pectoral fly form

meerkat70

I wondered if anyone had tips on keeping form good for this? I can't see in the mirror while lying on my back, and worry I'm flailing like a turkey. (My dad who works with me says it looks ok but I'm never completely sure!)

IronSmasher

Explain to him that you don't trust that he knows what he's on about, and get him to film you.

If you do some incline flyes, you should be able to see, not that checking the mirror is good form,

Raynne413

One thing I've read is to keep your palms facing your feet, and not each other, because it creates less risk of shoulder impingement (especially for women).

ninerbuff

Think of "hugging" a tree. If you can't do it with the weights you have now, then lower the weight.

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Determinednoob

You probably don't need to be doing them, but you can have someone video you doing them so you can check your form that way.

IronSmasher

I've read that too, but women weren't mentioned. I was linked with the unfavourable position forced by pec decks.

'Clinking' the weights together at the top greatly increases risk of head injury, and concentrate on not lowering your elbows too far.

meerkat70

Ok so palms facing each other is wrong? Hand movements should be kind of thumbs going towards each other? That would help I suspect as my hypermobile elbows have a habit of overextending when I do flies!

IronSmasher

Yes, and it's more to do with the migration of the humerus with weak rotator cuff muscles that runs the risk of impingement, another thing you should pay particular attention to.

I'm not sure if that would affect hyper-mobility of the elbow positively or negatively.

Edit to add: but as I've said, you should be keeping a healthy bend in your elbow to avoid this, plus following Ninerbuff's weight selection advice.

dane11235813

You probably don't need to be doing them, but you can have someone video you doing them so you can check your form that way.

i'll second this. i'd sub in pushups instead.

meerkat70

I already do pushups. I've always liked flies....:)

meerkat70

Yes, and it's more to do with the migration of the humerus with weak rotator cuff muscles that runs the risk of impingement, another thing you should pay particular attention to.

I'm not sure if that would affect hyper-mobility of the elbow positively or negatively.

Edit to add: but as I've said, you should be keeping a healthy bend in your elbow to avoid this, plus following Ninerbuff's weight selection advice.

I've been keeping the bend - I'll change hand placement. I haven't had shoulder issues since getting off the fly machine so clearly making some progress with form :-)

Determinednoob

I already do pushups. I've always liked flies....:)

If you like them that is fine, but they are more of an exercise to actually increase the size of your pecs vs get stronger.

A) I'm guessing you are eating a deficit, so you are't going to get bigger.

Women aren't usually looking to get huge pecs. If you are that is fine, just that it isn't a goal of most women.

If you want to lift weights for your chest, I'd recommend bench press or dumbbell presses.

IronSmasher

I already do pushups. I've always liked flies....:)

Why? Flies are dirty!

meerkat70

Surely both flyes and bench target pecs? Why would one build strength while the other builds mass? I'm not clear how that works?

I do bench already. Love that too.

Determinednoob

Surely both flyes and bench target pecs? Why would one build strength while the other builds mass? I'm not clear how that works?

I do bench already. Love that too.

Not 100% but for the most part isolation exercises are used with higher rep range for more sie gain while compound lifts are used for strength gain. Compounds can also be used for mass gain with higher rep. It is a lot harder to build strength with lower range isos though.