Seated Fly

Setup

1. 01Adjust the seat so the handles sit at mid-chest height.
2. 02Set the lever arms to a start position that stretches the chest without straining the shoulders.
3. 03Sit tall with the back and head against the pad.
4. 04Grip the handles with a slight bend in the elbows.

Execution

1. 01Brace lightly and pull the shoulder blades down and back.
2. 02Sweep the handles together in front of the chest with elbows slightly bent.
3. 03Squeeze the pecs hard for a beat when the handles meet.
4. 04Return under control until you feel a stretch across the chest.

Checkpoints

• -Elbow angle stays constant through the whole arc.
• -Upper back stays pinned to the pad.
• -Shoulders stay down, not shrugged toward the ears.
• -The stretch position is loaded but never painful.

Common mistakes

• -Turning the fly into a press by bending the elbows on the way in.
• -Letting the weight stack yank the arms back into an extreme stretch.
• -Lifting the torso off the pad to heave the handles together.
• -Using a range so deep the shoulders take over.