This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Stability Ball Chest Fly takes a basic chest fly and moves it onto the stability ball to strengthen not only the muscles of the chest but also gives you a great core workout. The traditional chest fly is done lying back on a bench and working specifically on strengthening your chest and arm muscles.
It is a great upper body exercise. If you learn How to do Stability Ball Chest Fly you will get all these upper body benefits plus a great way to strengthen your abs and glutes along the way.
Any time you move an exercise on to a less stable surface you start to integrate more use of the core for balance and stability. For instance moving a squat off the floor and onto a mat will add a challenge. Then moving it to a BOSU will be even more work for the core.
The same is true for other exercises, even this upper body chest fly. The chest work remains the same but putting your body on the surface of the ball changes the work of the body. The ability to maintain balance comes from the muscles of the core: abdominals, lower back, hips and glutes.
These muscles all draw in to keep you stable which is what makes the Stability Ball Chest Fly such a great exercise.
One tip for performing this Stability Ball Chest Fly is to spread your feet apart wider for more assistance from your legs, or pull them in closer together to make this more challenging.
The stability ball is a great tool, especially when it comes to core strength. The balls come in larger and smaller sizes. Generally those people who are 5’4” and under will use the smaller ball and taller or bigger people will go with the bigger ball.
If you are unsure which to use, go for a bigger ball during this move.
Check out the Stability Ball Chest Fly in our workout Stability Ball Total Body Toner.
Stability Ball Chest Fly Instructions
- Hold a pair of dumbbells close to your chest and place your shoulder blades and head on top of the ball with the rest of your body in a table top position. Feet should be hip distance apart.
- Raise dumbbells together straight above chest, palms facing in.
- Slowly lower arms out to the side with a slight bend in your elbow, until elbows are about chest level.
- Squeeze chest and bring hands back together at the top.
Targets: chest, glutes, back, core
