In today’s article we will learn about the best chest fly exercises. Our fast-paced lifestyle has unknowingly pushed us towards some diseases, which can have very fatal consequences in the future. Working on a computer while sitting for a long time causes great harm to the joints of the back and hips. But there is another truth that talking on the phone for a long time and sitting for meetings causes great harm to the joints of the upper body.
We may not realize it, but our body endures many adverse conditions throughout the day. Be it lifting heavy objects or sitting in one position for a long time, it is very harmful for our muscles. However, it is not that these problems do not have solutions. Studies show that problems arising from poor lifestyle can be overcome by including regular exercise in daily lifestyle.
The upper body contains many major muscles such as the shoulders, chest, back, arms and core. It is difficult even for professionals to do all these exercises at the same time. However, with good technique and a few exercises you can activate multiple muscle groups at once. Exercises performed for multiple muscle groups at the same time are known as compound exercises. Yogic practices are beneficial in many ways. This allows exercises to target multiple muscles at the same time, which saves time and also increases calorie burn during these exercises.
Bench fly also known as chest fly is one of the very beneficial exercises in many ways. During this exercise, most parts of the upper body like chest, shoulders and arms get exercised. This exercise is also easy, but with time it becomes relatively difficult as you start gaining weight. The chest fly exercise does not require much equipment, it can be done with just a pair of dumbbells and a bench. The bench can also be flat, inclined or declined. This is a very beneficial exercise for the chest muscles. However, it is a little more difficult if you do the incline or decline fly exercise compared to a flat bench. If you are just in the beginning stages of exercise, machine fly or flat bench fly can do the exercises.
Types of chest fly exercise
Chest fly exercise can be done mainly in four ways. However, this depends on how you have the bench positioned.
- Flat Bench Chest Fly: This is the easiest exercise of chest fly, during this exercise all the muscles of chest, arms and shoulders come into active form. If this exercise is done correctly, it also strengthens the core.
- Incline Bench Chest Fly
- Decline Bench Chest Fly
- machine fly
Benefits of doing chest fly exercise
Chest fly exercise is one of the best exercises to strengthen the chest muscles. During this exercise, the entire chest muscles become active and the muscles of the arms and shoulders also get strengthened. Apart from this, chest fly exercise is also a good exercise for the muscles of the upper body such as deltoids (the muscles of the upper part of the shoulders, where the joints of the shoulders and arms meet) and triceps (the back of the arms). This exercise is considered beneficial in developing the chest. This not only increases the size of the chest muscles, it also strengthens the upper part of the body.
This exercise can be done with dumbbells and a bench at home. However, this exercise can be performed in a variety of ways to target different parts of the chest muscles. To target the upper part of the chest, you are suggested to do incline bench fly, while for the lower part, you are suggested to do decline bench fly. Whereas if you do chest fly exercise with a flat bench, it affects all the muscles of the chest.
Correct way to do chest fly exercise
It is very important to do proper warm-up before starting any type of exercise , this can protect yourself from any kind of injury. So keep in mind, before starting any exercise, do some warm-up exercises so that the muscles of the joints and the muscles you are targeting come into active state. For this you can do low intensity and low weight exercises. For example, if you are doing chest related exercises, then before that you can do exercises like chest extension, push-ups , arm-stretch and shoulder rotation.
Which muscles are exercised?
- Chest
- shoulder
- triceps
what equipment is required
- a pair of dumbbells
- Flat Bench, Incline Bench or Decline Bench
- pace fly machine
Who can do this exercise?
- From beginners to professionals
set and wrap
- 3 sets of 10-15 reps
way to exercise
- First of all, lie down on your back on a flat bench and take dumbbells in both hands.
- Keep your head and shoulders flat against the bench and have a neutral grip (palms facing each other) on the dumbbells.
- Now bring the hands upwards, close to each other and keep them steady.
- After this, slowly bring the dumbbell downwards. During this, the outstretched arms and chest should be in a straight line.
- Remain in this position for a few seconds. After this come back to the initial position. It’s a rap.
Tip: Usually, people also lift their neck while lifting weight. Don’t do this at all. This increases the risk of neck pain or injury.
Incline Bench Chest Fly
The major differences between incline and flat bench fly exercises are the muscles targeted and the angle of the bench. Set the bench at a 45-degree incline to target the upper body. Lie on your back with your head facing the same direction as the bench. After this, do the same exercise which was done during flat bench fly.
Decline Bench Chest Fly
It is targeted to the lower chest during exercise. This exercise is similar to the flat bench chest fly. However, in this the bench has to be set downwards at an angle of 45 degrees. Trap your feet in the roller pad on the higher part of the bench and during this your head will be downwards.
Pace Fly (Butter-Fly) Exercise
Set the seat of the machine according to your height. Make sure the handles of the machine are parallel to your shoulders. Hold both the handles with the help of palms.
- Stick your chest out and keep your back straight.
- Applying force on both the handles, pull them and make them touch each other.
- Hold for a few seconds and then slowly lower the handle to the starting position. It’s a rap.
- During this exercise the center of your chest is affected.
Tip : Do not bend the elbows during the entire exercise. If there is unnecessary pressure on the shoulders, take the help of a trainer, so that you can know the right way to exercise.
Common errors and precautions during chest fly exercise
Lifting heavy weights helps in building and developing more muscles and is also beneficial in removing fat. However, it is more important to do the exercise correctly than lifting heavy weight. People usually make these mistakes during chest fly exercise.
- If you find it difficult to extend your arms too much, it is advisable to reduce the weight of the dumbbells. Apart from this, you can practice stretching your hands by taking the help of a trainer or any of your friends in the gym. Try to extend your hands as far as you can, until your arms reach shoulder level.
- Try to keep your core muscles in an active state throughout the exercise. For this, keep your stomach slightly pulled in, so that your back remains completely stuck to the bench.
- Do not rotate the dumbbells too much, there is a risk of injury to your joints. Keep breathing normally during the exercise.
- Exercise with restraint and at a slow pace is more beneficial. Don’t rush through repetitions just to complete the set. do it slowly.
- Most important: Lift weight according to your capacity. Take a dumbbell with a weight that does not cause much difficulty to you.
- As anyone can do this exercise, check with your doctor beforehand if you have any chronic disease. Exercise can have many benefits for people suffering from chronic disease, but if you feel discomfort or pain while exercising, listen to your body and stop immediately.
Consider these things also
Chest fly exercise is very beneficial for chest width and muscle development. Whether you want to increase chest muscles or reduce the harmful effects of sitting at a desk most of the time, this exercise is beneficial in both cases. This exercise gives the necessary strength to your chest, shoulders and arms, so that you can remain energetic throughout the day. Start this exercise with a flat bench fly or machine fly. As you become comfortable with the exercises, start practicing incline and decline chest fly exercises as well. This ensures that your upper, lower and middle chest are being exercised in a balanced manner.
You can practice all three exercises: flat bench, incline and decline bench fly on the same day. Along with this, you can also do pull over exercise on the same day, which benefits your chest, arms and shoulders. It is also important to bring the muscles to a calm state by stretching after exercise. Initially you may experience muscle pain after a few hours or a day of this exercise. But don’t worry, this is normal. Make sure you do light weight exercises the next day to get rid of the pain.
