6 Amazing Benefits Of Butterfly Chest Workout

Build your stamina and shed those stubborn pounds with this important exercise.

Reviewed by Rakesh Rathod, Certified Personal Trainer
Written by Shirin Mehdi

Fact-checked by Himanshi Mahajan, Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach • Aug 30, 2023

6 Amazing Benefits Of Butterfly Chest Workout

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The butterfly chest workout helps tone and strengthen your chest muscles. This workout targets the pectoral muscles to help you build them and tone your upper body. It is done seated on a weighted machine, and this workout strengthens your triceps and biceps. Doing chest fly exercises might seem a bit difficult initially, so you must take it easy and keep at it to build that strength and stamina! To know more about the butterfly chest workout and how you should do it, read on!.

Workout Blueprint: Butterfly Chest Exercise

Frequency: 2-3 times per week
Benefits: Strengthens the chest muscles and increases chest size.
Equipment Needed: Cable machine, dumbbells, resistance band.
Space Required: Small area
Assistance Required: Yes, for beginners.
Who Should Avoid: Anyone with shoulder, chest, arm, or back injuries.

In This Article

Functions Of Butterfly Chest Workout:

The pecs cover almost all the area over your chest. Because of this very reason, the butterfly workouts are mainly focused on exercises that will control the upper, middle, lower and inner chest area. Not just that, the move will work your biceps, triceps, and deltoids as well, giving you a toned and stronger upper body.

Quick Tip

You should warm up with push-ups for 10 minutes to activate your upper-body muscles before doing butterfly chest exercises.

How Will You Do This Move With A Cable Machine?

Woman performing butterfly chest workout with a cable machine

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Follow the below steps to perform the butterfly chest workout properly:

Begin your workout by sitting on the cable machine. You should be comfortable, but not relaxed.
Once you have adjusted your seat, make sure your arms are parallel to the floor.
Extend your arms out by your side, and then push out the handles straight.
Now bend your elbows gently. Your arms should be in front of your body now.
Make sure you bring your knuckles close to each other. Your chest should be squeezed with pressure now, and then move the handles out.
As you open your elbows and lift them, close your arms in such a way that you are flapping like a happy butterfly. This move should be controlled and slow.
If you would like to try other positions, feel free to stand. This will be equally beneficial.

How Will You Do This Move Without A Cable Machine?

Woman performing butterfly chest workout with dumbbells

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So you don’t have a machine? Don’t worry. You can still practice the butterfly workout!

In case you don’t have a cable machine to do the butterfly pose or pec fly exercises, you can do the same move using dumbbells. Dumbbell fly exercises are similar to the previous move. The only difference is the position. Dumbbells are equally effective and allow you to maintain your balance. Doing the butterfly maneuver using dumbbells will make your muscles tight and toned.

To do this move without the machine, follow the next few steps:

Sit on a weighted bench and hold your face up.
Hold the weights right above your chest and let your palms face one another.
Now you need to bend the elbows. After that, lower the arms until you feel a good stretch in the chest area.
Now move the dumbbells and bring it back to the first position. Now repeat as many times as you can.
Now stop with the weights when you are pushing them up.

Resistance band chest fly, incline dumbbell fly, and stability ball fly are some other variations of chest building exercises and can be done without a cable machine.

Quick Tip

It is essential to check your form with a trainer to ensure you are targeting your arm muscles effectively.

Benefits Of Butterfly Chest Workout:

If you have tried the butterfly chest move before, you must know how difficult it can be for beginners. However, it is among those chest workouts for women that offer many benefits. Some of them are:

The best part about advanced chest exercises like the butterfly chest move is that it gives quick results and flatters your torso at the same time.
It will increase your chest size and reduce the flabbiness.

Woman pinches fat on the side of her waist

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Your waist will look slimmer, since the upper body will be completely toned.

Woman measuring her slim waist as a result of butterfly chest workout

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When you tone up the chest muscles, the bust line will also see significant changes.
Your fitness level will increase faster, and you will feel stronger.

Woman flexing her arms after a butterfly chest workout

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If your flabby torso is giving you sleepless nights, it’s time to try chest toning exercises like the butterfly workout. It will not only tone your chest area but will make sure your entire upper body gets a proper shape.

Talk to your trainer to incorporate the butterfly chest exercises and other chest workouts for mass in your workout regimen today.

What exercise do you prefer for toning your upper body? Share with us in the comments section below.

Infographic: Advantages Of Adding Butterfly Chest Workout To Your Exercise Routine

The butterfly chest workout or chest fly is a popular exercise that helps firm up chest muscles. It specifically targets the pectoral chest muscles, is suitable for people with varying fitness levels, and offers many health benefits. Check out the infographic below to learn about the advantages of adding a butterfly chest workout to your exercise routine.

advantages of adding butterfly chest workout to your exercise routine (infographic)

Save the high-quality PDF version on your device now.

Download Infographic

Butterfly chest workout targets the pectoral muscles to help tone and strengthen the upper body. While it’s usually done seated on a cable machine, you can also make it work with dumbbells. Though a bit tough to begin with, this upper body workout gives you results with a visible reduction in flab and sculpting of your upper body muscles. Include it in your workout routine to see the difference for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are butterfly curls?

Butterfly curls are chest isolation exercises that strengthen your chest. To perform this exercise, keep your knees aligned with your toes and bend your elbows. Then, rotate your arms out to the sides and curl the weights up to the sides of your shoulders. Return to the starting position and repeat.

How many chest exercises should I do per workout?

The ideal number of chest sculpting exercises per workout session should be 1-4.

Can I do cardiovascular exercises with a sprained ankle?

Cardiovascular exercise is generally not advised if you have a sprained ankle because it might make the injury worse and slow the healing process. On the other hand, low-impact exercises such as swimming, cycling, and utilizing an elliptical machine may be more appropriate. These types of exercises can be beneficial for the heart without placing too much strain on the ankle joint. However, before beginning any exercise program, consult with a healthcare professional or a physical therapist.

What should I do if I feel pain during or after exercising my sprained ankle?

If you feel pain while exercising your sprained ankle, stop immediately and rest the affected area. Exercising in pain can aggravate the injury and slow the healing process. If the ankle is still swollen and inflamed after being rested, you might try applying ice to the area. In order to reduce swelling and encourage healing, compression bandages and elevating the ankle above the heart are also helpful.

Can I participate in sports or high-impact activities with a sprained ankle?

No, participating in sports or high-impact activities with a sprained ankle is generally not recommended as it can worsen the injury and delay the healing process.

Are there any exercises I should avoid with a sprained ankle?

When you have a sprained ankle, there are certain exercises you should avoid to prevent further injury or pain. High-impact exercises such as running, jumping, or sudden changes in direction should be avoided as they put excessive stress on the ankle joint. Additionally, exercises that involve balancing on one foot or standing on your tiptoes can also put strain on the ankle and should be avoided.

Can beginners perform the butterfly chest workout?

Yes, beginners can perform the butterfly chest workout under fitness expert supervision and increase the pace gradually. Make sure to give yourself a lot of time to warm up and cool down by engaging in gentle stretching or walking.

How often should I incorporate the butterfly chest workout into my fitness routine?

If you are a beginner you can perform two sets of 7-10 repetitions to start with, while taking short breaks in between. However, if you are used to lifting heavy weights then you can include the butterfly chest workout for 3 non-consecutive days a week.

Can I combine the butterfly chest workout with other chest exercises?

Yes, one can combine the butterfly chest workout with other chest exercises such as chest press, pushups, planks, and decline cable press. However, it’s best to consult a physician before incorporating such extreme changes into one’s fitness routine.

Are there any specific breathing techniques to follow during the butterfly chest workout?

Yes, it’s important to release breath and allow the body to rest after each exercise, rather than holding your breath to engage chest muscles.

When can I expect to see results from the butterfly chest workout?

According to anecdotal evidence, one can expect visible results after 8-12 weeks of steady chest workout sessions.

Key Takeaways

Butterfly chest workout increases chest size, flatters torso, and tones upper body.
It reduces flabbiness, especially on the waistline, and makes us look slimmer.
You can do the workout on a cable machine or with the help of dumbbells.
This workout increases the overall fitness level.

Learn how to do the butterfly chest exercise with this easy-to-follow tutorial in the video below. Watch it to learn how to strengthen your chest muscles and get the body you want!

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