What Cable
It can also be easier on the shoulders for some people. For overall chest development, flat bench flies are often considered better. For targeting the upper chest, inclined flies are more effective. Incorporating both variations into your routine can provide a well-rounded chest workout.
The incline dumbbell fly works the pectoralis major, particularly focusing on the clavicular head which is also known as the upper chest. The deltoids and triceps are also engaged to help stabilise the movement.
The Cable Incline Bench Press and Incline Cable Fly is a great way to target the fibers of the upper chest.
If you've been lifting for a while, you know that incline bench exercises reign supreme when it comes to upper–chest activation. The great thing about the incline dumbbell fly is that in addition to activating the upper pectoralis major, it also works the anterior deltoid muscles and biceps.
For maximum development of the upper chest muscles while performing an incline bench press, setting the incline bench at a 30-degree angle from flat is ideal. This position effectively emphasizes the upper chest while reducing engagement of the front deltoids during the exercise.
The chest fly machine is ideal for increasing chest strength and muscle mass by targeting the pectoralis muscles. You have two pectoral muscles on each side of the front of your chest: the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor.
Dumbbell Chest Fly - Note: The incline of the bench is preference - slightly higher or lower isn't necessarily wrong. The main takeaway is to control every rep and focus on driving your biceps into your pecs rather than just thinking about bringing dumbbells/hands together.
They're hunched over and their chest is not in the optimal position adduct the arms. 2. They are keeping their elbows bent during the concentric so they limit the range of motion. Address these two things and you'll feel your chest way much more on pec deck flyes.
There's an easy fix for this, though, using a technique that allows you to focus your machine flyes on your upper chest. First, move your hands up so they're placed high on the handles. They should be even with your ears or higher—a position that will mimic the motion of an incline flye.
Emphasizing your lower chest is vital for the overall appearance and functionality of the pectorals. The lower chest muscle fibers are more active during specific movements, which means two things: First, we can emphasize the lower portion through better exercise selection.
What Cable Flyes Work The Upper Chest? All cable flyes work the upper chest to some degree, but low to high cable flyes place a greater emphasis on the clavicle head. Set the cables on their lowest setting and pull them upwards to bring them in front of the body at chest height.
You can target the upper chest muscles by lowering the cables and doing a Low-To-High cable crossover where the arms' starting position is below your waist and their finishing position is above the collar bones.
Most chest exercises work the entire chest and even include some other upper body muscles, but if you want to achieve upper chest growth, you'll need to use exercises that preferentially hit the upper portion of the chest muscle fibers such as an incline barbell bench press, an upper chest dip or a jammer press.
The best incline bench press angle for strength gains and muscle growth in the upper chest is 30 degrees. While some lifters make the mistake of adjusting to a 15 or 45-degree angle, research shows that the influence of bench angle on the upper pecs is greatest at a 30 degree position.
The low-to-high cable fly is a phenomenal chest finisher, specifically targeting the upper chest or the clavicular fibers of the pectoralis major. The unique angle of this exercise effectively isolates and emphasizes the upper chest, giving you that well-defined, sculpted look.
Bench Press
But you can't avoid the exercise if you're serious about training—or even if you just step foot into any typical strength facility in the world. The move is standard for a reason: it works.
The upper chest may ignored completely if workouts are focused on middle and lower chest movements such as bench press, crossovers, dips etc. This is especially prominent if the incline is left until the end, where energy levels will be low.