Is the chest press machine the same as bench press?

Posted by Amos Fred on March 29th, 2019

For a bigger and stronger chest, there is no exercise as good and effective as compared to bench press. It is ideal for a muscular body but not if you have had a history of injury. Bench press is intense and should be done with care. Hence, if you have had injuries, it is better to avoid bench press and instead go for chest press which is safer and more stable. Clearly, both bench press and chest press are different though they are used for the same purpose – bigger and stronger chest.

Bench press is power-packed and there are several variations of it based on the angle and the type of bench press you are using. The barbell bench press is a type of incline bench press that helps in muscle growth because it helps keep constant tension on the chest muscles. The tension helps in growth of the muscles as the muscle fibres needed to push the weight off the chest will be more. The more muscles that are needed, the more calories you burn and the more intense the workout will be. Of course, you will need a proper cooldown post workout. To perform a bench press, lie down on a flat bench press machine with eyes directly under the bench bar. Hold the bar tightly and lift it. Keep it aligned to your chest and with arms locked. Lower the bar slowly while exhaling slowly so that the bar touches the middle of the chest lightly. Pause and then push the bar off. Start with 4 sets of 10 reps each, with upto a minute break between each set.

Chest press machine, on the other hand, is performed on an upright position. Chest press gives you the flexibility to choose the angle which is comfortable for you. To do chest press, place your back against the back rest of the chest press machine. Hold the handles tightly and place your feet on the foot stool of the machine or on the floor. Remember, feet should be flat. Press the handles till your arms are fully straight and stretched out. Then slowly bend your elbows and again return to starting position. Start with about 4 sets of 10-12 reps each and a minute gap between each set.

The bench press is intense and suited for those who want to train for a better range of motion and flexibility. You can build more muscles with bench press than with chest press. Chest press is more subtle and more suitable for those who have had shoulder injury. However, both act on the muscles to increase strength and build strong muscles.

Chest press has a fixed line of motion and you need not add or remove weights. You just have to move the pins to set the weight which is easier compared to barbell bench press. Bench press have no limits and you can set the motion to as much as your body can do.