How to Perform a Chest Fly

Are you in a push-up rut? Here’s another move that works similar muscles but can give you a bit of variety! A chest fly is another fantastic way to work your chest and arm muscles—swap them in place of push-ups for a few weeks or simply add them into your upper body workout for another great way to work your muscles! In this short video, Chris Freytag will demonstrate how to do a proper chest fly with weights. Follow along with her form to make sure you’re doing this move properly and you’ll build a beautiful upper body!

To begin, you’ll need a heavy set of dumbbells. What is considered “heavy?” Everyone is a little different, but when lifting weights, you want them to be heavy enough that you’re working “comfortably hard,” and that last rep is difficult but not so heavy that you can barely do one rep. Grab those weights, challenge your body, and get ready for your chest fly! To start, you’ll come onto your back and bend your knees. Grab your weights and bring them up to eye level, keeping your abs engaged.

You’ll open your arms like you’re opening them around a big beach ball and extend them out to the ground, and then bring them all the way up. A chest fly requires a big range of motion, and you’ll definitely be feeling it the next day! Be sure to bend your elbows and squeeze through your pectorals as you go. You can make this move harder by taking your feet up off the ground into tabletop if you like. This move challenges your arm and chest strength and will help you build a beautiful, strong upper body! Don’t be afraid to go heavy with your weights and incorporate this fun move into your next upper body routine.