Are you having trouble building your chest muscles? Are traditional bench press exercises not giving you the desired results? If so, you’re not alone. Many fitness enthusiasts struggle with achieving optimal chest gains. A common cause is inadequate isolation of the chest muscles during workouts. The solution to this problem lies in the lever chest press exercise. In this blog post, we’ll take you through the technique of performing this exercise and explain the benefits of it. So, if you’re looking to achieve impressive chest gains, keep reading!
Lever Chest Press (Machine) Summary
- Primary Muscles: Pectoralis Major – Sternal
- Secondary Muscles: Deltoid – Anterior, Pectoralis Major – Clavicular, Triceps Brachii
- Equipment: Chest Press Machine
- Mechanics Type: Compound
- Force: Push
- Utility: Basic
Lever Chest Press (Machine) Instructions
- Lie flat on a bench with feet flat on the ground and knees bent.
- Grasp a pair of dumbbells with palms facing away from you.
- Lift the dumbbells off the ground and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
- Keep your elbows close to your body and bent slightly.
- Push the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended.
- Lower the dumbbells back to chest level and repeat.
Video Tutorial
Lever Chest Press (Machine) Muscles
Target (Agonist)
- Pectoralis Major – Sternal
Synergists
- Deltoid – Anterior
- Pectoralis Major – Clavicular
- Triceps Brach
Dynamic Stabilizers
- Biceps Brachii – Short Head
Stabilizers
- None
Antagonist Stabilizers
- None
Benefits of Lever Chest Press (Machine)
The Lever Chest Press Machine is an excellent exercise for strengthening the Pectoralis Major-Sternal muscle. It allows for a full range of motion, allowing the user to target the muscle group more effectively. The leverage provided by the machine helps to reduce stress on the joints, while allowing for greater control over the weight and resistance. Additionally, this exercise helps to build strength in the chest and arms, while improving posture and overall stability. By performing this exercise regularly, users can experience improved strength and definition in their chest and arms.
Tips for Performing Lever Chest Press (Machine)
This exercise can be extremely beneficial for individuals wanting to get fit and build muscle. In order to maximize the benefits of the Lever Chest Press, it is important to keep in mind a few key tips. Below are some tips to help you get the most out of this exercise and maximize your fitness goals.
- Make sure to keep your elbows in close to your body and facing outward as you press the weight up. This will help to ensure that your chest muscles are doing the majority of the work and that the movement is properly targeting them.
- Exhale as you push the weight up, while maintaining a steady and controlled motion throughout the entire range of motion. This will help to keep your form correct and ensure that your muscles are engaged throughout the exercise.
- Engage your core muscles throughout the movement to help stabilize your body. This will help to prevent any unnecessary strain on your lower back and also help to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise.
Benefits and Tips Video
Frequent Mistakes To Avoid
It is important to be mindful of the mistakes that can be made while performing the Lever Chest Press. If these mistakes are not avoided, you will not be able to maximize the benefit of this exercise and you may even risk injury. Therefore, it is important to review the following list of common mistakes to ensure that you are performing the Lever Chest Press correctly.
- Not using the correct form: It is important to maintain proper form when performing the Lever Chest Press. This includes keeping the back flat, chest up, and legs bent with feet on the floor for stability.
- Using too much weight: Beginners should focus on getting comfortable with the movement before adding additional weight. Adding too much weight can cause strain on the back and shoulders and can lead to injury.
- Not engaging the core: The Lever Chest Press requires the core muscles to be engaged throughout the movement to keep the body stabilized. Not engaging these muscles can cause an imbalance and instability that can lead to injury.
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Variations and Complementary Exercises
The Lever Chest Press (Machine) is a great exercise for developing chest muscles, but if you’re looking for more variations, complementary, or alternative exercises to add to your routine, look no further! Below are some exercises that work similar muscles as the Lever Chest Press (Machine).
Assisted Wide Grip Chest Dip
Assisted Wide Grip Chest Dip is an excellent complementary or alternative exercise for the Lever Chest Press (Machine). This exercise works the chest, triceps, and shoulders in a slightly different way than the Lever Chest Press. It is a bodyweight exercise where you lower your body down to a dip bar, using your hands to support your bodyweight. This exercise focuses on building strength and stability in the chest, triceps, and shoulders, while also increasing range of motion in the joint. This exercise also helps to build stability in the core and upper back muscles, which can help to improve posture and prevent injuries.
Smith Machine Reverse Grip Press
The Smith Machine Reverse Grip Press is an ideal alternative or complementary exercise to the Lever Chest Press (Machine). It targets the same muscle group as the Lever Chest Press but with a different angle of resistance. This exercise helps to build strength and stability in the chest, shoulders, and triceps muscles. The reverse grip used in this exercise also helps to improve shoulder stability and helps to prevent injury. Additionally, this exercise can be performed with heavy weights and low reps for strength building, or light weights and high reps for muscular endurance.
Smith Machine Decline Reverse Grip Press
The Smith Machine Decline Reverse Grip Press is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Lever Chest Press (Machine). It provides the same benefits as the Lever Chest Press, but the angle of the Smith Machine allows for a greater range of motion. Additionally, the reverse grip puts more emphasis on the upper chest muscles and gives the user greater stability during the movement. The Decline Reverse Grip Press also helps to recruit more stabilizing muscles that are not targeted with the Lever Chest Press, resulting in a more well-rounded chest workout.
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Chest Dip
Chest dips are a great complementary exercise to the Lever Chest Press (Machine). They are an alternative exercise that can be done using bodyweight and leverage on either a dip bar or a Smith machine. Chest dips work the same muscles as the Lever Chest Press, but they also work the triceps, which is an important muscle group in chest exercises. They can also help with overall balance and stability in the chest and shoulders. Chest dips are great for building strength, stability, and even size in the chest muscles.
Lever Seated Fly (Machine)
The Lever Seated Fly is a great machine-based alternative or complementary exercise to the Lever Chest Press. This exercise works the same muscles as the chest press, but from a different angle and in a different plane of motion. The Lever Seated Fly requires you to sit with your back against a padded seat and press two handles together in front of you. This exercise works your pectorals, deltoids, and triceps muscles and is an excellent addition to any chest workout.
Smith Machine Bench Press
The Smith Machine Bench Press is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Lever Chest Press (Machine). It offers the same chest pressing motion as the Lever Chest Press, but with added safety and control as the barbell is securely mounted on a Smith Machine. It also allows for more range of motion compared to the Lever Chest Press, and allows for greater stabilization of the barbell during the exercise. With the added stability and control of the Smith Machine, it’s a great choice for those looking to increase their chest strength and muscle mass.
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Opposing Complementary Exercises
To maximize the results of your Lever Chest Press (Machine) exercise, it is important to also incorporate exercises that focus on the opposing muscle groups. This will help to improve muscle balance and provide a more comprehensive workout. Below is a list of suggested exercises to complement the Lever Chest Press (Machine) and work the opposite muscles.
Barbell Rear Delt Raise
The Barbell Rear Delt Raise is a great complement to the Lever Chest Press (Machine) exercise. By targeting the rear delts, this exercise helps to counterbalance the chest press and works the opposing muscle group. This allows for a more balanced workout that targets both the anterior and posterior parts of the shoulder. The Barbell Rear Delt Raise can be performed with either light or heavy weights, and can be done either seated or standing. This exercise helps to build strength in the rear delts while improving posture and stability.
Cable Crossover Reverse Flys
Cable Crossover Reverse Flys are a great way to supplement Lever Chest Press (Machine) exercises. This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles of the back and shoulders, which are used to oppose the chest muscles that are utilized during the Lever Chest Press (Machine). Cable Crossover Reverse Flys also help to improve posture and balance, as well as develop greater stability in the upper body. This exercise helps to increase overall muscle strength and definition, which complements the Lever Chest Press (Machine) perfectly.
Dumbbell Bent Over Row
The Dumbbell Bent Over Row is an excellent exercise to complement the Lever Chest Press (Machine). This exercise works the opposing muscle group, strengthening the back and increasing overall muscular balance. By performing the Dumbbell Bent Over Row, the muscles in the back are engaged, helping to create a stronger back to support the chest muscles used in the Lever Chest Press. Additionally, the Dumbbell Bent Over Row helps to strengthen the core and improve posture. This makes it a great exercise to do before or after a Lever Chest Press to ensure that both muscle groups are properly worked.
Level Up Your Chest Workouts With The Lever Chest Press
If you’re looking for a way to take your chest workouts to the next level, the lever chest press is definitely worth a try. This exercise allows you to target your chest muscles more effectively than traditional bench presses. By using a lever to push your weight instead of a barbell or dumbbells, you can focus on isolated movements that engage your chest muscles to the fullest extent. Just like with all exercises, proper form is crucial to avoid injury and get the most benefit from the move. So don’t hesitate to ask a trainer or someone knowledgeable to give you tips on your form before giving the lever chest press a shot.
References: Wikipedia | ExRx.net | PubMed.gov | Comprehensive List of Chest Machine Exercises