Are you tired of constantly feeling tension in your upper chest while doing traditional bench presses? Have you hit a plateau in your chest muscle development? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many people struggle to effectively engage their upper chest muscles when performing chest workouts, but there’s a solution: resistance band high chest flys. The culprit for this problem is often the inability to fully stretch and contract the upper chest muscles during a bench press. But incorporating resistance band high chest flys into your workout routine can provide the needed stretch and contraction to improve upper chest muscle activation and growth. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the benefits of resistance band high chest flys and provide tips on how to properly perform this exercise.
Resistance Band High Chest Flys Summary
- Primary Muscles: Pectoralis Major – Sternal
- Secondary Muscles: Latissimus Dorsi, Pectoralis Major – Clavicular, Pectoralis Minor, Rhomboids
- Equipment: Resistance band and door anchor
- Mechanics Type: Isolation
- Force: Push
- Utility: Auxiliary
Resistance Band High Chest Flys Instructions
- Attach the resistance bands to your anchor point above head level.
- Grab the handles with both your hands while facing away from the anchor point.
- Step out with you arms straight out to your sides until the bands are tight while bending at your waist to about 45-degrees.
- Now, bring the band handles together in a hugging motion directly in front of your knees while maintaining your elbows in a fixed position.
- You should only be hinging at your shoulders, and you should be utilizing your lower chest to pull the handles together.
- Finally, complete the rep by allowing your arms to return to your side while stretching out your lower chest
- Repeat your high flys for 8-12 reps.
Video Tutorial
Resistance Band High Chest Flys Muscles
Target (Agonist)
- Pectoralis Major, Sternal
Synergists
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Pectoralis Major – Clavicular
- Pectoralis Minor
- Rhomboids
Dynamic Stabilizers
- None
Stabilizers
- Biceps Brachii
- Brachialis
- Obliques
- Rectus Abdominis
- Triceps Brachii
- Wrist Flexors
Antagonist Stabilizers
Benefits of Resistance Band High Chest Flys
The Resistance Band High Chest Flys exercise is a great way to strengthen the pectoralis major – sternal muscle. This exercise targets the chest and shoulders while also engaging the core, making it a great full-body exercise. The resistance band provides an added resistance which helps to build strength and muscular endurance, and it can also be used to increase difficulty as you progress. This exercise can help improve posture and stability, as well as increase range of motion in the shoulder joint. The increased resistance provided by the band makes it easier to target the pectoralis major – sternal muscle, making this a great exercise for those looking to increase their overall chest and shoulder strength.
Tips for Performing Resistance Band High Chest Flys
When you wish to have, the optimal improvement implement these easy tips. Most Importantly, if you desire to minimize the chance of injuries, abide by these tips.
- Add More Bands To Multiply The Workout. If you find that you can easily perform 12 or more reps every exercise, then you want to raise the level of resistance. You can either do this by elongating the band further at the outset of the action or by attaching more bands. The favored process is to add some more bands since it is readily repeatable to obtain a similar resistance on every set.
- Complete The Proper Quantity Of Sets With Rest. Your target, to begin with, might be to do 3 sets to near fatigue. Although, you can increase to 5 sets. If your muscle tissue isn’t exhausted at the conclusion of 3 – 5, something needs to change. Initally, you can increase the resistance to make each rep harder. Second, you can decrease the rest time in between your sets.
- Always Keep Your Stomach Flexed. For most exercises, you will need to help support your back by flexing your stomach to raise your inner pressure around your backbone.
Benefits and Tips Video
Frequent Mistakes To Avoid
You should avoid these standard mistakes to support great form and improved fitness. Llikewise
- Don’t have unmatched resistance on each side, because you will strengthen both sides with an imbalance.
- Don’t relax your stomach. Flexing your abs protects your spinal column by maintaining your internal pressure.
- Don’t Allow Yourself To Cheat. In the majority of the time, cheating is utilizing momentum as a substitute for the strength of your primary muscle tissue. Occasionally, a bit cheating on your final rep can be beneficial to overload your muscle, although not for more than one or two reps.
Find More Resistance Band Exercises Here
Variations and Complementary Exercises
If you are looking for ways to vary your chest workout, there are plenty of different options. The following list provides variations, complementary and alternative exercises for Resistance Band High Chest Flys that will help you target the same muscles.
Resistance Band Flys
Resistance Band Flys are an excellent complementary exercise to Resistance Band High Chest Flys. This exercise works the same muscles as the High Chest Flys, but it focuses more on the upper back and shoulder muscles. It is a great alternative for those who don’t have access to a gym or don’t have the space for traditional chest flys. Resistance Band Flys can be done with either one or two bands and can be done with a wide range of motion to target different areas of the body. This exercise is also beneficial for those with shoulder pain, as it places less stress on the shoulder joint than traditional flys.
Resistance Band Chest Press
The Resistance Band Chest Press is an excellent complementary or alternative exercise to the Resistance Band High Chest Flys. The Chest Press works the chest, shoulders, and triceps muscles in a similar way as the High Chest Flys but in a different plane of motion. This exercise increases strength and endurance while engaging the core muscles for balance and stability. The Chest Press also helps to promote better posture while increasing range of motion. It is a great exercise for those looking to increase their strength and muscle tone without adding too much stress on the body.
Resistance Band Push Ups
Resistance Band Push Ups are a great alternative or complementary exercise to Resistance Band High Chest Flys. This exercise allows you to work the same muscles, but with a different movement. By using a resistance band, you can add tension and focus more on your chest muscles as you push up. The added resistance makes the exercise more challenging and helps to strengthen your chest and arms. Resistance Band Push Ups can also help to improve your overall muscular endurance, so you can perform more reps and sets of the High Chest Flys.
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Resistance Band Low Chest Flys
Resistance Band Low Chest Flys are an effective exercise that works the chest and shoulder muscles in a similar way to Resistance Band High Chest Flys. The difference is that Low Chest Flys involve bringing the arms out in front of the body at a lower angle, which places more emphasis on the chest muscles. This exercise can be used as a complement to Resistance Band High Chest Flys or as an alternative when performing chest exercises with resistance bands. Low Chest Flys help to strengthen and tone the chest muscles, while also helping to improve posture, balance and overall strength.
Close Grip Push Up On Knees
The Close Grip Push Up On Knees is an excellent alternative or complementary exercise to the Resistance Band High Chest Flys. This exercise works the chest and triceps muscles by having the arms close together on the ground as you push up and down. It also helps to engage the core to keep the body stable. This exercise can be done with or without added weight and is a great way to target both the chest and triceps muscles. It is a great alternative for those who want to work their chest and triceps without using resistance bands, or who want to add extra challenge to their workout routine.
Close Grip Push Up
The Close Grip Push Up is a great complementary exercise for Resistance Band High Chest Flys. It works the same muscles, including the chest, shoulders, and triceps, but from a different angle. This variation of the Push Up requires you to place your hands closer together than the traditional Push Up. This changes the focus of the exercise to more effectively target the chest and shoulders. Plus, by engaging more of the triceps, Close Grip Push Ups can be an effective alternative exercise to Resistance Band High Chest Flys.
Find More Chest Exercises Here
Opposing Complementary Exercises
For a well-rounded workout, combine Resistance Band High Chest Flys with exercises that target the opposing muscle groups. For example, you can do pull-ups or bent-over rows to work your back muscles, and chest presses or triceps extensions to work your arm muscles. Additionally, you can add core exercises like planks or mountain climbers for an extra challenge. Try these exercises to complete your workout:
Bent Over Dumbbell Row
The Bent Over Dumbbell Row is a great complementary exercise to the Resistance Band High Chest Flys. This exercise works the opposing muscle group, targeting the back muscles and strengthening the upper body. With the Bent Over Dumbbell Row, you will be working your lats, traps, rhomboids, and rear delts to help improve your posture and overall strength. This exercise can be done with both light and heavy dumbbells depending on your fitness level. By performing both exercises together, you can achieve a balanced upper body workout that will help strengthen both your chest and back muscles.
Seated Underhand Cable Row
The Seated Underhand Cable Row is a great exercise to pair with the Resistance Band High Chest Flys, as it works the opposing muscle group. The Seated Underhand Cable Row targets the back muscles, which are important for maintaining proper posture and helping to prevent injury. This exercise involves sitting on a bench or chair and gripping a cable pulley with both hands. From there, you pull the pulley towards your chest and then slowly release it back to the starting position. This exercise is perfect for working the back muscles and providing balance to the chest muscles worked by the Resistance Band High Chest Flys.
Inverted Row
Inverted Rows are a great complement to Resistance Band High Chest Flys as they work the opposing muscle group. By performing this exercise, you can target your back muscles and strengthen your upper body in a way that is complementary to the chest flys. The inverted row allows for a full range of motion, meaning you can strengthen and stretch your back muscles at the same time, helping to prevent any imbalances or injuries from developing. You can also add resistance bands to increase the difficulty of the exercise, which can help you further develop your back muscles.
Level Up Your Chest Game With Resistance Band High Chest Flys!
Looking to level up your chest game? Look no further than resistance band high chest flys! This exercise is a great way to target your chest muscles and add variety to your workout routine. Not only does it increase your strength, but it also helps improve your posture and balance. With the added resistance of a band, you’ll be challenging yourself in new ways and seeing results in no time. So, add resistance band high chest flys to your next workout and feel the burn!
References: Wikipedia | ExRx.net | PubMed.gov | Comprehensive List of Chest Resistance Band Exercises
