Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ValleyDude22 t1_j9uz9de wrote

Reply to comment by PokebannedGo in Website that allows you to visually select the muscle you'd like to target and suggests workouts based on your selection. by bethebumblebee

Can you explain? I don't understand

2

PokebannedGo t1_j9v9402 wrote

I'm 6 ft 135lb and I can pec fly 135lb for 8 reps.

I don't try to bench press, but I very much doubt I could bench 135lbs. It's not because of my chest muscles but because of stabilizer muscles and all the other muscles required to bench press.

A pec fly machine targets your pectoral muscles specifically. Lifting the 135lb is basically all pectoral muscle with the machine.

So if I didn't do the pec fly machine and just benched like 70lbs I'm not going to be pushing my pectoral muscles to their limits. I will be failing to get the weight up because of the other muscles.

Have you ever done a bicep curl machine? You can curl a lot more weight on it rather than trying to free weight curl. It's the same idea.

5

ValleyDude22 t1_j9vownn wrote

Ah, ok thanks! Which results in bigger biceps? Bench press or fly?

1

IncognitoSoup t1_j9vs4ny wrote

Neither. Bench press and chest fly are chest exercises - they do not train your biceps.

1

ValleyDude22 t1_j9vw7mu wrote

Oh that was a typo. I meant chest

1

byyourleavesir t1_j9vxdjl wrote

Bigger chest is function of training the whole pectoral. Put the opposite hand over one of your pectorals (left hand right pec).

Now use your hand to push down on a counter top (dip) and feel which part of your pec flexes compared to if you were to push against a wall (push up) compared to closing a door (pec fly).

You need to do multiple different types of exercise to get your pecs bigger and not looking... Weird...

But if you just want a thicc chest go for bench. If you want to look like the rock you need to bench, fly, dip, duck, dodge, and dive your way to mass.

7

ValleyDude22 t1_j9vw9sb wrote

Ah, ok thanks! Which results in bigger chest? Bench press or fly?

1

PokebannedGo t1_j9vz47v wrote

Muscles are all about work.

If you went to the gym and only did bench or only did pec fly, you'd get a larger chest with pec fly in the same amount of time. Because you're putting more work into your chest.

It's pec fly, big chest small arms, bench, small chest big arms.

But that's not saying that bench can't give you the same chest eventually

Because, when you get good at bench, you can focus on benching more with your chest, working your chest out more than you would if you're a beginner or novice using mostly your arms and shoulders to lift.

Best is to do both if you want a complete body

1

ValleyDude22 t1_j9w91ja wrote

Thanks

1

PokebannedGo t1_j9wdzvw wrote

No problem

Most people hate on machines, so keep that in mind

Your muscle is only going to get bigger if you push it

If I could bicep curl 100lbs on the bicep machine, my bicep isn't going to grow until I can bicep curl 100lbs+ in free weights. Bicep curling free weights of 75lb is working out other muscles in the arm but not going to make my bicep any bigger because it can already curl 100lb. I wouldn't be able to curl 80lbs not because of my bicep but because of the other muscles required for the free weight.

The debatable part is that you shouldn't be able to bicep curl 100lb and not be able to pick up a 50lb dumbell and curl it with free weights. If you're spending your time working out, doing a complex exercise can be more beneficial. Also you're working your stabilizer muscles which you can't on a machine.

Machines are a tool, and you have to be smart with them.

3