Lever Decline Chest Press

Setup

1. 01Set the seat so the handles sit at or slightly below the lower chest.
2. 02Sit with the back firmly against the pad and feet planted or on the platform.
3. 03Grip the handles with wrists neutral and shoulder blades set back and down.
4. 04Use the assist lever to bring the handles to the start if the machine has one.

Execution

1. 01Press the handles forward and slightly downward along the machine path to full extension.
2. 02Squeeze the lower chest at the end of the press without rolling the shoulders forward.
3. 03Lower under control until a stretch is felt across the lower pecs.
4. 04Begin the next rep from a dead-still position, not a bounce.

Checkpoints

• -Handles line up with the lower chest, not the shoulders.
• -Chest stays lifted; the rib cage does not collapse during the press.
• -Shoulder blades keep pad contact through lockout.
• -The stack is controlled through the whole negative.

Common mistakes

• -Sitting too high so the movement loses its decline bias.
• -Shrugging or rolling the shoulders forward at lockout.
• -Cutting the stretch short to move bigger loads.
• -Driving the head forward off the pad while straining.