proper form for chest flies?

[Mr. dB]

When doing flies for chest, do you lock your elbows or bend them with forearms parallel?

 

[machine316]

elbows slightly bent watch the man himself

YouTube - Arnold Schwarzenegger Pumping Iron Dumbbell Fly

 

[Big_BK]

Make sure your really stick your chest out too, try and think about pinching your shoulder blades together, this is the one thing i always mess up.

 

[fortunatesun]

I agree with Big BK. In fact, I go ahead and set up like I'm getting ready to bench. (I'm a mostly flat bencher so it doesn't look too messed up ) I believe it really helps in giving me a good stretch and full ROM.

 

[cobracock1979]

+1 chest out shoulder blades tucked in with any flat-bench chest movement.

My 2c - cable flies are SO much more effective for me. I do a volume set (Omega style) on that (25reps,20,15,12,8,drop) with 45 seconds rest between sets. slow on the +ve and -ve.

The results have been superb.

 

[Mr. dB]

I instinctively do the shoulder blade tuck any time I lie face up on a bench. I'm asking about the elbows. I find I can do a lot more weight if I bend my elbows, keeping the forearms sort of parallel. I feel more of a stretch in my chest too. But I wonder if it's cheating.

 

[fortunatesun]

Bent elbows are good. Locked elbows will shift the stress to shoulders and arms which will also increase chances of those "I wasn't using heavy weight" injuries such as tendonitis. As usual, the correct method = the safe method.

 

[Mr. dB]

Bent elbows are good. Locked elbows will shift the stress to shoulders and arms which will also increase chances of those "I wasn't using heavy weight" injuries such as tendonitis. As usual, the correct method = the safe method.

That's what I thought. To me, with locked elbows, it seems to shift the stress from the chest to the forearms.

 

[crxdog]

Is there some other YouTube vids with good form we can look at?

 

[the_alcatraz]

elbows slightly bent...back arched slightly and chest pumped...concentrate on contrating the chest and moving the dumbells with your chest rather than feeling it in your biceps.

 

[Gawd]

Good to know. I always had my elbows a little bent cause it felt messed up with my elbows locked. Thought I was suppose to have them locked, lol.

 

[the_alcatraz]

Good to know. I always had my elbows a little bent cause it felt messed up with my elbows locked. Thought I was suppose to have them locked, lol.

locking ur elbows will cause you joint prbs in the long run.