When you want to sculpt and tone your upper body, picking the right machines for the job is par for the course. Each machine also serves a specific purpose – from strength training to toning certain muscles – and targets different muscle groups in your torso. But which ones should you use?
In this guide, we’re walking you through the six best gym machines to redefine and strengthen your upper body.
Table of Contents
The 6 Best Gym Machines For Upper Body Muscles
- Chest press machine
- Preacher curl machine
- Dip station
- Cable machine
- Lat pulldown machine
- Seated row machine
Below, you’ll find the best gym machines for building your upper body strength and targeting specific groups of muscles.
Chest press machine
Benefits of a chest press machine
- Easy to use
- Isolates chest muscles
- Less joint stress
Easy to use
Chest press machines are straightforward to use, no matter what your fitness or skill level is. Since they have a fixed range of motion and the machine guides your movement, it takes the guesswork out of using the machine and lowers the learning curve for beginners.
Isolates chest muscles
The chest press machine is designed to target the muscles in the chest, including the pectoral muscles (pectoralis minor and major). The guided movement of the machine helps effectively target these muscles, which can lead to a more focused and efficient workout. This is particularly beneficial if you want to develop and strengthen your chest.
Less joint stress
Compared to free weights, chest presses have more controlled and stable ranges of motion. This is advantageous if you’re recovering from an injury. The reduced stress on the joints – particularly the wrists and shoulders – makes these machines a safer option for joint health.
Tips for using a chest press machine
- Maintain proper form
- Start light
- Adjust the machine
Maintain proper form
It’s important to keep proper form when you’re using chest press machines – or any gym machines for your chest – since it can help minimize the risk of injury.
To do this, you’ll need to make sure you’re keeping your back flat against the seat throughout the whole movement. Try not to arch your back or lift your hips off the seat.
Start light
If you’re new to using a chest press machine, you’ll want to start with lighter weights. By starting light, you can focus on proper form and technique while you get your muscles used to the workout. As your chest starts to get stronger, you can gradually increase the weight.
Adjust the machine
Properly adjusting the machine is essential for a comfortable workout that won’t strain your muscles or cause injury or pain.
In this video, you can learn more about how to do this exercise and how to get the most out of a chest press machine:
Preacher curl machine
Benefits of a preacher curl machine
- Targets the bicep muscles
- Comfortable
- Maximizes muscle engagement
Targets the bicep muscles
The preacher curl machine specifically targets the bicep muscles, which are those at the front of your upper arms.
When you perform a preacher curl, it isolates these muscles while the machine supports your upper arms and minimizes the movement of the other muscle groups in your arms.
Comfortable
These fantastic upper arm machines give you a comfortable and stable platform to rest your arms on while also providing support. The design of the machine has padding and an adjustable seat, which can reduce strain on your lower back during your workout. This means you can focus on perfecting the exercise without unnecessary discomfort.
Maximizes muscle engagement
A preacher curl machine has an angled pad to fix your upper arm against, ensuring it’s in the optimal position for the exercise. This eliminates the risk of swinging your arms or relying on momentum to complete your movement. Because of this, you’ll also have more control and effectively target and engage your biceps.
Tips for using a preacher curl machine
- Avoid too much weight
- Use breathing techniques
- Adjust your form
Avoid too much weight
Using too much weight on these arm machines can cause harm to your arms and the relevant muscle groups. This is true for people of all skill levels – whether you’ve used the machine before or not. Instead, it’s important to choose a weight that challenges your muscles but that also lets you maintain the proper technique.
Use breathing techniques
Proper breathing techniques can contribute to better stability and core engagement. Additionally, it can help you to properly control your movements during a preacher curl.
The most efficient technique to use is to breathe in as you lower your arms and exhale as you lift them. However, you’ll want to make sure that you keep a steady breathing pattern throughout the exercise.
Adjust your form
You never want to strain or injure your muscles during an exercise, which is why it’s crucial to pay attention to your form.
While you can consult the machine guide or a professional trainer to help you adjust the machine to suit your needs, we’ve found a video with a great demonstration of how to use the preacher curl machine, with tips and tricks to help you learn how to adjust your form:
Dip station
Benefits of a dip station
- Better than push-ups
- Customizable
- Targets the triceps
Better than push-ups
Dip machines can give you a better and more effective workout for your triceps than traditional push-ups can. This is because when you use a dip station, you’re lifting your entire body weight for more resistance. It also allows for a deeper range of motion during your workout, meaning your muscles are more engaged.
Customizable
You can easily customize your workout on a dip station which allows you to adjust the difficulty of the exercise based on your fitness level.
For example, you can lean forward to engage your chest or use a dip belt to help you adjust to the workout if you’re a beginner. Either way, you can adjust it to suit you, making it more likely that you will get the results you’re after.
Targets the triceps
You can use the dip station to effectively target your triceps. Because dips involve elbow extensions, you’re engaging the group of tricep muscles known as the triceps brachii. However, dips also complement other tricep-targeting exercises for a comprehensive workout for this muscle group.
Tips for using a dip station
- Check the machine
- Adjust your grip
- Check your elbow position
Check the machine
Before you start your workout, make sure to check that the dip station is balanced and secure. The station shouldn’t wobble or move around. Otherwise, it may move during your workout and you may be at risk of injury.
Adjust your grip
Picking the right grip is important for targeting specific muscle groups. For example, a wider grip may be more effective for targeting the chest muscles, while a more narrow grip will engage your tricep muscles. However, you should be careful that your grip doesn’t put any strain on your wrists or shoulders since it can cause damage to your joints.
Check your elbow position
Always make sure that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle when you’re using a dip station. This helps you to effectively target your triceps and chest while minimizing potential stress on your shoulder joints.
It’s also important to keep your elbows in a more natural position. They shouldn’t flare out or be tucked in too far, and you should never lock your elbows.
You can check out how to use a dip station the right way with this video:
Cable machine
Benefits of a cable machine
- Constant tension
- Allows for muscle isolation
- Safe
Constant tension
Unlike some exercises that use free weights, a cable machine allows for constant muscle tension throughout the whole exercise. This boosts muscle activation, which can result in more muscle mass.
Allows for muscle isolation
This is a great machine for isolation exercises. Thanks to this, you can target specific muscle groups without overworking others. So if there’s one specific set of muscles you want to work on, then it may be the ideal addition to your workout routine.
Safe
A cable machine moves a lot more smoothly than some other arm machines. When you’re using it, control your movements and make sure that you’re smoothly going through the full range of motion instead of making jerky, uncontrolled movements that may injure you.
Tips for using a cable machine
- Adjust the height of the pulley
- Do a proper warm-up
- Gradually increase the weight
Adjust the height of the pulley
When you’re using a cable machine, you always want to adjust the height of the pulley for each exercise. For example, if you want to focus on isolation exercises, you’re going to want to adjust it to a height that allows for the muscles you’re working on to fully engage without straining.
Do a proper warm-up
Since there is constant tension in your muscles, you’re going to want to do a complete warm-up before you use the cable machine. If you don’t, you may be risking injury to your muscles and placing strain on your back or shoulders.
Gradually increase the weight
Although it may be tempting to start at a higher weight, beginners should always start with lighter weights. This allows you to work your way up as your upper body muscles get stronger, much like you would with free weights.
Cable machine exercises for upper body
- Front cable raise
- Rear delt fly
- Chest flys
Front cable raise (for deltoids):
- Stand facing away from the cable machine, with the pulley set at the lowest height.
- Hold the cable with your palms facing down.
- Bend your elbows slightly and slowly raise the cable straight in front of you to shoulder height.
- Repeat these steps for 10-12 reps and 3-4 sets.
Watch a demonstration here:
Rear delt fly (for deltoids, rhomboids, and traps):
- Set the cable at chest height and stand facing away from the cable machine.
- Hold the handles with your palms facing one another and your arms extended in front of you.
- Pull the handles outwards, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Repeat for 8-12 reps and 3-4 sets.
This video can help you to do this exercise properly:
Chest flys (for pecs):
- Move the pulley to shoulder height and stand facing the cable machine.
- Hold the handles with your arms outstretched to the sides.
- Bend your elbows slightly and bring the handles together, squeezing your chest muscles.
- Perform 10 reps across 3-4 sets.
Want to isolate your pecs? Then be sure to check this out before you get started:
Lat pulldown machine
Benefits of a lat pulldown machine
- Builds stronger back muscles
- Improves posture
- Good for beginners
Builds stronger back muscles
The main benefit of pulldown machines is their ability to target the latissimus dorsi (also known as your lats) – the wide muscles across your back. It can also help you to engage muscles in your upper back, including your trapezius muscles (traps).
Since you’re strengthening your back muscles, you’re also improving the strength of your upper body.
Improves posture
When you improve the strength of the muscles in your upper back, you’re creating a more supportive ‘frame’ to support your body weight. This support is mainly around the spine and can help to keep your spine straight.
As a result, you’ll notice that your posture could start to improve. In turn, you can also reduce the risk of posture-related back pain or issues.
Good for beginners
Like a chest press machine, lat pulldown machines (and gym machines for your back, in general) have a controlled and guided movement that makes them perfect for beginners. This also makes lat pulldowns much easier to master.
If you are a beginner, just be sure to start with a lighter weight and work your way up. That way, you can allow your muscles to adjust to the workout without injury or strain.
Tips for using a lat pulldown machine
- Adjust the machine
- Check your hand placement
- Start the movement with your lats
Adjust the machine
Before you start your workout, make sure to adjust the seat and knee pad height to keep your thighs secured under the pads with your feet flat on the floor. The bar should also be easy to reach when you’re sitting down. If it’s not, your setup may need some more tinkering.
Check your hand placement
Use an overhand grip on the bar, with your hand positioned slightly wider than shoulder-length apart to emphasize the activation of your lats. You should also not be leaning too far forward or back to grip the bar. Otherwise, you may strain your back.
Start the movement with your lats
When you start to pull the bar down, focus on pulling from your lats rather than tugging it down using your arm muscles. You can imagine it as driving your elbows down and back – that way, you’re definitely going to engage your lats.
This video is great for showcasing how you can use lat pulldowns to boost your muscle growth:
Seated row machine
Benefits of a seated row machine
- Builds a stronger upper back
- Works multiple muscles in your upper body
- Improves core strength
Builds a stronger upper back
The seated row machine targets the muscles in your upper back, which includes the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and rear deltoid muscles. In turn, you’ll have a more well-defined back.
Works multiple muscles in your upper body
Seated rows are great for simultaneously engaging several groups of muscles in your back. However, you’re not only limited to strengthening your back. You can also strengthen your biceps, forearms, and the back of your shoulders. This means you get a more comprehensive upper body workout.
Improves core strength
To effectively perform seated rows, you need to consistently engage your core. This helps to boost your durability and strength, but can also aid in stabilizing you during the exercise. Over time, you’ll feel how this can also strengthen your back and support your spine for better posture.
Tips for using a seated row machine
- Maintain the proper posture
- Adjust your grip
- Extend your arms
Maintain the proper posture
When you’re doing seated rows, you’ll want to sit with a straight back. Maintaining this posture throughout the exercise is also essential. Try to avoid slouching or curving your spine too much, since this can cause unnecessary strain on your lower back.
Adjust your grip
It’s important to remember to use a grip that is comfortable for your shoulders. However, knowing how your grip affects your workout is just as important. A wider grip can help to target the outer parts of your back, while a narrower grip engages the inner muscles.
Extend your arms
Aim for a full range of motion by fully extending your arms before pulling the handle towards your body. You should also focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement.
Safety always comes first when using any weight machines. So, be sure to check out this video to learn how to use a seated row machine properly: \
Benefits Of Using Machines For Upper Body
There are several major benefits to using machines to target muscles in your upper body, including:
- Safety and stability: Gym machines are usually safer to use since they can help to control and guide your movement. They’re also much more stable, making it easier to maintain your balance. This can help to reduce your risk of getting hurt.
- Smaller learning curve: Using a machine in your workout can make it easier to learn the proper techniques for certain exercises. They’re also ideal for beginners who are learning the ins and outs of building muscle.
- Less strain on joints: Machines are smoother and don’t require as much effort to use (compared to free weights). This can reduce the impact these exercises can have on your joints.
- Variety: There are some things that machines can do that free weights just can’t. Since they offer more variety, you can also effectively use them for specific purposes and isolation exercises.
Anatomy Of Upper Body Muscles
Latissimus dorsi (lats)
The latissimus dorsi, or lats, are muscles that extend from the lower or middle back up into the sides. They’re important for extending your arm and rotating your shoulders.
Bicep muscles
These muscles are in the upper arms and help to move your arm at your elbow.
Triceps
Your triceps are at the back of your upper arm and work with your biceps to straighten and bend your elbow.
Pectorals
The pectoral muscles are large chest muscles that are used to move your shoulders back and forth. Most of the definition in your chest comes from strengthening these muscles.
Deltoids
Deltoids are shoulder muscles that allow you to move your shoulders back and forth and up and down. There are three parts to the deltoids, which are on the front, back, and top of the shoulder.
Trapezius muscles
Trapezius muscles (traps) are the muscles that run in a triangle from your neck into your shoulders. They’re essential for proper neck and shoulder movement.
FAQs About Upper Body Machines
Yes, machines are perfect for beginners since they can effectively guide you through the movement of the exercise. However, you may want to consult a professional trainer if you’re still feeling uncertain about how to use them.
Machines aren’t necessarily better than weights. Instead, your choice of equipment depends on your fitness level and knowledge of the exercises you’re performing. Machines are typically more beginner-friendly, whereas free weights can engage stabilizing muscles more effectively. Machines are often safer to take to exhaustion, as they are more difficult to use with poor form.
In most cases, though, machines can be a great aid in working different muscle groups.
