Chest · Resistance bands

Band Low Chest Fly

The band low chest fly is an isolation exercise that targets the upper, clavicular head of the pectoral muscles using ascending resistance. It fits best near the end of a chest or push workout to thoroughly fatigue the muscle fibers with minimal joint impact.

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

How to do it

Attach the band to a low anchor behind you and take a handle in each hand.
Step forward into a staggered stance until the band is taut, arms down and out to your sides, palms facing forward, elbows slightly bent.
Inhale, then as you exhale, sweep your arms forward and up in a wide arc until your hands meet in front of your chest.
Squeeze your chest for a second at the top.
Inhale and slowly return your arms along the same arc to the starting position.

Common mistakes

Bending the elbows too much turns the fly into a biceps curl and shifts tension away from the chest.
Swinging the torso backward relies on momentum and reduces the work done by the pectorals.
Allowing the band to snap the arms back rapidly stresses the shoulder joints and eliminates the eccentric phase of the lift.
Shrugging the shoulders upward engages the upper traps rather than isolating the chest.

Tips

Maintain a fixed, slight bend in your elbows throughout the entire arc of motion.
Pause for a deliberate second at the top of the movement to maximize the peak contraction.
Use a stable staggered stance with braced abs to keep your torso stationary against the band's backward pull.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions with 45 to 60 seconds of rest between sets. Focus on a slow tempo and peak contraction rather than using an excessively heavy resistance band.

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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Questions

Does this exercise emphasize the upper or lower chest?

The low-to-high sweeping motion aligns with the fibers of the clavicular pectoral head, making it an effective movement for the upper chest.

Can band low chest flies replace cable crossovers?

Yes, resistance bands deliver continuous and ascending tension that closely replicates the stimulus of a low cable crossover.

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