Have you heard this advice: To develop your upper chest, perform incline presses and flyes.”
Which exercise is the best choice? To find out, we consulted experts in chest training. Their tips and secrets for making the most out of any chest-building exercise lie within its setup.
Target Muscles
Your options for chest exercises range from traditional bench presses and dips, to dips and dumbbell flyes. One exercise which has proven particularly successful at developing thickness in the pecs is the incline bench fly. Whether performed with dumbbells or resistance bands, it targets both chest and upper back muscles in an effective manner, targeting pectoralis major and minor muscles to create inward rotation and elevation of arms when you clap or hug someone – which results in stronger pecs!
Incline bench flyes when performed correctly can effectively work both of these muscle groups, as well as working the triceps and anterior deltoids to some degree, but are most beneficial at working the pectoralis major and minor muscles – which together create the “chiseled look” sought by bodybuilders.
When performing the incline bench fly, the key to successful execution is keeping your back straight and not arching it. Beginners often make this mistake when starting out; doing so limits range of motion while increasing stress on their lower back. If this exercise is new to you, start off using smaller weights until you become comfortable lifting more.
One common mistake made when performing the incline bench fly is failing to keep their elbows close to their sides, as doing so will activate more of your biceps than your chest muscles – thus hindering their stretch at the bottom of each movement and hampering muscle growth potential.
Incline bench flyes not only work the chest muscles but can also burn calories, improve posture and strength as well as stimulate anabolic hormone production such as testosterone that are essential for muscle building. Furthermore, this exercise increases endurance which will make completing push ups or other chest exercises much simpler.
Variations
Upper chest fly variations offer athletes and those just trying to maintain strong chest muscles an array of exercises for targeting pectoralis major muscles, using various equipment from dumbbells to cables to work them effectively.
One of the easiest ways to perform chest flies is by sitting on a bench or exercise ball while holding two dumbbells with your palms facing each other at arm’s length above your chest. Slowly lower them until they reach just below shoulder level before raising back up again to the starting position. For an added challenge, increase reps or use heavier weights and perform this movement on an incline for extra chest muscle development.
Other chest-fly exercises include the seated dumbbell bent-over reverse fly and cable machine reverse chest fly exercises, both designed to target rhomboids and posterior deltoid muscles as well as bodybuilders/weightlifters who wish to build upper back strength. It’s essential that when performing these variations of chest fly exercise that you avoid arching your back or swinging arms excessively as this puts undue strain on shoulders and triceps as well as maintaining neutral spine position.
Add another level of challenge by holding the weights in a pronated or underhand (palms facing each other) position, which will reduce biceps’ involvement and strengthen your mind-muscle connection to chest muscles. This version of exercise is particularly helpful if you’re having difficulty developing lower chest, or have underdeveloped upper chest due to excessive pressing movements at high angles.
Enhancing upper chest flies requires using machines such as lat pulldown or pec deck machines, which offer more stable environments with reduced balance requirements than doing them on a bench or with dumbbells. Unfortunately, machines may place greater emphasis on your biceps in closing arms than on targeting pectoralis major muscle.
Equipment
No matter your fitness goal – from maintaining an overall good body to competing in bodybuilding/physique/figure contests – chest flies are an invaluable exercise in any workout routine. As an isolation movement that targets pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles for strength-building and muscle growth, they can be done using dumbbells, barbells or machines – even helping you perform high-quality push ups more frequently by strengthening key muscle groups necessary for doing them more often!
The chest fly machine, also known as a pec deck or chest press, is one of the most effective exercises you can use to build your upper chest and front deltoids. It works the pectoralis major muscle as well as several others in your chest and arms – perfect for those suffering with shoulder problems as it doesn’t require extending arms at an angle. When setting up the machine properly it should have arm pads at or near chest height when sitting down – any lower than this places extra stress on shoulders which increases injury risk significantly.
An effective option for your chest workout is a dumbbell fly, which can be performed using light weights or resistance bands hooked around stable objects such as pillars. This exercise requires strong pec contractions to bring handles together at full extension; however, doing both the bench press and fly simultaneously may render this movement redundant as you have fully challenged both open and stretched positions of your muscles simultaneously.
For an effective chest-fly exercise, consider using a cable pulley machine with two cables and handle attachment. All chest fly variations work the three heads of your pectoralis major; however, placing cables differently can vary the challenge and focus on different areas of your chest. For greater emphasis on upper chest areas known as the clavicular head, set lower pulley settings while moving from low to high direction of motion.
Preparation
The chest fly (also referred to as pec fly) is an effective movement for anyone hoping to increase chest muscle size. As a single-joint exercise, this move targets all pectoral muscles without using pressing motions that could aggravate shoulder injuries and cause pain for some people – making it an excellent addition exercise when working around shoulder issues or looking to add volume to existing pressing workouts without straining shoulders too much.
Addition of this movement can help strengthen your pecs for a stronger bench press or improve the quality of your push-ups, as well as relieve lower back or shoulder discomfort.
Hanson notes that you can customize the angle of adduction to target different areas of the pectoralis major muscle. A higher adduction angle, such as with bench press exercises, emphasizes more the clavicular head; conversely a lower angle puts greater focus on its lower head–the sternal head–while your choice will ultimately determine your focus area for pec adduction exercises.
When performing the chest fly, it’s essential that you focus on both form and control in your movements. Going too fast or relying on momentum can cause your body to compensate by placing added strain on other muscles and joints; therefore it is best to perform each repetition slowly while maintaining good chest posture throughout.
For optimal back health during movement, it is a good idea to place the bench or chair so your feet stay on the floor as you do the movement. Engaging core muscle during this exercise may also help ensure your back stays flat in its neutral state as you perform it.
Whoever wishes to add this movement into their workout can do so as part of accessory exercises after heavier barbell bench presses, or as an alternative for dumbbell chest presses. Before adding new movements or increasing intensity of an existing routine, however, it would be prudent to consult your healthcare provider, particularly if working around any shoulder injuries.
