Floor Fly with Towels
- Synergist muscles
- Biceps Brachii, Deltoid Anterior
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Chest
- Type
- Strength
The floor fly with towels is a bodyweight chest exercise that uses two towels as sliders to open and close the arms against your own weight. It primarily targets the chest (pectoralis major, both the clavicular and sternal heads), with the front shoulders and biceps assisting. It's a low-equipment way to build pressing strength and control through a wide fly arc.
How to do the Floor Fly with Towels
- 1Place a folded towel under each hand on a smooth, hard floor that lets the towels slide easily.
- 2Set up in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels, and your core braced.
- 3Keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows that you'll hold for the whole rep.
- 4Slowly slide both towels out to the sides, letting your arms sweep wide as your chest lowers toward the floor.
- 5Go only as far as you can control, feeling the stretch across your chest without letting your hips sag or your lower back arch.
- 6Squeeze your chest and pull the towels back in along the floor to return your hands under your shoulders.
- 7Maintain the same elbow bend throughout, moving smoothly rather than collapsing and shoving back up.
- 8Complete your reps, then lower your knees to rest and remove the towels.
Form tips
- Brace your core and glutes hard so your torso stays rigid like a plank and the work stays in your chest, not your lower back.
- Control the slide-out slowly — the lowering phase is where the chest does most of its work.
- Start from your knees to shorten the lever and reduce load if a full plank is too much.
- Keep your shoulder blades set down and back so the shoulders stay stable and the chest drives the movement.
- Choose your range carefully: only slide out as far as you can pull back without losing form.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag or the lower back arch, which shifts strain to the spine and takes tension off the chest.
- Sliding the towels out too far, leaving you unable to pull back and overstretching the shoulder joint.
- Bending and straightening the elbows like a push-up instead of holding a fixed bend, which turns the fly into a press.
- Rushing the slide-out and dropping fast, losing the muscular tension that makes the exercise effective.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the floor fly with towels work?
It primarily works the chest (pectoralis major, both the clavicular and sternal heads), with the front deltoids and biceps assisting as you control the arms in and out.
Is the floor fly with towels good for beginners?
Yes, with a regression. Start on your knees and use a short slide range to build control, then progress to a full plank position and a wider arc as you get stronger.
What surface and towels do I need?
Use a smooth, hard floor such as wood, tile, or laminate so folded towels glide easily. On carpet the towels won't slide, so use furniture sliders or paper plates instead.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 12 controlled reps. Because it's bodyweight, focus on a slow slide-out and a full chest squeeze rather than chasing high numbers.
