po wyzwaniu PL.mp4

Get a slim waist in 3 weeks

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Super Model Abs & Waist

Ewa Chodakowska's plan entirely dedicated to the abs and waist – you'll strengthen your core, sculpt your abs, and slim your waist.

<p>Standing cable flys are a classic and highly effective exercise that isolates the chest muscles, allowing precise strengthening and shaping. Using cables provides constant resistance throughout the entire range of motion, which helps maintain continuous muscle tension and improves the mind-muscle connection in the chest. This exercise works well for both aesthetic training (building and separating the chest) and as a complement to strength or functional upper body workouts.</p>

<h2>Which muscles work during standing cable flys?</h2>

<strong>Main muscles:</strong>
<ul>
  <li>pectoralis major</li>
</ul>

<strong>Assisting and stabilizing muscles:</strong>
<ul>
  <li>anterior deltoids</li>
  <li>arm muscles (elbow stabilization)</li>
  <li>core muscles (abdominals)</li>
  <li>glutes and legs (maintaining a stable position)</li>
</ul>

<h2>Proper technique</h2>

<strong>Starting position:</strong>
<uol>
  <li>Stand between two upper cable pulleys, centered.</li>
  <li>Grab the handles with an overhand grip.</li>
  <li>Take a step forward, placing one leg in front and shifting most of your body weight onto it.</li>
  <li>Knees slightly bent, feet firmly planted.</li>
  <li>Raise your arms out to the sides, almost to shoulder height.</li>
  <li>Keep elbows slightly bent and in a fixed angle.</li>
  <li>Keep your back straight, chest open, and core tight.</li>
</ol>

<strong>Movement:</strong>
<ol>
  <li>Bring your hands together in front of your chest, leading the movement with your arms.</li>
  <li>Do not change the angle of your elbows during the motion.</li>
  <li>Focus on consciously contracting your chest muscles.</li>
  <li>Slowly and controlled, return your arms to the starting position.</li>
  <li>Perform repetitions smoothly without jerking or losing tension.</li>
</ol>

<strong>Breathing:</strong>
<ul>
  <li>Inhale during the stretch phase (arms moving out to the sides) – this helps to "open" the chest.</li>
  <li>Exhale during the concentric phase (hands coming together), at the point of maximum effort.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Common mistakes</h2>
<ul>
  <li>Extending or over-bending the elbows during the movement</li>
  <li>Swaying the torso or using momentum</li>
  <li>Using too heavy a weight at the expense of proper technique</li>
  <li>Not keeping the core engaged</li>
  <li>Shortening the range of motion</li>
</ul>

<h2>Tips</h2>
<ul>
  <li>Imagine hugging a large ball in front of your chest.</li>
  <li>Keep constant tension on the muscles throughout the range of motion.</li>
  <li>The movement should be slow and controlled, especially during the return phase.</li>
  <li>Focus on chest activation rather than just lifting the weight.</li>
  <li>A stable stance and tight core increase exercise effectiveness.</li>
</ul>

<h2>What training pairs well with standing cable flys?</h2>
<ul>
  <li>Chest-focused training (hypertrophy and shaping)</li>
  <li>Upper body aesthetic training</li>
  <li>Push workouts (chest, shoulders, triceps)</li>
  <li>Complementary workouts after pressing exercises</li>
  <li>Programs improving muscle control and awareness</li>
</ul>

Wings in the gate while standing

Incline cable flyes are one of the most effective isolation exercises targeting the upper, clavicular portion of the chest. Using cables allows constant muscle tension throughout the entire range of motion, which is difficult to achieve with free weights. 

This makes the exercise highly effective for shaping the chest and improving muscle-mind connection while reducing joint stress.

<h2>Which muscles are involved in incline cable flyes?</h2>

<strong>Primary muscles:</strong>
* pectoralis major (clavicular and sternocostal portions).

<strong>Secondary and stabilizing muscles:</strong>
* anterior deltoid,
* coracobrachialis,
* scapular and shoulder stabilizers.

<h2>Proper technique</h2>

<strong>Starting position:</strong>
1. Set an incline bench at a 30–45 degree angle between the lower pulleys of a cable machine.  
2. Sit on the bench with your back firmly against the pad, feet wide and stable on the floor.  
3. Grab the handles with a supinated grip, palms facing each other, elbows slightly bent.  
4. Position your hands vertically above the shoulders, close together. Engage the core and stabilize the body.

<strong>Movement:</strong>
1. Slowly open the arms while maintaining a slight bend in the elbows until you feel a deep, controlled stretch in the chest.  
2. The range of motion is limited by shoulder mobility, not by how low the cables travel. For most people, hands at chest level are sufficient.  
3. Guide the elbows slightly below shoulder level, within the scapular plane.  
4. Return to the starting position with control, actively squeezing the chest muscles.  

<strong>Breathing and tempo:</strong>
1. Maintain constant tension and full control throughout the movement.
2. Inhale while opening the arms.  
3. Exhale as you return to the starting position.  
4. Keep the movement smooth and controlled.

<h2>Most common mistakes</h2>

* fully locking out the elbows,
* excessive arm involvement instead of chest activation,
* loss of muscle tension during the movement,
* fast, uncontrolled tempo,
* lifting the back off the bench.

<strong>How to avoid them:</strong>
* Keep the shoulder blades retracted and depressed against the bench.  
* Maintain constant tension in the chest and shoulder stabilizers.  
* Control the tempo and range of motion.  
* Avoid fully extending the elbows.  
* Focus on chest activation while minimizing arm dominance.

<h2>What workouts pair well with incline cable flyes?</h2>
This exercise fits well into:  
* upper-body training sessions,  
* push workouts (chest, shoulders, triceps),  
* Full Body Workout (FBW) programs,  
* isolation routines aimed at chest definition.

Splints in the gate on an incline bench

How to perform a standing ball squeeze?

The movement is performed by:
- the pectoral muscles

Additionally works:
- the arms

Starting position:

Stand, grab the ball in your hands and hold it at chest level. Your elbows are slightly bent. Your back is straight, and your abs are tight.

Movement:
Rhythmically squeeze the ball with your hands.

Tips:
The ball is at chest level. Remember to keep your back straight. Your chest is forward. Your shoulder blades are pulled in toward your spine.

You will need an exercise ball to perform this exercise.

Squeezing the ball while standing

How to perform lateral bends while lying on a Bosu?

The movement is performed by:

- abdominal muscles

Starting position:

Lying on your back on a Bosu (only the lower part of your shoulder blades touching the Bosu, your head and the upper part of your shoulder blades outside), place your feet approximately shoulder-width apart, knees bent. Place your hands behind your head, elbows wide. Pull your abs in.

Movement:

Exhale, raise your upper body, tightening your abs. Slowly return to the starting position and reach your right ankle with your right hand, bending your torso to the right and exhaling as you do so. Return to the starting position. Repeat, bending your torso one time to the right and one time to the left.

Tips

Keep your head straight, chin away from your sternum. Engage your abs as you exhale.

Bends the torso sideways while lying on a barefoot

<hr>

<h2>Underhand Barbell Row</h2>
<p>Underhand barbell rowing is a fundamental exercise for the back muscles, which also engages the biceps and core stabilizers. Regular performance of this movement improves back strength and muscle mass, increases scapular stability, and supports proper posture. It is performed in a bent-over standing position, allowing precise control of the barbell movement and minimizing the risk of shoulder and lower back injuries.</p>

<h3>Which muscles work during underhand barbell rowing?</h3>
<strong>Main muscles:</strong>
<ul>
<li>latissimus dorsi</li>
<li>rhomboids</li>
<li>teres major</li>
<li>erector spinae (constant isometric contraction)</li>
<li>biceps</li>
</ul>

<strong>Assisting and stabilizing muscles:</strong>
<ul>
<li>trapezius (middle and lower part)</li>
<li>infraspinatus</li>
<li>shoulders and scapular stabilizers</li>
<li>abdominals and glutes (torso stabilization)</li>
</ul>

<h3>Proper technique</h3>
<strong>Starting position:</strong>
<ol>
<li>Grip the barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.</li>
<li>Place your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your knees.</li>
<li>Lean forward 45–60 degrees from the floor, keeping your back straight and core engaged.</li>
<li>Arms holding the barbell should hang vertically, elbows slightly bent.</li>
</ol>

<strong>Movement:</strong>
<ol>
<li>Initiate the movement by pulling the shoulder blades back and down, not by bending the elbows.</li>
<li>Bend the elbows and pull the barbell toward the lower abdomen.</li>
<li>Squeeze the shoulder blades toward the spine, keeping them close to the torso.</li>
<li>Slowly lower the barbell to the starting position, maintaining control of the weight.</li>
<li>Repeat for the planned number of repetitions while keeping the torso and legs stable.</li>
</ol>

<strong>Breathing:</strong>
<ul>
<li>Inhale while lowering the barbell to the starting position.</li>
<li>Exhale while pulling the barbell toward the abdomen.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Common mistakes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Rounding the back during rowing.</li>
<li>Moving the arms away from the body instead of keeping them close.</li>
<li>Using the torso to move the weight instead of the back muscles.</li>
<li>Performing the exercise with too much weight, reducing movement control.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Tips</h3>
<ul>
<li>Keep your back straight and head aligned with the torso.</li>
<li>Squeeze the shoulder blades and keep elbows close to the torso.</li>
<li>Engage the abdominal muscles to protect the lower back.</li>
<li>Perform the exercise slowly with full control of the tempo and weight.</li>
<li>Focus on breathing and stabilizing the entire body.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Which training to pair with underhand barbell rowing?</h3>
<ul>
<li>back and arm workouts</li>
<li>pull day routines</li>
<li>Full Body Workout (FBW) strength training</li>
<li>programs enhancing posture and core stabilization</li>
</ul>

Barbell rowing with an underhand grip

How to do dumbbell leg raises while lying on your back?

The movement is performed by:

- abdominal muscles

Starting position:

Lying on your back, place a dumbbell between your feet and place your legs together vertically above your hips, knees slightly bent. Arms placed at your sides. Your entire back is flat on the floor.

Movement:

With your lower back still on the floor, slowly lower your legs to just above the floor. Raise them to the starting position. Repeat.

Directions:

Place a dumbbell between your feet. Knees slightly bent. Abdominal muscles pulled in and tightened. Your entire back is flat on the floor.

Leg raises with dumbbells while lying on your back

How to do flyes?

The movement is performed by:
- the chest muscles

Additionally works:
- shoulders, arms

Starting position:

Rest your back on the exercise ball with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells with a hammer grip. Keep your elbows slightly bent.

Movement:
Lower your arms to your sides – your elbows should remain slightly bent, below your chest. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

Tips:
Keep your elbows bent. Perform the movement at the shoulder joints – as you lower your arms, do not change the angle of your elbows. Push your chest forward as you lower your arms.

You will need dumbbells and an exercise ball for this exercise.

Splits while lying on your back

How to properly perform kettlebell crunches?

The movement is performed by:

- the abdominal muscles

Starting position:

Lying on your back, place your feet approximately hip-width apart, knees bent. Raise your arms with the kettlebell, elbows slightly bent. Pull in your abs. Lift your head and shoulder blades off the floor.

Movement:
Exhale, raise your upper torso higher, and lower it back to the starting position.

Tip:
Keep your abs pulled in. Bring your chest toward your pelvis.

You'll need kettlebells for this exercise.

Abdominal crunches with a kettlebell

How to properly perform the exercise: standing elbow curl with a barbell in a narrow grip?

The movement is performed by:
- biceps

Additionally works:
- abdominal and back muscles (stabilize the posture)

Starting position:

Grab the barbell with an underhand grip and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Abdominal muscles contracted, back straight. Knees straight, but not locked (slightly bent). Arms with the barbell rest in front of your body. Hands placed narrowly on the bar. Elbows slightly bent.

Movement:
Bend your elbows as you lift the barbell. Straighten your elbows in a slower motion. Repeat.
Make sure your elbows don't slide forward.

Tip:
Feet shoulder-width apart. Hands in an underhand grip and a narrow position. Abdominal muscles contracted, back straight. Knees slightly bent. bent.

You'll need a barbell to perform this exercise.

Bending the elbows with a barbell in a narrow grip while standing

How to perform a half-squat with a forward arm raise?

The movement is performed by:
- the thighs, glutes, and shoulders

Additionally, it works:
- the back (stabilizes the posture)

Starting position:

Stand on a tubing with your feet hip-width apart. Grasp the end of the tubing with one hand. Raise your other arm out to the side to shoulder height. Keep your back straight, abs tight, and your hand with the tubing facing forward with your thumb pointing up.

Movement:
Perform a half-squat while simultaneously raising your hand with the tubing forward to shoulder height, thumb pointing up. Return to the starting position. Repeat, and then repeat with the other hand.

Directions:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Do not rotate your torso. Raise your arm to shoulder height.

You will need a tubing for this exercise.

Half squat with arm raised forward

Wings when lying barefoot

How to perform front-to-back jumps with arm extension?

The movement is performed by:

- calves, shoulders

Additionally works:

- arms, thighs

Starting position:

Grab dumbbells and place them in front of your shoulders, with your elbows bent and pointing back. Place your feet hip-width apart. Brace your abs and straighten your back.

Movement:

Jumping forward with both legs, straighten your arms with the dumbbells forward at shoulder height, and jumping back, bend them back to the starting position.

Tips:

Keep your back straight, your abs pulled in, and your knees slightly bent. Land softly.

Front-back jumps with straightening the arms

How to properly perform a kettlebell clean and press in a side-support position?

The movement is performed by:
- the shoulders and arm muscles

Additionally works:
- the shoulder girdle, abdominals, legs

Starting position:
Take the kettlebell in your right hand and assume a side-support position – left hand in a straight line under your shoulder, torso, hips, and legs in a straight line, right foot in front of your left. Lower the arm with the kettlebell in front of your body, elbow slightly bent.

Movement:
Pulling your elbow upward, drape the kettlebell over your shoulder. Then straighten your arm upward. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Repeat, and then perform the exercise with the other hand in a side-support position.

Tip:
Hand under your shoulder. Abdominal muscles and glutes contracted. Body in a straight line.

You will need kettlebells for this exercise.

Kettlebell lunge and press in support

How to properly perform the exercise: Elbow extension down in a gate?

The movement is performed by:
- the chest muscles

Additionally works:
- the backs of the arms

Starting position:

Stand between two overhead pulleys (called a gate), facing each other. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip. Stand exactly in the middle of the gate, take a step forward, and kneel. Place your knees and feet hip-width apart. Bend your elbows and raise them sideways and back. Straighten your back, draw in your abs, and tighten your core.

Movement:
Straighten your elbows by lowering your hands with the handles down and slightly forward. Slowly return your arms to the starting position. Repeat.

Tip:
Keep your back straight, abs tight. Hands in an overhand grip. Keep your elbows wide and high.

You will need a pulley to perform this exercise.

Straightening your elbows down in the gate

How to do a leg-over-knee crunch?

The movement is performed by:

- the abdominal muscles

Starting position:

Lying on your back, place your feet hip-width apart, knees bent, and your hands behind your head.

Movement:
Place one foot on the knee of the other leg. Perform an abdominal crunch while bringing your legs closer to your torso. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat, and then practice with your legs on the opposite side.

Tips:
Tighten your abdominal muscles. Maintain a distance between your chin and your sternum.

Do it right