tilltheend
12-02-2011, 02:08 AM
Dumbbell Fly's: What They Are; What They Build, and How To Do Them
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Written by Jeff Behar
Dumbbell Fly's is an exercise that primarily develops the chest (Pectoralis Major).It allows you to work your chest without the assistance of the triceps.
Muscles Worked
Target Muscles
Pectoralis Major, Sternal
Synergists
Pectoralis Major, Clavicular
Deltoid, Anterior
Biceps Brachii, Short Head
Stabilizers
Biceps Brachii
Brachialis
Triceps Brachii
Wrist Flexors
Form There is a specific form to the dumbbell fly which reduces the chance of injury and maximally challenges the muscles of the chest.
Grasp two dumbbells.
Lie supine on bench.
Feet are kept flat on the floor, weight on the heels, lower leg perpendicular to the floor, with the buttocks always in contact with the bench. This prevents extreme arching of your lower back. Feet are kept flat on the ground or end of the bench a wide foot stance to increase stability on the bench.
Pinch the shoulder blades together to avoid recruiting the anterior deltoid during the lift.
Keep your chest up at all time. Don’t allow your chest to go flat or shoulders to roll forward. You’ll lose upper-back tightness, losing power & increasing risk of shoulder injury.
Support dumbbells above the chest with the arms fixed in a slightly bent position.
Internally rotate shoulders so elbows to the sides.
Lower dumbbells to sides until chest muscles are stretched with elbows fixed (locked in position, slightly bent). The important thing to remember is to have a slight bend in the elbows, have the palms facing up during the movement, and pull your shoulder blades back together when you lower the weight so it takes strain off the rotator cuff.
Bring dumbbells together in a hugging motion (like you are hugging a tree) until dumbbells are nearly together. Squeeze the pecs so that the shoulder blades should start moving away from each other because that is what the pecs do.
Repeat.
Common Errors
The following errors are potentially dangerous and can result in injury. Avoid them at all costs.
Not locking the elbows. You can pull ligaments and hurt your rotator cuff.
Possible Injuries Incorrect form may lead to multiple types of injuries including:
torn ligaments/tendons in shoulders.
back injuries due to bridging, which is the arching of the lower back turning the bench press into the decline press. To prevent bridging, compress the stomach muscles to force the lower back down, or bring legs up and flat onto the bench.
Variations
Variations are intended to work different subgroups of muscles, or work the same muscles in slightly different ways:
Angle - a dumbbell fly can be performed on an incline, on a decline, or on a stabilizer ball. The incline-version shifts some of the stress from the pectorals to the anterior deltoids and gives a greater stimulus to the upper pectorals, whereas the decline allows more weight to be lifted while using nearly the same musculature as the traditional bench press.
Angle variations include:
Incline Dumbbell Fly. From an incline bench. Emphasis shoulders and upper chest.
Decline Dumbbell Fly. From a decline bench. Allows more weight. Emphasizes more of the lower chest.
Volitional fatigue is the point in the set where you can't lift one more rep without cheating it up (using momentum, leaning way back, etc.).
Although there isn't a large body of research to prove that lifting EVERY set to volitional fatigue is necessary for maximal benefit, most strength and fitness (http://www.musclemagfitness.com/content/section/51/2350/) professionals would agree that when lifting weights (http://www.musclemagfitness.com/content/category/51/355/2350/) working to exhaustion changes muscle fibers in a way that leads to significant growth.
http://www.musclemagfitness.com/templates/da_fitness/images/emailButton.png (http://www.musclemagfitness.com/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=829&itemid=2335)
Written by Jeff Behar
Dumbbell Fly's is an exercise that primarily develops the chest (Pectoralis Major).It allows you to work your chest without the assistance of the triceps.
Muscles Worked
Target Muscles
Pectoralis Major, Sternal
Synergists
Pectoralis Major, Clavicular
Deltoid, Anterior
Biceps Brachii, Short Head
Stabilizers
Biceps Brachii
Brachialis
Triceps Brachii
Wrist Flexors
Form There is a specific form to the dumbbell fly which reduces the chance of injury and maximally challenges the muscles of the chest.
Grasp two dumbbells.
Lie supine on bench.
Feet are kept flat on the floor, weight on the heels, lower leg perpendicular to the floor, with the buttocks always in contact with the bench. This prevents extreme arching of your lower back. Feet are kept flat on the ground or end of the bench a wide foot stance to increase stability on the bench.
Pinch the shoulder blades together to avoid recruiting the anterior deltoid during the lift.
Keep your chest up at all time. Don’t allow your chest to go flat or shoulders to roll forward. You’ll lose upper-back tightness, losing power & increasing risk of shoulder injury.
Support dumbbells above the chest with the arms fixed in a slightly bent position.
Internally rotate shoulders so elbows to the sides.
Lower dumbbells to sides until chest muscles are stretched with elbows fixed (locked in position, slightly bent). The important thing to remember is to have a slight bend in the elbows, have the palms facing up during the movement, and pull your shoulder blades back together when you lower the weight so it takes strain off the rotator cuff.
Bring dumbbells together in a hugging motion (like you are hugging a tree) until dumbbells are nearly together. Squeeze the pecs so that the shoulder blades should start moving away from each other because that is what the pecs do.
Repeat.
Common Errors
The following errors are potentially dangerous and can result in injury. Avoid them at all costs.
Not locking the elbows. You can pull ligaments and hurt your rotator cuff.
Possible Injuries Incorrect form may lead to multiple types of injuries including:
torn ligaments/tendons in shoulders.
back injuries due to bridging, which is the arching of the lower back turning the bench press into the decline press. To prevent bridging, compress the stomach muscles to force the lower back down, or bring legs up and flat onto the bench.
Variations
Variations are intended to work different subgroups of muscles, or work the same muscles in slightly different ways:
Angle - a dumbbell fly can be performed on an incline, on a decline, or on a stabilizer ball. The incline-version shifts some of the stress from the pectorals to the anterior deltoids and gives a greater stimulus to the upper pectorals, whereas the decline allows more weight to be lifted while using nearly the same musculature as the traditional bench press.
Angle variations include:
Incline Dumbbell Fly. From an incline bench. Emphasis shoulders and upper chest.
Decline Dumbbell Fly. From a decline bench. Allows more weight. Emphasizes more of the lower chest.
Volitional fatigue is the point in the set where you can't lift one more rep without cheating it up (using momentum, leaning way back, etc.).
Although there isn't a large body of research to prove that lifting EVERY set to volitional fatigue is necessary for maximal benefit, most strength and fitness (http://www.musclemagfitness.com/content/section/51/2350/) professionals would agree that when lifting weights (http://www.musclemagfitness.com/content/category/51/355/2350/) working to exhaustion changes muscle fibers in a way that leads to significant growth.