or arm wrestling.  The pectoralis major is also responsible for keeping the arm attached to the trunk of the body.


Instructions for the movement:

• Adjust the seat bottom and back so that the handles are at mid chest.  Select the hand position that allows the hands to finish in front of shoulders
• Select the weight by adjusting the weight stack
• Exhale as you push the handles forward until arms are fully straightened
• Inhale as you return to the starting position, being careful to stop just short of the weight stack resting onto the remaining weight.
• For an advanced movement, begin with a slightly wider hand position bringing the handles in slightly, push the handles forward and to the center until arms are fully straightened
• Complete your desired repetitions and sets