Putting The Dirty Bulk To Rest
You often hear the same questions no matter what gym setting you are in. What’s your max bench? What pre-workout ...
Exercise Execution
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Zinc: The Little-Known Mega Mineral You Should Learn to Optimize
From boosting testosterone production & supporting lean muscle growth, to optimizing joint health & immune function, getting enough of this ...
Optimize Your Gains By Increasing Insulin Sensitivity
For all of us trying to reach the full potential of our health, it is important to be sure that ...
Lactic Acid: The Power of the BURN!
The ‘BURN’... both masochistically loved and hated at the same time. We’ve all felt it. We’ve all heard varying opinions ...
Fast Twitch vs. Slow Twitch: Fated For Gains?
Building the Perfect Beast - How Our Fast and Slow Twitch Muscle Fibers Determine Athletic Success...
Wheying in on the Debate: A Case for the Superiority of Whey Protein
Whey protein has been used in one form or another for at least 300 years, yet it has taken until ...
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General Exercise Principles
General Exercise Principles to Learn
Chest Flyes
There's nothing better than a good fly movement to really isolate and focus on squeezing the pecs... Ben breaks down ...
The Essentials of Bodypart Specialization: Delt Training
There is no need to go into detail about how important shoulder development (specifically deltoids) is to a complete physique. ...
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 ...
MI40 Protocols / Intensifiers & Finishers
Explaining the various Intensifiers that appear throughout the MI40 Nation 6 Week Workout Programs
Chest Presses
Ben's step-by-step guidelines for performing the best chest pressing movements for maximal muscle growth!
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.
