Butterfly

How to do the Butterfly

1. Sit on the machine with your back flat on the pad.
2. Take hold of the handles. Tip: Your upper arms should be positioned parallel to the floor; adjust the machine accordingly. This will be your starting position.
3. Push the handles together slowly as you squeeze your chest in the middle. Breathe out during this part of the motion and hold the contraction for a second.
4. Return back to the starting position slowly as you inhale until your chest muscles are fully stretched.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	chest
Equipment	machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	isolation

No machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover Dumbbell Clock Push-Up Bodyweight Decline Push-Up Bodyweight Dumbbell Flyes Dumbbell Incline Push-Up Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Medium Bodyweight

Harder than the Butterfly

Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Pullover intermediate · Barbell Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover intermediate · Dumbbell

Superset the Butterfly with

Opposing traps and middle back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug traps Leverage Shrug traps Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug traps Leverage High Row middle back

Common questions

What muscles does the Butterfly work?

The Butterfly primarily works the chest. Front Raise And Pullover, Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover, and Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Pullover train the same muscle, across 11 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Butterfly?

A Machine. Without a machine, Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover, Clock Push-Up, and Decline Push-Up train the same muscle, and 17 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Butterfly suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Butterfly is rated beginner. Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Pullover and Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover are the progressions from here.

Where should the Butterfly go in a workout?

Late — the Butterfly is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug and Leverage Shrug cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Front Raise And Pullover Barbell Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover Dumbbell Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Pullover Barbell Bodyweight Flyes EZ Curl Bar Cable Crossover Cable Machine Cable Iron Cross Cable Machine