Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip vs Incline Cable Flye

Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.

From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.

After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.

Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

To get yourself into the starting position, set the pulleys at the floor level (lowest level possible on the machine that is below your torso).

Place an incline bench (set at 45 degrees) in between the pulleys, select a weight on each one and grab a pulley on each hand.

With a handle on each hand, lie on the incline bench and bring your hands together at arms length in front of your face. This will be your starting position.

With a slight bend of your elbows (in order to prevent stress at the biceps tendon), lower your arms out at both sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep in mind that throughout the movement, the arms should remain stationary. The movement should only occur at the shoulder joint.

Return your arms back to the starting position as you squeeze your chest muscles and exhale. Hold the contracted position for a second. Tip: Make sure to use the same arc of motion used to lower the weights.

Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.