Chest Exercises - Smith Machine Bench Press

Exercise Advice: This exercise is very similar to the regular flat barbell bench press. The only difference is that the Smith machine acts as a spotter for you! Place a free standing flat bench under a Smith Machine (if you not know what a Smith machine, simply ask a trainer at your gym to assist you). Lie flat on your back and grab the barbell above you with a grip slightly beyond shoulder width apart. Lift the barbell off of the rack and slowly lower it to about 3 inches above your chest and then press the bar back to the start position. DO NOT TOUCH THE BAR TO YOUR CHEST (this causes unneeded stress on your shoulder joints and takes the tension away from your pec muscles, which are what we want to be doing the work!). Be sure that when you are lowering the bar that you do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Conversely, when you press the bar upward, you want to do so in an explosive fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.

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