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How To Work Your Upper Body With One Simple But Effective Move
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.
- 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.
- Take 3 counts to lower your arms down to the side. Use one count to bring your arms back to start.
- 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.