Tutorial: How to perform a TRX Chest Flye

WHAT

The TRX Chest Flye is a great yet extremely challenging upper body and core exercise.

The exercise is highly scalable for both beginners and experienced exercisers and is an excellent progression from resistance machines.

Movement efficiency is dependent on proper setup – with the TRX hanging vertically, stand behind it and grab the handles (palms facing inwards). Bend your arms slightly. Set the shoulders and engage the core.
Keeping the whole body tight and arms locked in position, begin to lean forward as you take the handles out to the sides. If you feel strong enough, take the arms all the way into a crucifix position – if you lack strength, go to the point of comfort.
Return to the start position under control and repeat for reps or time.
Aim to move the body as a whole unit and avoid bending at the hips.
The exercise can be progressed by lowering the TRX and starting in a forward leaning position (as shown in the video). Whichever start position you adopt, it’s important that the arms remain at chest height throughout the movement.

All TRX exercises are quickly scalable to suit any fitness level and experience. With this in mind, they can be a useful bridge towards complex bodyweight and gymnastics training.
Although the TRX chest flye may be considered by many to be a simple chest exercise, its benefits are wider reaching. For example, the forward leaning of the body (with correct alignment) will engage the entire core to a very high level. Such levels of core activation are required in complex bodyweight and gymnastic exercises, as well as in many sports. Therefore, this exercise (and many other TRX exercises) can be used as a primer and even drills for such activities.