Decline Press (Smith Machine)
The Smith Machine decline press is a machine-based strength exercise targeting the lower pectoral muscles and triceps. Using a fixed bar path and a decline bench angle, it isolates the lower chest while providing stability for safe loading.
The Smith machine's fixed path allows for higher loading with less stability demand, but this can mask fatigue. The AI analyzes your RPE and bar speed data to ensure you are stimulating the lower pectorals effectively without overstressing your shoulder joints. If your daily HRV or sleep scores indicate low systemic recovery, the app may suggest reducing the intensity or volume to prevent injury, or it might substitute a less taxing variation if your shoulder mobility is compromised that day.
Form Cues
- Position yourself so the bar aligns with your lower chest or upper abdominals
- Retract your shoulder blades and drive them into the bench
- Keep your wrists straight and knuckles pointing toward the ceiling
- Lower the bar slowly under control until it lightly touches your lower chest
- Drive the bar up forcefully while keeping your elbows slightly tucked
- Don't flare your elbows out to 90 degrees relative to your torso
- Don't bounce the bar off your ribcage at the bottom
- Don't lift your head or hips off the bench while pressing
- Don't lock your elbows aggressively at the top of the movement
Common Mistakes
- Aligning the bar too high near the neck
- Bouncing the weight off the chest
- Flaring elbows excessively wide
- Lifting the lower back off the bench
- Shortening the range of motion
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the sternal head of the pectoralis major, commonly known as the lower chest, helping to build thickness and definition along the bottom of the pecs. It also heavily recruits the triceps brachii and anterior deltoids as secondary movers, though the decline angle typically reduces shoulder involvement compared to flat or incline presses.
Primary
Secondary
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