CABLE
CROSSOVER FLYS
 MPEG:
Cable Crossover flys
CORRECT FORM
1) Stand between
the cable-crossover machine with a cable handle in each hand. Stand
in such a way that the cable lines are in front of you about 8-12
inches, rather than you being between them.
Place your feet
shoulder width apart and with one in front of the other for stability.
Your palms should be facing the floor.
2) Keeping the
elbows flexed slightly, pull the cables downward in a wide-arcing
motion. Bend slightly forward at the waist to allow room for the
handles to cross your body.
3) At the bottom
of the movement, your palms should be facing one another. Contract/squeeze/tighten
your pectorals. Return in the same manner keeping the elbows only
slightly flexed.
4) Inhale as
you raise the cables back, exhale as you pull the cables into your
body.
MUSCLES
USED
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS
This is a very
common exercise in which people sacrifice good form to lift excessive
weights. Lots of weight is for bench presses. Fly exercises allow
the pecs to be taken through their complete range-of-motion. Altering
your form will expose the pecs and the shoulders to injury.
If you have
shoulder pain with the movement, try limiting how high you allow
the cables to rise. This will help avoid excessive strain on the
top of the shoulder.
EFFECTIVENESS
This is an excellent
exercise for development of the upper, middle and lower pectoralis
muscles. It allows the pectorals to go through a wider range of motion
than the flat and dumbbell
bench press allow.
Because of this,
the muscle is stressed in its maximally lengthened state, where
it is not nearly as strong. You will be unable to perform the exercise
with as much weight. That is the limitation, if strength training
for sports is your goal.
This differs
from dumbbell flys
obviously because of the position your body is in. This position
might allow you to initiate the movement with the lower portion
of the pecs, giving them more work.
For bodybuilders,
some form of the fly exercise is exercise is absolutely essential
because of the completeness of range-of-motion it goes through.
HELPFUL
WITH TRAINING FOR
Bodybuilding,
Football, Baseball, Tennis, Raquetball, Martial arts, Boxing.
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