Dumbell Fly - Proper hand position?

[Max. Q]

Which is the proper motion in doing dumbell flys?

One:

Top - Palms facing together
Bottom - Palms facing up (towards sky/roof when laying on bench)


Two:

Top - Palms facing together
Bottom - Palms facing down (towards feet/knees when laying on bench)

or are both of those wrong?

 

[lina]

I do #1.

Have not seen #2 before.

 

[Mudge]

I think you can do it however you like it, #2 (bottom) sounds like it would be putting more load on the forearms though holding onto the dumbells, as well as the biceps a bit more.

 

[lina]

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/DBFly.html

 

[Max. Q]

By the way, I do #1. The reason I ask is because I've seen people do #2 at the gym a few year ago.

I thought I've seen the Austrian Oak explain a technique where he does it like #1 but with a small twist (pinkie fingers in) at the top.

 

[Dr. Pain]

Originally posted by Max. Q

I thought I've seen the Austrian Oak explain a technique where he does it like #1 but with a small twist (pinkie fingers in) at the top.

Yes, just at the top! Do that and you will feel an extra contraction from the inner Chest. Before someone criticizes that....isometrically try it, you will see what I mean!

 

[gopro]

Most of the time I will keep my palms facing at the top and at the bottom my palms will be facing the ceiling. However, I will occassionally use a version where my palms are facing foward at the top and bottom of the rep. It provides a very different feel and activates the chest a little differently. I will usually use this method on my lighter, higher rep training days as it can be hard on the shoulders with heavy weight.