pushups or dumbell flys to hit pecs?

[jonny100]

Out of these 2 exercises, which is best to include in a set to hit my pecs?
Or should I do both?

 

[evolution]

the flyes will isolate the pecs in it's strongest movement-adduction. The push ups is more of a compound movement and therefore both have benefits.

 

[bhindibhagee]

Out of these 2 exercises, which is best to include in a set to hit my pecs?
Or should I do both?

Both, do the flyes first to isolate the pecs, then straight after do the pushups to incorporate them into a compound exercise. At least that's what the poster in my gym says - for bodybuilding do isolation sets followed by compound exercises.

 

[Hoss]

for bodybuilding do isolation sets followed by compound exercises.

i've never heard that before. the exact opposite. when working muscles it is better to let them work together (compound) first, and then break them apart into isolated exercises...

 

[freddy1]

- for bodybuilding do isolation sets followed by compound exercises.

i actually have heard this before, and if i understand correctly, this is not a rule of thumb, but a method to do only if you have a lot of trouble wroking your pecs in compund movements like bench. this is known as the pre-exaust method. i dont really like it myself. it limits the weight you can do on the compund movement, which in turn limits the number of mucle fibers recuited. in fact, im not a big fan of isolation exercises in general for the chest. i cant think of the last time i did a set of flyes....

 

[bhindibhagee]

i've never heard that before. the exact opposite. when working muscles it is better to let them work together (compound) first, and then break them apart into isolated exercises...

It does seem a bit counter-intuitive to do the isolation first, i agree. The only reason i said is that there's a big poster in my gym by the Gold's Gym people that says all the stuff like how many sets of how many reps and how many exercises per muscle etc. for each goal (bodybuilding/strength/endurance etc.) and under body-building it reccomends 4-6 exercises per muscle group and says do the isolations first immediately followed by compounds...it doesn't give any reason why though...