The machine fly is a weight-training exercise that isolates the pectoralis and anterior deltoid muscles, performed on a pectoral fly machine. It allows for rapid gains in pectoral strength and endurance, but limits progress in stabilizing musculature. Variations can be performed with or without the machine.
A flying machine is a machine-assisted weight-training exercise that isolates the pectoralis and anterior deltoid muscles. Also known as the chest fly, the machine fly is performed in a seated position, with your back pressed firmly vertically against the seat at a 90-degree angle to the floor. The fly machine is a simple exercise that requires fluid movement of both arms simultaneously. To perform the exercise in a seated upright position, a specific machine is required, but a chest fly performed while seated on a training bench will produce similar results with the use of simple barbells.
The movement of a flying machine is designed to focus the effort of the exercise directly on the pectoral and front shoulder muscles. Unlike a free weight exercise, the machine-assisted aspect of the machine fly allows the user to perform the exercise without training or straining the smaller stabilizer muscles in the biceps and triceps. The advantage of this is that the user will see rapid gains in pectoral strength and endurance. One drawback is that the stabilizing musculature also does not progress, which limits the overall performance gains for the user.
The fly machine is performed on a pectoral fly machine that limits the user’s range of motion. The pectoral fly machine consists of a tall vertical beam, with twin arms at a 90 degree angle to each other, one on the left and one on the right. Attached to the front of the beam is a flat seat with a rigid, upright back. At the top of the beam is a pulley with cables attached to the arms and weight plates located behind the seat.
To perform a machine flight, the user sits on the seat with their back pressed firmly against the backrest. Each arm operates one arm of the machine. In a single movement, the user brings both arms of the machine from the rest position at their sides to a point directly in front of them. The pulley system attached to each arm lifts the selected number of weights at the rear of the machine.
There are several variations of the machine flight that can be performed, both with and without the machine. With the chest fly machine, the user can vary the weight, number of repetitions, and range of motion for one or both arms of the machine. The user can also swing one of the arms at a time to increase isolation to one side of the pecs or the other. The user can also use free weights to perform a resting chest fly while sitting on an incline or incline bench. A free weight fly consists of exactly the same movement as a machine assisted fly, but the free weight variation incorporates the use of the smaller stabilizer muscles as well.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
