The Essentials of Bodypart Specialization: Lat Training
There is, without a doubt, a no more difficult area of the body to develop muscle size and strength, than ...
Exercise Execution
BEING VIEWED NOW
- All
- Back / Lats
- Biceps
- Chest
- Coaches Corner
- Delts
- Exercise Execution
- Hormones & Physiology
- Legs
- Nutrition
- Premium Articles
- Supplements
- Training
- Triceps
Creatine: Much More Than a Muscle Builder
Bodybuilders, and indeed all athletes looking to secure the performance edge would have at least a passing knowledge of the ...
Nutrient vs Caloric Density
It is true that a person’s caloric intake has a very direct impact on their weight. Consume more than is ...
Interview Q&A Series with Ben: Progressive Diet Structure for Fat Loss
The old saying, "eat less move more", can actually be a GREAT way to end up 'skinny-fat! If your goal ...
Cholesterol Unmasked
Cholesterol. I think we can all agree that it may very well be one of the most feared nutrients in ...
Testosterone: Understanding the Mechanisms Behind the “Alpha” Hormone
Everybody's familiar with testosterone, the grand daddy hormone most synonymous with both muscle and manhood. Today we provide a comprehensive ...
See More
- All
- * Principles & Intensifiers
- * Video Series
- Abs
- Back / Lats
- Back / Lats Misc.
- Bent-Knee Calf Movements (Soleus)
- Biceps
- Cable Pushdowns
- Calves
- Chest
- Chest Dips
- Chest Flyes
- Chest Presses
- Crunching Movements
- Deadlift Movements
- Delts
- Exercise Execution
- Front Delt Movements
- Glutes / Hams
- Hams / Glutes Misc.
- Hamstring Exercises
- Lat Isolation
- Leg Presses / Leg Extensions
- Leg Raise Movements
- Legs
- Lunges / Split Squat Movements
- Overhead Presses
- Premium Articles
- Pull-Ups / Pulldowns
- Quads
- Rear Delt Movements
- Rows
- Shrugs
- Side Delt Movements
- Squatting Movements
- Squatting Movements
- Straight-Leg Movements (gastrocnemius)
- Training
- Trap 3 Raises
- Traps
- Tricep Dips
- Tricep Extensions
- Tricep Presses
- Triceps
- Vacuums
Lunges / Split-Squats
Whether your goal is to target the glutes, hams or quads, Ben explains you how to lunge your way ...
Adductors & Abductors
Serving an important function as hip stabilizers, strengthening the abductors and adductors can help you maintain proper pelvic position and ...
Overhead Pressing Movements
The best boulder-shoulder building exercises broken down BPak-syle!
The Essentials of Bodypart Specialization: Quad Training
It is important to keep in mind that these 10 key suggestions for Quad training will fly in the face ...
The Essentials of Bodypart Specialization: Lat Training
There is, without a doubt, a no more difficult area of the body to develop muscle size and strength, than ...
Chest Flyes
Guidelines for all Chest Fly Movements
(unless specifically stated otherwise)
- wide foot stance
- at the top, pull shoulders back, then let elbows follow (almost 2 separate movements)
- aim for max stretch of chest at the bottom
- to come back up, retract shoulder blades, contract everything in the back and squeeze the weight up leading with the elbows
- avoid any internal / external rotation throughout; keep midpoint of wrist inline with midpoint of elbow in turn in line with midpoint of shoulder (move weights in a straight line perpendicular to ground).
Dumbbell Flyes – Flat / Incline / Decline
At the bottom
At the top. Note that the dumbbells do not come inside the shoulders
Variation with Max Scapula Retraction over bench
- Exercise Specific:
- bend elbows slightly at 45º on the way down – find point at which there is maximum tension / stretch in the chest at the bottom, not in the biceps; if feeling too much of a stretch in biceps, bend elbows a little more
- at 45º on the ascent, straighten elbows, lock triceps and try to bring the elbows together (not the hands); stop just short of coming inside the shoulders at the top (end directly above before then immediately beginning the descent).
- Variation with Max Scapula Retraction over Bench:
> slide body up so that the bottom part of the scapula / shoulder blades just protrude / sit over the top of the bench
> let head almost just hang a little, don’t try to shove it forward
> ensure stability can be maintained
> make a conscious effort to avoid arching by keeping the abs contracted as well achieving a maximum (almost exaggerated) stretch of the chest at the bottom.
Dumbbell Flyes with Internal Rotation
Externally rotated at the bottom
Internally rotated at the top
- Exercise Specific:
- begin, externally rotated at the bottom (pinky finger will be the highest part of the hand)
- come up, while internally rotating (pinky finger will then be the furthest back at the top)
- use relatively light weight when attempting for the first time.
Pec Deck / Machine Flyes
- Exercise Specific:
- arms straight, perpendicular to ground (wrists inline with elbows, in turn inline with shoulders)
- focus on pulling elbows together (not wrists)
- really squeeze hands together (touch) at the top.
Cable Flyes / Crossovers
‘horizontal’ cable flyes depicted
- Exercise Specific:
- with a split foot position (if standing), begin with body close to apparatus, though in front just enough so that the weights sit just above the weight stack in the bottom position
- bring hands to chin height at the top and squeeze together
- keep elbows straight and triceps contracted throughout
- do not touch the pinky fingers together at the front (if anything you could touch the index fingers together, but it’s not necessary).
- For Horizontal Cable Flyes: position cables to just below shoulder height so arms can be slightly below parallel to the ground at the bottom of the movement.
- For Decline Cable Flyes: set the cables high and bring the hands forward and down so that they finish in front of the thighs at the bottom of the movement.
- If performing on an incline bench:
> place bench slightly in front, cables slightly behind
> due to the angle of force coming from the weight stack, cables do not need to be moved in a straight line perpendicular to the ground (directly above the eyes) – just ensure that a maximum contraction of the chest can be achieved.
Around the Worlds
- Exercise Specific:
- choose a ‘slight’ decline or even a flat bench
- be sure to use a light weight when performing for the first time – perhaps half of what you would use during a standard dumbbell fly
- To Perform:
> 1. start with arms extended directly in front with palms facing forward with dumbbells together
> 2. bring arms back above the head (straight / locked out)
> 3. retract shoulders, then bring the arms down and ‘scoop’ them around to just below the pec-line (palms should now be facing the ceiling); squeeze at the bottom
> 4. raise dumbbells up to the start position and twist hands so palms are once more facing forward.
