Chest Movements & the “Tuck Your Elbows” Myth The biggest mistake is bringing your elbows too close to your body when doing chest exercises — or “tucking your elbows,” like they tell you on social media. First, understand this: the chest has three main functions: 1️⃣ Adduction – bringing your arm across your body (from outside to inside). 2️⃣ Flexion – raising your arm from low to high. 3️⃣ Internal rotation – rotating your arm inward toward your midline. Now, when you “tuck your elbows in,” you