How Do You Use The Chest Fly Machine?

The chest fly machine is very easy to use. To set up the chest fly machine, set the handles so they’re at chest height and in line with the shoulders when seated. Once seated, squeeze the chest muscles to push the handles together they meet in front of the chest. The machine ensures the arms move in the correct arc movement.

Is The Chest Fly Machine Good?

The chest fly machine is a good fly variation for beginners and advanced lifters as it helps to ensure the correct form is adopted and reduces involvement from the core, which means the pectoral muscle fibres are targeted effectively. Like all flyes, the machine fly is a great exercise to add variety into your chest workouts and challenge the muscles in a unique way.

Is The Chest Fly Machine Push Or Pull?

The chest fly machine uses adduction, making it a push movement as the handles are pushed into the midline of the body.

How To Do Machine Chest Flyes

What Is A Machine Fly

The machine fly is a chest fly variation which uses a fixed weight machine to replicate the fly movement and challenge the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. Unlike chest pressing exercises, flyes use adduction to challenge the chest and open the chest muscles, improve scapular retraction, and help with poor posture and pain in the upper back.

Using a resistance machine to perform flyes is a great option for beginners and those who struggle to get correct form as it utilises a fixed movement pattern to ensure the arms move correctly, which helps to engage the right muscles and minimise risk of injury.

The chest fly machine also provides greater stability and requires less involvement from the core and stabilising muscles from free weight flyes, allowing a heavier load to be lifted, while ensuring the right muscles are engaged, for optimal strength and hypertrophy gains.

Jump straight to instructions

Commonly Asked Questions On Chest Fly Machine

How Do You Use The Chest Fly Machine?

The chest fly machine is very easy to use. To set up the chest fly machine, set the handles so they’re at chest height and in line with the shoulders when seated. Once seated, squeeze the chest muscles to push the handles together they meet in front of the chest. The machine ensures the arms move in the correct arc movement.
Is The Chest Fly Machine Good?

The chest fly machine is a good fly variation for beginners and advanced lifters as it helps to ensure the correct form is adopted and reduces involvement from the core, which means the pectoral muscle fibres are targeted effectively. Like all flyes, the machine fly is a great exercise to add variety into your chest workouts and challenge the muscles in a unique way.
Is The Chest Fly Machine Push Or Pull?

The chest fly machine uses adduction, making it a push movement as the handles are pushed into the midline of the body.

Chest Fly Machine Tips

The machine fly requires the performer to sit upright on the machine and push the handles in front and towards the body. Make sure to adjust the seats so that handles are at chest height when sat down, then move the handles so they are in line with your shoulders. Avoid setting them further back than this as it can place unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint and increase injury risks.

The stretched position at the beginning of the movement is the most challenging, requiring pec contraction to push the handles together. As the handles come closer together, these is less resistance. Focus on really squeezing the pecs together at this portion to keep the muscles engaged.

How To Do Machine Chest Flys

Set up the chest fly machine so that when seated, the handles are at chest height and in line with the shoulders.
Select the weight then sit down, making sure your head and back is firmly against the seat.
Grab the handles with your palms facing each other and pin your shoulder blades back.
Take a deep breath before squeezing your chest muscles and pushing the handles together and in front of your chest. Keep a soft bend in the elbows and shoulders pinned throughout.
Slowly return the handles back to the start.

If you’re not sure if any of the above exercises are suitable for you, please consult your doctor before you start it. Need guidance on how to perform the exercise? Ask a personal trainer at your gym.