10 Best Floor Fly (With Barbell) Alternatives for Chest Isolation

The Floor Fly (With Barbell) is done lying on your back with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Isometric Chest Squeeze, Isometric Wipers and the Push-up (Wall).

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Original Exercise: Floor Fly (With Barbell)

Primary muscle
Pectorals
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Deltoids, Triceps

How to perform Floor Fly (With Barbell)
  1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
  2. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, arms extended straight up over your chest.
  3. Slowly lower the barbell out to the sides, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Lower the barbell until your arms are parallel to the floor, feeling a stretch in your chest.
  5. Pause for a moment, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring the barbell back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Floor Fly (With Barbell) Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Floor Fly (With Barbell) on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by lying flat on your back on a mat or bench.
    2. Extend your arms straight out to the sides, perpendicular to your body.
    3. Engage your core and lift both legs off the ground, keeping them together and straight.
    4. Slowly lower your legs to one side, aiming to touch the ground with your feet while maintaining control.
    5. Pause for a moment, then use your core to lift your legs back to the starting position.
    6. Repeat the movement, this time lowering your legs to the opposite side.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, not lying on your back
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand facing a wall, about arm's length away.
    2. Place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Step back with your feet, keeping them hip-width apart.
    4. Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
    5. Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the wall, keeping your body straight.
    6. Pause for a moment, then push yourself back to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
  1. Incline Push-up Wide
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand facing a Smith machine bar or sturdy elevated platform at an appropriate height.
    2. Place your hands on the bar, with your hands wider than shoulder width.
    3. Position your feet back from the bar with arms and body straight. Your arms should be perpendicular to the body. This will be your starting position.
    4. Keeping your body straight, lower your chest to the bar by bending the arms.
    5. Return to the starting position by extending the elbows, pressing yourself back up.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, not lying on your back
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start in a high plank position with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe.
    3. Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
    4. Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, not lying on your back
  2. Push-up Wide
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. With your hands wide apart, support your body on your toes and hands in a plank position. Your elbows should be extended and your body straight. Do not allow your hips to sag. This will be your starting position.
    2. To begin, allow the elbows to flex, lowering your chest to the floor as you inhale.
    3. Using your pectoral muscles, press your upper body back up to the starting position by extending the elbows. Exhale as you perform this step.
    4. After pausing at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, not lying on your back
  3. Isometric Chest Squeezes
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. While either seating or standing, bend your arms at a 90-degree angle and place the palms of your hands together in front of your chest. Tip: Your hands should be open with the palms together and fingers facing forward (perpendicular to your torso).
    2. Push both hands against each other as you contract your chest. Start with slow tension and increase slowly. Keep breathing normally as you execute this contraction.
    3. Hold for the recommended number of seconds.
    4. Now release the tension slowly.
    5. Rest for the recommended amount of time and repeat.

    Sets and reps: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, 3 sets.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Place your hands on an elevated surface, such as a bench or step, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Extend your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
    3. Lower your chest towards the elevated surface by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, not lying on your back
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Place your hands on the edge of a box or elevated surface, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Extend your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
    3. Lower your chest towards the box by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
  4. Incline Push-up Medium
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand facing a Smith machine bar or sturdy elevated platform at an appropriate height.
    2. Place your hands on the bar, with your hands about shoulder width apart.
    3. Position your feet back from the bar with arms and body straight. This will be your starting position.
    4. Keeping your body straight, lower your chest to the bar by bending the arms.
    5. Return to the starting position by extending the elbows, pressing yourself back up.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Floor Fly (With Barbell)
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying face down, not lying on your back

How to Choose the Right Floor Fly (With Barbell) Substitute

Decide based on equipment, shoulder health, and desired muscle stimulus. Choose dumbbells if you want end-range stretch and proprioceptive demand, retract the scapulae and lower until your upper arm brushes the floor. Pick cables for continuous tension and a neutral wrist to emphasize mid-to-peak contraction; set pulleys slightly above chest height and perform slow concentric adduction. Use a pec-deck to limit scapular stabilization when you need strict isolation. For unilateral imbalance, pick single-arm cables or dumbbells and focus on equal peak contraction and controlled eccentric.

Floor Fly (With Barbell) FAQ

What muscles does Floor Fly (with Barbell) work?

The barbell floor fly primarily targets the pectoralis major through horizontal adduction, with secondary involvement from the anterior deltoid and coracobrachialis. Maintain a slight elbow bend and scapular retraction to bias the chest fibers and reduce shoulder strain.

Can I build muscle without doing Floor Fly (with Barbell)?

Yes, you can develop chest hypertrophy using presses, dumbbell flies, cable flies, and bodyweight progressions by applying progressive overload and full-range control. Emphasize eccentric control, pause at peak contraction, and use variations that maintain horizontal adduction to sufficiently load the pectoral fibers.

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