Chest training tip:
WARNING – this might upset the Bros! Cable cross overs are great for the chest! Low pulley narrow cable crossovers are NOT. In fact they’re useless. To understand how to engage a muscle we need to look at what are the actions of it.
Chest does:
Horizontal shoulder adduction.
Shoulder extension from a flexed position.
Shoulder flexion from a HYPER EXTENDED position!!
Meaning that dipping works chest as we move our limbs to be in line with the torso. Once we go beyond that point and start flexing the shoulder, the front delt and long head of bicep take over. It’s why we move with momentum at the start as all of a sudden chest can’t help.
Pulling from high – in a shoulder hyper extended position is the same as hitting a most muscular.
Look at the attached anatomy video. You can see that the pec as a similar line of pull as front delt. However the big exception is that once the parts of pec major that are attached to the clavical are most flexed, when you start having your arms way out in front, the muscle begins to lengthen again.
If the pulleys were wide we are doing more horizontal shoulder flexion/adduction and that equals pec engagement. However narrow low pulley cross overs dont engage the chest past the anatomical position.
So try from up high. Imagine you’re the Incredible Hulk hitting a most muscular and feel chest get smashed.
