Dumbbell Flys

Technique Summary

Lay on a flat bench, dumbbells in hand. Form a straight line with your arms through your shoulders, maintaining a slight bent in your arm, palms facing up. Bring the weights up by squeezing your chest, exhale, bring the weight down, inhale.

Technique Details

As with other exercises, let’s first focus on what will hurt you. Going too far down is the most common way. Your upper arms should never go more than 10 degrees lower from making a straight line through your shoulders. Doing this exercise too quickly is another way to get hurt. Unless you want to tear your pecs, control the entire motion of the exercise. Do not use heavy weights. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't go heavier as you build your chest, but don't go heavy and sacrifice form. Maintain only a slight bent at your elbows. The greater the bent, the more this exercise is like a dumbbell press and not less like a dumbbell fly.

Dumbbell Press

Technique Summary

Lay on a flat bench dumbbells, in hand. Bring your elbows out forming a straight line, lower arm perpendicular to the floor. Bring the weight up, exhale, bring it down, inhale.

Technique Details

First let’s get the things that hurt you most out of the way. As with other exercises, do not lock out your elbows. This means bring the weights up, and straighten your arm up to and until the point where your elbows locks. Do not bring the weight down too far. That hurts your shoulders. Going down until your upper arms make a straight line with your back is sufficient. You can bring the weights slightly lower to get a stretch and extend the range of motion.

Bench Press

Technique Summary

Lay on the bench-press bench, feet flat on the floor. Grip the bar between elbow and shoulder width apart. Lower the bar onto your chest, inhale, push out, exhale.

Exercise Type: Compound
Primary Muscle: Pectoralis Major (with emphasis on middle chest)
Secondary Muscle: Triceps Brachii and Anterior Deltoid

Technique Details

The bench press is one of the most commonly used chest exercises. It is popular because it is very effective. First, let’s get the basics out of the way. Never lock out your elbows. This will help you avoid tendonitis and keep pressure on your chest throughout the exercise. Never rest the bar on your chest, or let the bar come in contact with your chest. Way too many people bounce the weight off to help themselves lift. Not only does that not help you develop your chest, but it is a pretty good way to hurt yourself. For all intents and purposes, you may as well bounce the weight off your head.