How to Do a Fly Pushup

The fly pushup is one of a group of exercises that add dynamic motion to classic exercises in order to call more muscle groups into the exercise. Fly pushups effectively work the chest, triceps and shoulders. However, with an added twist at the top of the movement, the fly also targets the obliques and a number of balance muscles in the midline. Follow these steps to do a superior pushup.

Instructions

1. Get into a pushup position. Form is very important in the fly pushup since your ability to properly twist, or "fly," at the top of the motion depends on your hand position. Place your hands flat on the ground, slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet together. Start from an up position, where your butt is slightly raised above your legs and back.

2. Lower yourself in classic pushup style. The down motion of the fly pushup is identical to that of the classic pushup. Simply lower yourself at a controlled rate until you are millimeters from the floor. Keep in mind that the lower you go, without letting your midsection sag, the more effective the exercise will be.

3. Pushup and twist. The up phase of the exercise is where the "fly" element comes into play. Push up in one explosive yet controlled motion. At the top of the movement, once your arms are fully extended, take one hand off the ground and in an arcing movement raise your palm to the sky. The end of the up phase should leave you balancing on one hand, with both feet still on the ground, and your body twisted at the torso so that your front is at a 90-degree angle to the ground (instead of parallel to it).

4. Twist down and lower. From the raised position of the fly, simply lower your hand back to the ground slowly. Make sure to pivot on your feet and twist your torso back, and not just drop your hand straight to the ground. Keep both arms extended so that once your raised hand reaches the ground again you end up in the up position of the pushup. From there, start the exercise again, this time using the other hand as the fly hand.