Chest · Resistance bands

Band High Fly

The band high fly is an isolation exercise that emphasizes the lower and sternal fibers of the chest. It suits all fitness levels and fits best toward the middle or end of a chest workout to fully fatigue the pectorals with continuous tension.

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

How to do it

Attach the band to a high anchor behind you and take a handle in each hand.
Step forward into a staggered stance until the band is taut, arms out to your sides slightly above shoulder height, elbows slightly bent.
Inhale, then as you exhale, bring your hands down and together in a wide arc until they meet in front of your hips.
Squeeze your chest for a second at the end of the movement.
Inhale and slowly let your arms travel back along the same arc to the starting position.

Common mistakes

Bending the elbows too much turns the fly into a press, which significantly reduces chest isolation.
Rocking your torso creates momentum and takes the tension off your pectoral muscles.
Allowing the band to snap your arms back quickly eliminates the eccentric phase and strains the shoulder joints.
Standing too close to the anchor creates slack in the band and shortens the effective range of motion.

Tips

Use a staggered stance with a slight forward torso lean to maintain solid stability throughout the movement.
Keep a constant, slight bend in your elbows rather than extending or curling your arms as you move.
Pause for a deliberate one-second squeeze near hip level to fully contract the lower chest.

Sets and reps

For muscle building and pump, perform 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 controlled repetitions with 60 to 90 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

Which part of the chest does the band high fly target?

The high-to-low diagonal path places the greatest mechanical tension on the lower and sternal heads of the pectoralis major.

Can you do this exercise at home without a dedicated gym anchor?

Yes, you can easily set it up at home by securing the resistance band over the top of a sturdy, closed door with a door anchor.

Similar exercises

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