Bodyweight Flyes

An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the chest, using an E-Z curl bar.

Bodyweight Flyes — Starting position Starting position
Bodyweight Flyes — End position End position
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Strength
Equipment E-Z Curl Bar
Primary Muscle Chest
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do Bodyweight Flyes

  1. Position two equally loaded EZ bars on the ground next to each other. Ensure they are able to roll.
  2. Assume a push-up position over the bars, supporting your weight on your toes and hands with your arms extended and body straight.
  3. Place your hands on the bars. This will be your starting position.
  4. Using a slow and controlled motion, move your hands away from the midline of your body, rolling the bars apart. Inhale during this portion of the motion.
  5. After moving the bars as far apart as you can, return to the starting position by pulling them back together. Exhale as you perform this movement.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where Bodyweight Flyes does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to Bodyweight Flyes

10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.

  1. 1 Flat Bench Cable Flyes

    Flat Bench Cable Flyes

    An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the chest, using a cable machine.

    intermediate Cable Machine
  2. 2 Bench Press

    Bench Press

    The bench press is the most popular upper body exercise for building chest strength and muscle mass. It's a compound movement that also develops the triceps and anterior deltoids.

    intermediate Barbell
  3. 3 Incline Dumbbell Flyes

    Incline Dumbbell Flyes

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the chest, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  4. 4 Incline Dumbbell Flyes - With A Twist

    Incline Dumbbell Flyes - With A Twist

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the chest, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  5. 5 Barbell Guillotine Bench Press

    Barbell Guillotine Bench Press

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the chest, using a barbell.

    intermediate Barbell
  6. 6 Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover

    Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the chest, using dumbbells.

    intermediate Dumbbells
  7. 7 Clock Push-Up

    Clock Push-Up

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the chest, needing no equipment.

    intermediate No Equipment
  8. 8 Decline Dumbbell Flyes

    Decline Dumbbell Flyes

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the chest, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  9. 9 Dips - Chest Version

    Dips - Chest Version

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the chest.

    intermediate Not specified
  10. 10 Dumbbell Flyes

    Dumbbell Flyes

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the chest, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do bodyweight flyes work?

Bodyweight Flyes primarily works the chest. The abs, shoulders and triceps assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for bodyweight flyes?

Bodyweight Flyes uses e-z curl bar.

Bodyweight Flyes: is it suitable for beginners?

Bodyweight Flyes is rated intermediate. Movements that assume you already own the basic pattern and are ready to load it.

What can I do instead of bodyweight flyes?

Flat Bench Cable Flyes, Bench Press, Incline Dumbbell Flyes train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my bodyweight flyes reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; bodyweight flyes can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.

Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.

Track Your Bodyweight Flyes with AI

Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.