Arm adductions in a «butterfly» machine

It is best to bring your hands together completely. When spreading your arms to the sides, you can lean forward slightly to better stretch your chest.

Nuances and Mistakes

1. Your shoulders should be pressed against the back of the machine, and your shoulder blades should be squeezed together. Under no circumstances should you lift your shoulders and shoulder blades off the backrest, as this removes the load from the chest.

2. Your elbows should point out to the sides, not downwards. When you bring your hands together, it is advisable to straighten your elbows fully to achieve a stronger contraction of the chest. At the same time, imagine pushing the handles back. When you spread your arms, be sure to slightly bend your elbows, similar to how you would when performing dumbbell flyes lying down.

3. Adjust the seat height so that your grip is approximately at the level of the middle of your chest. A deviation of 10 cm up or down is acceptable, but no more. This will allow either the lower or upper part of your chest to work more, depending on the adjustment.

4. You should not spread your arms too wide. Ideally, your wrists should reach the level of your chest or stay slightly in front. This provides sufficient stretch for the chest. If your wrists go further back (beyond the plane of the chest), it can cause excessive stretching of the pectoral muscles.

5. This exercise is not fundamental. Therefore, it is perfect for targeting the chest after 1–2 fundamental exercises.

6. Do not chase heavy weights. If you cannot perform at least 8 clean repetitions, reduce the weight.