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Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the
chest muscles (pectoralis major). It also involves
the front shoulder muscles (anterior deltoid, a
portion of the middle deltoid) and the triceps,
which are located on the back of the upper arm.
Pulley position: Low pulleys only.
Starting Position:
• Begin by adjusting the bar harness so that you
are under tension when you initiate the pressing
motion. NOTE: Not everyone is built to perform
the bench press with the bar touching the chest!
The harness adjustment should limit the range
of motion so that your elbows travel only slightly
behind your shoulders if at all.
• Lie flat on the bench with your legs toward the
Power Rod
®
. Slide your head and shoulders up
under the bar to get into position. The cable/bar
harness should lie against the underside of your
arms.
• Warning: Never adjust the bar so tightly that you
have to "squeeze under it" to get into position.
Always adjust the bar with the harness so you
can move freely into and out of the position.
• Place your feet either on the floor or up on the
frame of the machine.
• Position your upper arms away from your torso
so that your elbows are pointing out at each
side.
• Raise your chest and slightly "pinch" your
shoulder blades together. Maintain a very slight,
comfortable arch in your lower back.
Motion:
• Slowly press the bar upward until your upper
arms are straight, but do not lock the elbows.
• Slowly lower the bar, returning to the starting
position.
• Keep your chest muscles tightened during the
entire motion.
Key points:
• Do not lift your hips off the bench.
• Keep your hands over your shoulders at all times.
• For normal pressing/pushing patterns of
movement you may choose to allow the shoulder
blades to "float" forward and backward naturally
with the arm movement, or for increased pec
involvement you may keep the shoulder blades
"pinched" together throughout both the upward
and downward movements.
Chest Exercises
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the
chest (the pectoralis major muscles). The triceps
muscles, located on the back of the upper arms,
are also involved in maintaining the elbow position
and also help with shoulder motion.
Pulley position: Wide only.
Starting position:
• With the bench flat, lie on your back with your
head toward the Power Rods
®
. Position yourself
far enough down the bench to allow the arms
to extend overhead without hitting the Power
Rods
®
. Keep the knees bent and feet flat on the
floor.
• Extend the arms overhead and grasp the handles
with your palms facing the ceiling.
• Tighten your abdominals to stabilize your spine
while maintaining a very slight arch in the lower
back.
Motion:
• Move your hands in an arc upward angling
toward midline and then downward toward the
opposite leg.
• Control the return to the starting position by
slowly moving the arms back up, uncrossing, and
moving overhead.
Key points:
• Keep your chest lifted, even as your arms near
your legs.
Lying Cable Crossover Shoulder extension/adduction (elbow stabilized
near extension)
FINISH
START
Flat Barbell Bench Press
FINISH
START