Smith Machine Decline Press

What it is

This is a compound press movement performed on a Smith machine with a decline bench. It primarily targets your lower chest muscles to build strength and definition. You will also engage your shoulders and triceps as secondary movers during this exercise.

Technique tips

• Ensure the bar is directly above your lower chest at the starting position.
• Retract your shoulder blades and maintain a slight arch in your lower back.
• Lower the bar with control until it lightly touches your chest.
• Exhale as you push the bar back up to the starting position.
• Keep your elbows slightly tucked, not flared out, during the press.
• Control the weight; do not bounce the bar off your chest.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.