TRAIN DO WORK
INCLINE DUMBBELL
PRESS
Throwing a mild
incline into the mix allows
for greater range of motion
to attack the chest muscles
far more effectively than the
standard bench. Moreover,
not having your hands
tethered to a bar in a fixed
position allows the wrists
and elbows to move freely
as the rep progresses. This
can prove to be a shoulder-
saver over time, especially
for longer-armed lifters.
TIP
As you lower the dumbbells and
press them back up, keep your
upper arms at roughly 45 degrees
to your torso, elbows pointed
slightly forward. This will help
you generate more power and
also relieve unnecessary stress on
the shoulder joints to help reduce
risk of injury risk.
CABLE CHEST FLYES
Traditionally the
chest fly has been a part
TIP
You can
vary the
point in
front of you
where your
hands meet.
50 MUSCLE MEMORY
of the mainstream body-
building tradition since the
70s when the movement I-
Want-Big-Pecs-Like-Ar-
nie was born. On pa-
per, the chest fly isolates the
pectoral muscles and
makes them work directly
without limitations induced
by the anterior deltoids and
the triceps, which are the
other primary movers during
pressing exercises. That’s
why chest flyes are usually
done as a finisher or a pre-
exhausting exercise. If your
gym has twin cable stations,
the standing cable fly is a
great option for isolating the
chest.
| DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019
PLYOMETRIC
PUSH-UPS
Push -ups have been around
for ages, and are a widely embraced
movement to test upper body strength
and fitness. While plyometric push-ups
are mainly seen in ego-driven push up
contests, they do stimulate physiologi-
cal and neurological adaptations in the
muscle due to the plyometric nature
of this exercise that causes different
contraction speeds and force outputs.