TRX Split Fly
What Is the TRX Split Fly?
TRX Split Fly is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the chest, upper back and core. It is an intermediate-level movement. Standing and holding a suspension handle in each hand, you sweep one arm up and out on a diagonal while the other arm drives down and back toward the hip, then bring both back together in front of the chest and switch.
Because the arms travel in opposite directions, one shoulder works in a raised position while the other pulls the opposite way. The deltoids lead the work, with the chest, the serratus anterior and the lats helping, and the abs and obliques resist the pull of the straps so the trunk stays steady. This makes it a useful shoulder control and coordination drill as well as a strength exercise.
Your body angle sets the difficulty. Standing more upright and farther from the anchor point makes the strap tension lighter, and leaning back with your feet closer to the anchor makes every rep harder. Moving slowly and keeping the straps taut matters more than speed, since slack straps remove the stability demand and turn the rep into a swing.
TRX Split Fly suits lifters who already handle basic suspension work and want more shoulder and trunk control. If it feels too hard or your shoulders get irritated overhead, build up with TRX Y Raise or TRX Reverse Fly at an easier angle first.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoid
- Primary
- Pectoralis Major
- High
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Medium
- Serratus Anterior
- Medium
- Teres Major
- Low
- Lower Trapezius
- Minimal
Instructions
- Set the straps to a mid or long length and hold a handle in each hand, facing the anchor point.
- Stand with your feet about hip width apart and lean back slightly so the straps are taut, with your body straight from head to heels.
- Bring your hands in front of your chest with the elbows bent and your forearms crossed.
- Keep your ribs down and your shoulders away from your ears.
- Sweep one arm up and out on a diagonal until your hand is high overhead and the arm is nearly straight.
- At the same time, press the other arm down and back until your hand is beside your hip.
- Pause for a moment with both arms extended.
- Slowly bring both hands back in front of your chest, keeping tension on the straps the whole way.
- Repeat, switching which arm goes up, and keep your trunk steady throughout.
Common Mistakes
Letting the straps go slack
When tension drops at the top or bottom of the rep, the stability demand disappears and the arms swing instead of working.
Shrugging the shoulders
Hiking the raised shoulder toward the ear shifts work to the upper trapezius instead of the deltoid and serratus.
Leaning too far back
Starting at an angle you cannot control turns the rep into a whole-body pull and arches the lower back.
Swinging the body
Using hip and trunk momentum to throw the arms apart means the shoulders are no longer doing the work.
Letting the low arm swing wide
Dropping the lower hand out to the side or behind the body instead of down toward the hip loses the diagonal path and strains the front of the shoulder.
Cutting the range short
Stopping both arms halfway never finishes the diagonal, so the top arm never extends and the low arm never reaches the hip.
Injuries
TRX Split Fly is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The raised arm works overhead while the body leans against the straps, so the shoulder carries load in a position where it needs good shoulder blade control.
The most common strain points are the front of the shoulder and the upper trapezius when the shoulder hikes toward the ear, and the lower back when the ribs flare or the hips drift forward. Keep the straps taut from start to finish, keep the shoulders down and away from the ears, and stand upright enough that you control the return rather than letting the straps pull you. Perform every rep slowly through a range that stays pain free.
If an overhead arm position bothers your shoulder, start with a more upright stance and stop the raised hand at eye level, or build up with TRX Reverse Fly first. Stop the set if you feel sharp or pinching pain in the shoulder, tingling in the arm, or lower back pain. Anyone with a current shoulder injury should have it assessed before adding overhead suspension work.
- Primary Focus
- Shoulders
- Equipment
- Suspension trainer and body weight
- Modality
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Alternative Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: How is the TRX Split Fly different from the TRX Y Raise?
In a TRX Y Raise both arms rise together into a Y overhead, while in the split fly one arm goes overhead as the other drives down toward the hip, so the shoulders work in opposite directions on each rep.
- Q: How do I make it easier or harder?
Change your body angle: standing more upright and farther from the anchor point lowers the load, and leaning back with your feet closer to the anchor raises it. Keep the straps taut at either end of the range.
- Q: Should I alternate which arm goes up?
Yes, switch the arm that goes overhead on each rep or after each set so both shoulders get equal work.
- Q: How many reps should I do?
Most people do well with 8 to 12 slow, controlled reps per side for 2 to 3 sets. End the set a rep or two before your form breaks down.