10 Best Decline Smith Press Alternatives for Limited Equipment

Ranked Decline Smith Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Decline Smith Press on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Lever Decline Chest Press

   99% match

   • Pectorals
   • Lever
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A good swap when you have a lever machine to work with, and it still works the pectorals.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the seat height and backrest of the leverage machine to a comfortable position.
   2. Sit on the machine with your back against the backrest and your feet flat on the floor.
   3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   4. Push the handles forward and away from your body until your arms are fully extended.
   5. Slowly lower the handles back towards your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
   6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the handles back to the starting position.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: decline press, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Smith Press
2. 

   2. Leverage Decline Chest Press

   99% match

   • Pectorals
   • Machine
   • Beginner
   • Compound

   A good swap when you have a machine to work with, and it still works the pectorals.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat for your height. The handles should be near the bottom of the pectorals at the beginning of the motion. Your chest and head should be up and your shoulder blades retracted. This will be your starting position.
   2. Press the handles forward by extending through the elbow.
   3. After a brief pause at the top, return the weight just above the start position, keeping tension on the muscles by not returning the weight to the stops until the set is complete.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: decline press, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Smith Press
3. Play demonstration

   3. Lever Incline Chest Press

   89% match

   • Pectorals
   • Lever
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the seat height and backrest angle on the leverage machine to a comfortable position.
   2. Sit on the machine with your back against the backrest and your feet flat on the floor.
   3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   4. Push the handles forward and away from your body until your arms are fully extended, but without locking your elbows.
   5. Pause for a moment at the fully extended position, then slowly bend your elbows and lower the handles back towards your chest.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Smith Press
4. 

   4. Leverage Incline Chest Press

   89% match

   • Pectorals
   • Machine
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat for your height. The handles should be near the top of the pectorals at the beginning of the motion. Your chest and head should be up and your shoulder blades retracted. This will be your starting position.
   2. Press the handles forward by extending through the elbow.
   3. After a brief pause at the top, return the weight just above the start position, keeping tension on the muscles by not returning the weight to the stops until the set is complete.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Smith Press
5. Play demonstration

   5. Smith Decline Bench Press

   84% match

   • Pectorals
   • Smith-machine
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   It still works the pectorals, through a different movement.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the decline bench to the desired angle.
   2. Lie down on the bench with your feet secured under the foot pads.
   3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   4. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
   5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Smith Press
6. Play demonstration

   6. Smith Wide Grip Decline Bench Press

   82% match

   • Pectorals
   • Smith-machine
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the decline bench to the desired angle.
   2. Lie down on the bench with your feet secured under the foot pads.
   3. Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   4. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows pointed outwards.
   5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
   6. Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Smith Press
7. Play demonstration

   7. Lever Chest Press

   81% match

   • Pectorals
   • Lever
   • Beginner
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your back flat against the pad.
   2. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and position your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
   3. Push the handles forward until your arms are fully extended, exhaling during the movement.
   4. Pause briefly at the end of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: seated, not lying on your back
8. 

   8. Leverage Chest Press

   81% match

   • Pectorals
   • Machine
   • Beginner
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat for your height. The handles should be near the bottom or middle of the pectorals at the beginning of the motion.
   2. Your chest and head should be up and your shoulder blades retracted. This will be your starting position.
   3. Press the handles forward by extending through the elbow.
   4. After a brief pause at the top, return the weight just above the start position, keeping tension on the muscles by not returning the weight to the stops until the set is complete.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: seated, not lying on your back
9. Play demonstration

   9. Smith Machine Reverse Decline Close Grip Bench Press

   80% match

   • Pectorals
   • Smith-machine
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the smith machine to a decline position.
   2. Lie down on the bench with your feet secured under the foot pads.
   3. Grasp the barbell with a close grip, slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
   4. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
   5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Decline Smith Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Smith Press
10. 

    10. Incline Dumbbell Press

    77% match

    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand atop your thighs. The palms of your hands will be facing each other.
    2. Then, using your thighs to help push the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
    3. Once you have the dumbbells raised to shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
    4. Be sure to keep full control of the dumbbells at all times. Then breathe out and push the dumbbells up with your chest.
    5. Lock your arms at the top, hold for a second, and then start slowly lowering the weight. Tip Ideally, lowering the weights should take about twice as long as raising them.
    6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
    7. When you are done, place the dumbbells back on your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to release the dumbbells.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Smith Press
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Smith Press
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Decline Smith Press