stupid question

[Twist]

This may sound like a stupid question buuuuut...

Is there a reason that your chest routine cannot be predominantly flys? like what does chest press accomplish that flys do not? it seems like you can get a greater stretch and much more isolation with flys. targeting each section of the chest is easier with flys. Also muscles do not have a mind of their own, they only know that they are contracting, so why does how they contract matter? Can someone explain this to me??

[Gaspari1255]

imo, flies are only gonna give you definition. All the pressing leads to mass.

[kickinit]

Yeah I have never seen flies give you mass, just definition as mentioned to your inner and outter chest, but bulk (in the middle) is all your pressing movements as mentioned again.

[ninesecz]

I think flyes can actually help with the buildiong of mass, but only for certain areas of the chest like mostly the inside of the chest. the pressing movement need to be done to build muscle cause those pressing movements get deep into the muscle tissues and fibers that the flyes just can not do. The reason is that you sould not do flyes heavy enough without pulling or tearing something

[Twist]

I mean why can't flyes build mass? The muscle contracts in both instances. why would press go deeper than flyes? why can't you go heavy with flyes? as long as you keep your form spot on and be prepared to drop the weight when you fail... in chest press another muscle group compensates. with flyes that cannot really happen (maybe go into a curl motion).

people say "I have never seen flyes give mass" but that is because nobody does flyes as a mass exercise. I mean why not? I have my own theories to this but I would like to hear other peoples opinions. Does anybody have any evidence?

[Cloe85]

husband says: flys with heavier weight will build mass, is also good for definition. he said he prodominatly did flys and built a lot of mass.

[Twist]

I might try to do a predominantly fly chest workout. I will tell you guys how it goes.

[FireGuy]

The ONLY thing that builds "definition" is cardio and diet.

[FireGuy]

To the OP, I incorporate fly's into my chest workouts all the time but the logic that you can replace pressing movements with them would not be good idea. You wouldnt think of doing only extensions and not squats for legs or only kickbacks for triceps.

[Twist]

FIREGUY! I was hoping you would chime in.

This is what I was thinking (roughly)
Incline chest press bb 3 sets 4,4,16

flat flyes (cable) 4 sets 4-6,4-6,4-6,16

Decline flyes 4 sets 8,8,8,8

[FireGuy]

FIREGUY! I was hoping you would chime in.

This is what I was thinking (roughly)
Incline chest press bb 3 sets 4,4,16

flat flyes (cable) 4 sets 4-6,4-6,4-6,16

Decline flyes 4 sets 8,8,8,8

As long as you keep at least one basic press movement in as you mentioned you should be fine. You can switch that up simply by switching to incline fly's and flat presses too and/or switch to decline presses now and then. The reps are tad low for my taste but then again your joints and tendons are probably in much better condition than mine.

[Darksyde]

mass creates mass.


definition is a function of bodyfat.

[Older lifter]

The power movement for pec's is a pushing movement,, for full development you need the power moves and the defining movements

[eatrainrest]

The ONLY thing that builds "definition" is cardio and diet.

thank you.

[eatrainrest]

As long as you keep at least one basic press movement in as you mentioned you should be fine. You can switch that up simply by switching to incline fly's and flat presses too and/or switch to decline presses now and then. The reps are tad low for my taste but then again your joints and tendons are probably in much better condition than mine.

regardless of age using cables in the 4 rep max range would not be my recommendation, but rather compound movements liek the bench press would be better off implementing that low of rep range.

[Twist]

So is there a reason that most people do predominantly press movements with a touch of flyes and not the other way around?