Skip to content
ascend.
Exercise guide

Smith Machine Decline Press

How to do the Smith Machine Decline Press with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

CompoundMachineBeginner
Primary muscles

Chest

Secondary

Shoulders, Triceps

Equipment

Machine

Step by step

How to do the Smith Machine Decline Press

  1. 1

    Position a decline bench in the rack so that the bar will be above your chest. Load an appropriate weight and take your place on the bench.

  2. 2

    Rotate the bar to unhook it from the rack and fully extend your arms. Your back should be slightly arched and your shoulder blades retracted. This will be your starting position.

  3. 3

    Begin the movement by flexing your arms, lowering the bar to your chest.

  4. 4

    Pause briefly, and then extend your arms to push the weight back to the starting position.

  5. 5

    After completing the desired number of repetitions, rotate the bar to rack the weight.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Smith Machine Decline Press set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your chest volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More chest exercises

Ascend Club

The app is free. Club adds the coach, leagues and analytics.

Core tracking stays free forever — the climb, streaks, logging and your league tiers. Club is for when you want the full coach, worldwide competition and the depth, at about the price of one coffee a month.

See Club plans

14-day free trial · no card to start

 FreeClub
Tracking, the climb and streaks
Per-set logging, PR detection, wearables
Muscle-league tiers
The AI coachnudgesFull conversation
Worldwide leagues and challenges
PR projections and deep analytics
Unlimited crews
Themes, export and higher AI limits