Skip to content

Chest Fly (Dumbbell)

Primary muscle
Chest
Equipment
Dumbbell

Overview

A chest isolation exercise performed lying on a flat bench. It works the chest through a wide arc with little help from the triceps.

How to do it

  1. Lie on a flat bench holding the dumbbells above your chest, palms facing each other.

  2. Bend your elbows slightly and keep that angle fixed through the whole movement.

  3. Open your arms in a wide arc, lowering the dumbbells to about chest level.

  4. Stop when you feel a strong stretch across your chest.

  5. Squeeze your chest to bring the dumbbells back up along the same arc.

Tips

  • Think of hugging a large tree rather than pressing the weights.
  • Use lighter dumbbells than you would for a press.
  • Keep your shoulder blades pulled back against the bench.

Common mistakes

  • Bending and straightening your elbows, which turns the fly into a press.
  • Lowering the dumbbells far below the bench and overstretching your shoulders.
  • Choosing weights so heavy that you lose control at the bottom.

Similar exercises

All Chest exercises

Log Chest Fly (Dumbbell) in Bulky

Add it to a routine, log every set, and watch your progress. Free on the web today — the iOS and Android apps are coming soon.