Shoulders · Bodyweight
Side Step Fly
How to do the side step 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
- Reps
- Movement
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand with arms hanging at your sides. Step out to one side and as you plant your foot, raise both arms out to the sides to shoulder height like a lateral fly, then step back together and lower your arms. Alternate directions.
- 1Side delts lifting your arms out to shoulder height
- 2Glutes and quads of the stepping leg catching the side step
- 3A coordinated step-and-raise on each side
Common mistakes
- Shrugging your traps up as your arms rise
- Swinging the arms above shoulder height with momentum
- Crashing the side step instead of landing softly
Muscles worked
The side step fly mainly works the side delts, with the glutes, quads, and adductors assisting.
- Side DeltsPrimary
- GlutesSupport
- QuadsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the side step 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 shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.