Chest · Bodyweight
Half Chest Fly
How to do the half chest 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
Lie on the floor or a bench with arms extended above your chest. Open one arm out to the side in a wide arc with a slight elbow bend while the other stays still, then squeeze the chest to bring it back over your midline. Alternate or work one side at a time.
- 1Feel the chest stretch as the working arm opens wide
- 2Squeeze the chest to bring the arm back across
- 3Keep a soft, fixed bend in the elbow throughout
Common mistakes
- Don't let the elbow straighten and lock out
- Avoid dropping the arm too low and straining the shoulder
- Don't use momentum to swing the arm back
Muscles worked
The half chest fly mainly works the mid chest, with the front delts and upper chest assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- Front DeltsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- BicepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower ChestMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the half chest 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.