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How To Work Your Upper Body With One Simple But Effective Move

Sarah Regan
Author:
September 24, 2021
Sarah Regan
mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor
By Sarah Regan
mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor
Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.
chest fly exercise
Image by mbg Creative / mbg Creative
September 24, 2021

Looking to work your upper body with a quick and beginner-friendly move? Look no further than the chest fly. All you'll need is a set of dumbbells (or a couple of water bottles) to get started. Here's how to do this move, as demonstrated by personal trainer & holistic nutritionist BB Arrington, CPT.

How to do chest fly.

Image by mbg creative
  1. Lie on your back, feet grounded into the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lift your arms toward the sky, and soften your elbows. 
  2. Take 3 counts to lower your arms down to the side. Use one count to bring your arms back to start. 
  3. That's one rep. Complete 10.

Tips & modifications:

  • To make this move easier, you can try reducing the weight of the dumbbells, or doing it without weights at all.
  • To make this move harder, increase the weight, or try performing it with your back on an exercise ball to work your balance and stability, and target your core muscles.
  • Avoid locking the elbows throughout this exercise, to ensure you're engaging the proper muscles.
  • Be mindful with this move if you have any shoulder or back injuries, and talk to your doctor before performing it.

What are the benefits?

Chest flies are a great upper body workout, namely targeting the muscles around your chest, shoulders, and triceps. In addition to being a wonderful strength-builder, this move also opens up the chest, which can both improve posture and help with posture-related pain.

The bottom line is, whether you perform this move on its own, during an arm routine, or as part of a full-body workout, after a few rounds, your muscles are sure to feel the burn—and you might just stand a little straighter.

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