Chest · Resistance bands

Band Alternate Low Chest Fly

The band alternate low chest fly is an isolation exercise designed to target the upper pectoral fibers and the anterior deltoids. It suits lifters of all experience levels and fits best toward the end of a chest workout to thoroughly fatigue the muscle without heavy joint impact.

Muscles: Chest
Equipment: Resistance bands
Type: Strength
Animation: Women

How to do it

Anchor the band at a low point behind you and grab a handle in each hand.
Step forward into a staggered stance until the band is taut, arms extended down and slightly behind you, palms facing forward.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows and brace your core. Inhale.
As you exhale, sweep one arm forward and upward in a wide arc until the handle reaches chest height in front of you.
Inhale and slowly return that arm, then exhale and repeat with the other arm, alternating with each rep.

Common mistakes

Bending the elbow excessively during the lift turns the fly into a bicep curl and shifts tension away from the chest.
Arching the lower back and rocking the torso to swing the band up removes muscular isolation and strains the spine.
Allowing the band to snap the arm backward quickly eliminates the eccentric phase, reducing the muscle-building stimulus.

Tips

Brace the core firmly in a staggered stance to resist the rotational forces created by working one arm at a time.
Pause for a brief second at the top of the movement to maximize the peak contraction of the upper chest.
Anchor the band close to floor level to ensure the line of pull follows a clear upward arc.

Sets and reps

For hypertrophy and muscular endurance, perform 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps per side with 45 to 60 seconds of rest between sets.

Muscles worked

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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On a computer? Point your phone's camera here to get the app.

Questions

Why perform this exercise alternately instead of both arms together?

Alternating arms increases core engagement against rotation and allows you to focus entirely on the contraction of one side, helping fix muscular imbalances.

What should you do if you feel pain in the shoulder joint during the fly?

Lower your hand height at the peak or use a lighter band, and if sharp pain continues, stop the movement and see a specialist.

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