Cable Decline Chest Press

Set the pulleys low, place a decline bench between them, and lie back with your legs hooked under the ankle pads. Hold a handle in each hand and start with your elbows bent and the handles beside your lower chest.

Press the handles straight up over your lower chest. Press until just before your elbows lock, bringing your hands closer together above your chest.

Resist the cables and slowly lower the handles back beside your chest. Keep your shoulder blades on the bench and lower only until your chest stretches without your shoulders rolling forward.

Focus on pressing the handles up and in with your lower chest. The cables keep tension all the way to the top, so keep squeezing your chest even with your arms extended.

Lowering the handles too fast lets the cables yank your shoulders into an excessive stretch. Lifting your hips or your head as you press breaks the decline angle and reduces lower-chest work.

Exhale as you press up and inhale as you lower. Your head is lower than your hips, so don't hold your breath for long; keep breathing every rep.

If grabbing the handles while lying down is awkward, take them one at a time and settle into position before you start. Unlike dumbbells, cables keep tension at the top, so make a 1-second squeeze there a habit.