When it comes to training chest, a lot of lifters focus on bench presses and do little else. The bench press is, of course, a classic exercise that should be in the routine of any serious lifter. However, don’t neglect your upper chest. What's the best way to target this area? Incline presses and dumbbell incline flyes! In this edition of Exercise Breakdown, we’ll cover this exercise, give you a sample routine, and provide 5% Nutrition supplement suggestions.
What Are Dumbbell Incline Flyes?
Dumbbell Incline Flyes are an isolation exercise that targets the upper chest. Rich was a big believer in hitting the upper chest first in his workouts. This makes sense because, as noted, the upper chest can lag behind if lifters only focus on flat pressing or fly movements.
Muscles Worked
Dumbbell Incline Flyes target the pectoralis major (clavicular), or upper chest. Synergists are the middle chest (pectoralis major (sternal), anterior deltoid, and the biceps brachii (short head). Stabilizers are the wrist flexors, triceps brachii, biceps brachii, and the brachialis.(1)
Exercise Form
Form is key in this exercise. First, limit your incline to about 30 degrees. Any higher and it becomes an anterior deltoid exercise. The fly motion is a wide arc, keeping your elbows bent. Don't try to go heavy on these. Instead, stick with the advice Rich gave: moderate weight, higher reps, and go for the pump.
Variations
Variations of this exercise include cable incline flys, resistance-band or low-cable variations, and angle variations. Angle refers to how you position the dumbbells, for example, facing each other or facing slightly out. With bands and cables, you can lie on a bench or perform a standing low-to-high fly.
Sample Routine
Here’s a routine inspired by Rich. The focus is, of course, on the upper chest:
- Smith Machine Incline Press for 5 sets, with reps of 25, 20, 15, 12, 10
- Incline Dumbbell Flyes for 5 sets with reps of 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 *use a 30-degree incline on these
- Flat Cable Flys for 5 sets with reps of 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 *substitute dumbbells for cables as needed
- Smith Machine Bench Press for 5 sets with reps of 30, 25, 20,15, 12 using moderate weight
- Incline Cable Flyes for 3 sets with reps of 25-30 for each set *note the higher reps and lower weight for burnouts
Performance Notes
When performing incline dumbbell flyes, avoid touching the dumbbells at the top. This allows you to keep constant tension on the upper pecs. Perform your reps slowly and in a controlled manner. Take 2 seconds to lift the weight, 4 seconds to lower it, and pause at the fully stretched position for 3 seconds.
Don’t Forget 5% Nutrition
As mentioned, Rich believed in training with moderate weights and higher reps to get a great pump. Of course, 5% Nutrition has the supplements to help amplify your pump. Here's your stack: Full AF, Kill It RTD, and Core Pump. If you want an even more outrageous pump, add Core L-Citrulline 3000. This will be the pump of your life!
Of course, for maximum muscle growth, you'll need protein. We have the answer- delicious Shake Time, our real-food protein powder. There’s also Real Carbs + Protein, the perfect post-workout shake. To help completely digest these shakes, try Digestive Defender. For the ultimate stack, add 5% Core Creatine Monohydrate. We're here to support all of your sports nutrition needs.
