Chest
Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press
The Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press is a strength exercise on a machine for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: mid chest 39%, lower chest 15% and front delts 15%.
How to do it
- Load equal plates on both arms and set the seat so the wide handles line up with your mid chest.
- Sit back on the pad with feet flat and grip the handles wider than your shoulders.
- Set your shoulder blades back and down.
- Press both handles forward until your arms are straight.
- Return slowly until you feel a stretch across the chest.
Tips
- Let the chest stretch at the bottom but keep the shoulders pinned back.
- Squeeze the chest as the arms straighten.
Common mistakes
- Letting the handles pull the shoulders forward at the bottom.
- Locking out hard and resting at the top.
- Loading the two sides unevenly.
Muscles worked by the Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
A wide grip shortens elbow range and puts more of the work on horizontal adduction. A fixed path removes most stabiliser demand. Pressing away from the chest is shoulder horizontal adduction plus elbow extension: the sternal pec drives it, front delt and triceps assist, and the clavicular pec joins as a strong secondary on a flat bench.
Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press work?
Mainly the mid chest and lower chest. The front delts, upper chest and triceps (lateral head) assist.
Is the Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press good for beginners?
Yes. The Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press?
For example the Seated Chest Press Machine (Wide Grip), Converging Chest Press and Hammer Strength Chest Press. They train mostly the same muscles.
How do you make the Iso-Lateral Wide Chest Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Wide Grip Bench Press and Smith Machine Guillotine Press.
Sources
- Rodriguez-Ridao et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(19):7339 (five bench inclinations)
- Lehman 2005, JSCR 19(3):587-591 (grip width and forearm position)
- Saeterbakken et al. 2011, J Sports Sci 29(5):533-538 (barbell, dumbbell, Smith)
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