Standing Chest Press

Standing Cable/Band Chest Press:

1. Start by having your client or patient grasp cable handles that have been set to mid-chest or shoulder height, with hands and arms starting from the “bottom position of a dumbbell press” (hands near shoulders).
   • Note, the cables can be set lower for incline cable press, and higher for decline cable press.
2. Have the client or patient take a step forward to “unrack the load” and ensure resistance is present from the start to end position.
   • A staggered stance is a good starting position for this exercise; however, feet parallel and single-leg stance may be used as progressions.
3. Ask the client or patient to assume optimal form/posture:
   • Feet perpendicular to the floor and 2nd toe aligned with ASIS
   • Ankles, knees, and hips in alignment
   • Pelvis neutral (absence of anterior or posterior pelvic tilt)
   • Torso, scapula, and head in neutral alignment
4. Cue the client or patient to push their feet into the ground, squeeze (contract) their glutes, contract their quads, and perform the drawing-in maneuver to ensure optimal core stability.
5. Cue the patient or client to push through the cable handles to full elbow extension and scapula protraction, paying close attention to trunk and pelvis stability.
6. Have the client or patient bend their elbows, control the rate of descent, and control the path of the handles (forearms should remain near perpendicular to the cables).
7. Once the client or patient has achieved the largest range of motion that can be performed without pain or compensation. Have the client or patient check their positioning.
8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Regressions and Progressions:

• Regression: Dumbell press, bench press, machine chest press.
• Progression: Alternating, unilateral, feet-parallel, single-leg stance

Common Mistakes:

• Do not grasp handles with excessive wrist extension. The dumbbells should be grasped as if making a fist to “punch”.
• Do not attempt a range of motion that is larger than can be performed without pain or compensation.
• The scapula should not be cued into a fixed position. The concentric phase of a push-up should include protraction, and the eccentric phase should include retraction.