Which chest machine exercises does GainsLog use in its programs?

Machine Fly, Machine Incline Bench Press, Seated Machine Chest Press, Cable Fly, Seated Low to High Cable Fly, Incline Smith Bench Press, and Smith Bench Press. They are the chest exercises on a machine, cable or Smith machine that the app uses in its ready-made programs or workout templates, or suggests in the Program Builder.

How many sets of chest exercises should I do a week?

GainsLog Premium's program builder rates a program against 5 to 12 working sets a week for your chest at a balanced priority on the default profile, and 10 to 15 when it is a focus. It recommends no more than 5 in one workout. Sets on machines, cables and free weights all count toward the same total. On the female profile the balanced range is 0 to 8.

Which chest machine exercises are compound?

The GainsLog library tags 22 of the 39 as compound lifts, for example Machine Incline Bench Press, Seated Machine Chest Press, Incline Smith Bench Press, and Smith Bench Press. The other 17 are isolation exercises.

Chest machine exercises

By Ossian Hempel · Updated October 25, 2026

The GainsLog exercise library has 39 exercises that target your chest on a machine, a cable station or a Smith machine. 7 of them are used in the app's programs or suggested by its Program Builder.

Exercises: 39
Machine, cable, Smith: 16 · 15 · 8
In GainsLog programs: 7
Balanced weekly sets, default profile: 5 to 12

Shoulder flexion

The upper arm rises forward and up, as in an incline press, a reverse-grip press or a low-to-high fly. 26 exercises.

Chest machine exercises: shoulder flexion
Exercise	Equipment	Type	Notes
Machine Incline Bench PressMachine · Compound · In GainsLog programs, Incline	Machine	Compound	In GainsLog programs, Incline
Seated Low to High Cable FlyCable · Isolation · In GainsLog programs	Cable	Isolation	In GainsLog programs
Incline Smith Bench PressSmith machine · Compound · In GainsLog programs, Incline	Smith machine	Compound	In GainsLog programs, Incline
Incline Chest Press In Shoulder Press MachineMachine · Compound · Incline	Machine	Compound	Incline
Neutral Grip Machine Incline Bench PressMachine · Compound · Incline	Machine	Compound	Incline
Neutral Grip Seated Machine Incline Chest PressMachine · Compound · Incline	Machine	Compound	Incline
Reverse Grip Machine Bench PressMachine · Compound	Machine	Compound
Seated Machine Incline Chest PressMachine · Compound · Incline	Machine	Compound	Incline
Seated Neutral Grip Plate Loaded Incline Chest PressMachine · Compound · Incline	Machine	Compound	Incline
Seated Plate Loaded Incline Chest PressMachine · Compound · Incline	Machine	Compound	Incline
Cuffed Incline Low to High FlyCable · Isolation · Incline	Cable	Isolation	Incline
Cuffed Low to High FlyCable · Isolation	Cable	Isolation
Cuffed Seated Low to High FlyCable · Isolation	Cable	Isolation
Facing the Stack Cuffed Incline Low to High FlyCable · Isolation · Incline	Cable	Isolation	Incline
Facing the Stack Incline Low to High Cable FlyCable · Isolation · Incline	Cable	Isolation	Incline
Facing the Stack Vulken Incline Low to High FlyCable · Isolation · Incline	Cable	Isolation	Incline
Incline Cable FlyCable · Isolation · Incline	Cable	Isolation	Incline
Low to High Cable FlyCable · Isolation	Cable	Isolation
Seated Single Arm Cuffed Low to High FlyCable · Isolation	Cable	Isolation
Single Arm Cuffed Incline Low to High FlyCable · Isolation · Incline	Cable	Isolation	Incline
Single Arm Cuffed Low to High FlyCable · Isolation	Cable	Isolation
High Incline Smith Bench PressSmith machine · Compound · Incline	Smith machine	Compound	Incline
Low Incline Smith Bench PressSmith machine · Compound · Incline	Smith machine	Compound	Incline
Reverse Grip Incline Smith Bench PressSmith machine · Compound · Incline	Smith machine	Compound	Incline
Reverse Grip Low Incline Smith Bench PressSmith machine · Compound · Incline	Smith machine	Compound	Incline
Reverse Grip Smith Bench PressSmith machine · Compound	Smith machine	Compound

Log your chest machine work in GainsLog

Every exercise on this page is in the app. Log the weight, reps and reps in reserve, and GainsLog sets the next session's weight and rep targets from them.

Horizontal shoulder adduction

The upper arm moves forward across the body at shoulder height, as in a flat press or a fly. 13 exercises.

Chest machine exercises: horizontal shoulder adduction
Exercise	Equipment	Type	Notes
Machine FlyMachine · Isolation · In GainsLog programs	Machine	Isolation	In GainsLog programs
Seated Machine Chest PressMachine · Compound · In GainsLog programs	Machine	Compound	In GainsLog programs
Cable FlyCable · Isolation · In GainsLog programs	Cable	Isolation	In GainsLog programs
Smith Bench PressSmith machine · Compound · In GainsLog programs	Smith machine	Compound	In GainsLog programs
Machine Bench PressMachine · Compound	Machine	Compound
Neutral Grip Machine Bench PressMachine · Compound	Machine	Compound
Pec Deck FlyMachine · Isolation	Machine	Isolation
Seated Neutral Grip Machine Chest PressMachine · Compound	Machine	Compound
Seated Neutral Grip Plate Loaded Chest PressMachine · Compound	Machine	Compound
Seated Plate Loaded Chest PressMachine · Compound	Machine	Compound
High to Low Cable FlyCable · Isolation	Cable	Isolation
Seated Cable FlyCable · Isolation	Cable	Isolation
Decline Smith Bench PressSmith machine · Compound · Decline	Smith machine	Compound	Decline

In GainsLog programs means the app uses the exercise in its ready-made programs or workout templates, or suggests it in the Program Builder.

How many sets of chest a week?

GainsLog Premium's program builder rates a program against a weekly range of working sets for each muscle. On the default profile the range for your chest is 5 to 12 sets a week at a balanced priority and 10 to 15 when you make it a focus. It recommends no more than 5 sets for one muscle in a single workout.

On the female profile the balanced range is 0 to 8.

A set counts toward the exercise's target muscle only. In a program, every set of an exercise on this page counts toward the chest range, whatever the equipment.

Weekly working sets for chest in GainsLog
Priority	Default profile	Female profile
Focus	10 to 15	10 to 15
Balanced	5 to 12	0 to 8
Deprioritized	1 to 5	1

Plan every muscle at once with the volume calculator.

Rate your program's weekly sets in GainsLog

GainsLog Premium's program builder rates your program against these set ranges for every muscle.

FAQ

Which chest machine exercises does GainsLog use in its programs?: Machine Fly, Machine Incline Bench Press, Seated Machine Chest Press, Cable Fly, Seated Low to High Cable Fly, Incline Smith Bench Press, and Smith Bench Press. They are the chest exercises on a machine, cable or Smith machine that the app uses in its ready-made programs or workout templates, or suggests in the Program Builder.
How many sets of chest exercises should I do a week?: GainsLog Premium's program builder rates a program against 5 to 12 working sets a week for your chest at a balanced priority on the default profile, and 10 to 15 when it is a focus. It recommends no more than 5 in one workout. Sets on machines, cables and free weights all count toward the same total. On the female profile the balanced range is 0 to 8.
Which chest machine exercises are compound?: The GainsLog library tags 22 of the 39 as compound lifts, for example Machine Incline Bench Press, Seated Machine Chest Press, Incline Smith Bench Press, and Smith Bench Press. The other 17 are isolation exercises.