Bent Over Cable Press
Description
The bent over cable press is a rather advanced movement that requires a great deal of stability. The stabilization requirements are what makes the exercise so effective. The body meets the stability demands through the recruitment of additional stabilizing muscles. Also, it trains the muscle groups to work together as a kinetic chain. For example, during movement execution, muscle recruitment is not only limited to the chest and the triceps. Muscle contraction and stabilization demands are also placed on the core, the shoulder region, the legs, as well as other muscle groups. The bent over cable press makes a great pre-exhaustion superset finisher when combined with the standing cable crossover exercise.
Execution
- Select the appropriate weight and grasp a pulley cable attachment in each hand.
- Move both pulleys down to a point where you have your arms extended with knuckles facing the ground.
- Bend over at the hips while placing one leg forward and the other leg back for stability. Move the arms to a position that has your elbows in direct alignment with your wrists.
- Exhale and push both arms forward in a similar fashion to the technique used for the chest press.
- Inhale, flex at the elbows and return movement back to the position described in step 3.
- Repeat until desired number of repetitions are completed.
Exercise Ball Dumbbell Flies
Description
Performing flies while using an exercise ball increases the stability demand which in turn, increases both the muscle recruitment and the movement difficulty. All the same techniques that apply during the basic versions of the fly exercise also apply while using the exercise ball. Most notably, the elbows should be slightly bent and pointing downwards while the shoulders should be internally rotated. Also, by alternating the position of the torso on the exercise ball, you can manipulate the targeted region. For example, dropping the hips will place the body in a more favourable position to isolate the upper region of the chest.
Execution
- Sit in an upright position on the exercise ball with appropriately weighted dumbbells positioned atop your thighs.
- Step forward and drop the torso to a position that has the upper back placed atop the exercise ball. Press the dumbbells upward until they are directly above the chest.
- Either drop the hips or maintain knee-to-hip alignment. Your selection will determine the area of the chest in which you will be targeting.
- Inhale and in a controlled arcing motion, lower the arms to the sides until a stretch is felt within the chest.
- Exhale and while maintaining only a slight bent at the elbows, draw them back up to starting position. If it helps, visualize wrapping your arms around a thick tree branch.
- Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
Replacing the dumbbells with cables will keep constant resistance on the pectorals throughout all phases of the movement.