Dumbbell Fly
ChestDumbbellsIntermediate
Old-school chest isolation that works when the stretch is controlled and the ego stays quiet.
Muscle worked
Chest
Equipment
Dumbbells
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time per set
30-60s
How to perform
Step by step, every rep
01
Start over chest
Lie on a bench with dumbbells above chest and elbows softly bent.
02
Open wide
Lower arms in a wide arc until you feel a chest stretch.
03
Keep elbow angle fixed
Do not turn the fly into a press.
04
Hug back up
Bring dumbbells together by squeezing chest, not by clanking weights.
Common mistakes
Avoid these
✕
Going too deep
Shoulders get stressed before chest benefits more. Fix: Stop at a comfortable stretch.
✕
Straight elbows
Elbows and shoulders take unnecessary strain. Fix: Keep a soft bend throughout.
✕
Too much weight
The motion becomes a sloppy press. Fix: Use lighter dumbbells and slow reps.
Progressions
Scale it up or down
Make it easier
- Cable fly
- Pec deck fly
- Light dumbbell fly
Make it harder
- Incline dumbbell fly
- Paused stretch fly
- Slow eccentric dumbbell fly
How to program it
Sets, reps, rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build Strength | 3-4 | 6-8 | 90-120s | Heavy enough to need focus, light enough to control. |
| Build Muscle | 3-4 | 8-15 | 60-90s | Moderate. Last 2 reps should burn without breaking form. |
| Build Endurance | 2-3 | 15-25 | 45-60s | Lighter. Smooth tempo and constant tension. |
Want this exercise programmed into a full plan?
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