UPPER
PEC FLYS - CABLE CROSSOVER
 MPEG:
Cable Crossover flys
CORRECT FORM
1) Stand between
the cable-crossover machine with a lower 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 slightly in front of the other
for stability. Your palms should be facing in front of you.
2) Keeping the
elbows flexed slightly, pull the cables upward in a wide-arcing
motion. Pull them diagonally across your body and cross your forearms
as shown below.
3) At the top
of the movement, your palms should be facing behind you. Contract/squeeze/tighten
your pectorals. Return in the same manner keeping the elbows only
slightly flexed.
4) This exercise
can also be performed with one arm at a time:
4) Inhale as
you lower the cables back to their starting position, exhale as
you pull the cables upward.
MUSCLES
USED
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS
This is a very
common exercise on 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 portion of the pectoralis muscle.
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.
Because you
are starting from the waist level and then bringing the arms up
across your body, your shoulder is flexing. This will kick in your
upper pec muscles to a greater degree than other types of chest
fly exercises. Additionally, because you are able to cross your
arms, you will be able to work the inner chest to a greater degree.
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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