Chest · Bodyweight
Bodyweight Standing Fly
How to do the bodyweight standing fly, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall with your arms open wide out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, squeeze your chest to bring both hands together in front of you, then open back out wide under control. Move with intent and tension throughout.
- 1Feel your chest contract as you bring your hands together in front
- 2Keep a soft elbow bend and lead with the upper arms, not the hands
- 3Open wide to feel the stretch across your chest before squeezing back in
Common mistakes
- Don't straighten or collapse your elbows; hold the soft bend
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders toward your ears
- Don't rush; keep tension through both directions
Muscles worked
The bodyweight standing fly mainly works the mid chest, with the front delts and upper chest assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- Front DeltsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the bodyweight standing fly for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.