Secret Exercise 4

One of the most unique exercises for developing the muscle mass in the upper pectorals is one that former IFBB Mr. Olympia Larry Scott used for a fast pec pump when he trained at Vince’s Gym in North Hollywood (when preparing for his Mr. Olympia wins). The exercise is called Hanging Ring Flyes. The rings themselves are the type used in gymnastics competition, covered in leather. They are each secured to a rope or heavy nylon strap which is mounted into a ceiling beam or joist as support. The rings are suspended shoulder-width apart at about the same height off the floor as the height of a typical exercise bench (18 inches).

 

Now position a flat exercise bench approximately three-quarters of the length of your body from the hanging rings but in line with them. You are now ready to get into starting position.

 

a) Kneeling on the floor with the end of the bench behind you and the rings in front of you, grasp the inside of each ring with a palms-forward position.  Bring them close to the front of the upper torso, down near the low sternal pec and upper to mid ab region as depicted in the illustration. If you have taken the correct position, the rings will be in contact with the back of your lower arms. Keep your arms almost locked out but with a very slight elbow bend.

 

b) Walking backwards while holding onto the rings, place your toes securely on top of the flat bench – feet wide enough apart (6 to 12 inches apart) for good balance.

 

c) While bending your knees slightly, keep your upper torso rigid. Slowly begin to initiate an inverted or prone flying motion (just the opposite of supine bent-arm dumbbell flyes) by lowering your body, face downward, in a sloping or decline motion. Keeping the arms as instructed (slightly bent at the elbow, see above), rotate your wrists simultaneously until you are literally spread-eagled with your chest six inches off the floor.

 

d) In the bottom, max spread-eagle stretch position, the upper arms and elbows are almost in direct alignment with the shoulder joint but, because of the slight bend at the elbows, the palms of the hands are slightly in front of the shoulders.

 

e) During the actual descent, breathe deeply.

 

f) Now slowly, with pure pectoral tension contraction, pull the arms back into the starting position. (This should not imitate a pressing movement but should be a drawing in or pulling together movement.) At the top of the movement, lock the arms out and pull the hands together as close as possible, squeezing those inner pecs for a long lasting pump. From time to time, it would be a good idea to do half plus quarter rep burnouts in the lower spread eagle, middle and top positions as you finish off the last reps of the final set or two. This maximum-contracting ring flyes exercise will produce the ultimate shape you desire in the pecs.

 

 Pro Tip: Elevating the feet on a higher bench plane than described will allow more upper pec stimulation. Placing the feet on the floor rather than on a bench places the stress line on the low sternal pectoralis region.