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Dumbbell Fly
PushIsolationHaltèresBeginner
Muscles worked
Front
Chest
Instructions
- 1Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each hand resting on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
- 2Then using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells, lift the dumbbells one at a time so you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width with the palms of your hands facing each other. Raise the dumbbells up like you're pressing them, but stop and hold just before you lock out. This will be your starting position.
- 3With a slight bend on your elbows in order to prevent stress at the biceps tendon, lower your arms out at both sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep in mind that throughout the movement, the arms should remain stationary; the movement should only occur at the shoulder joint.
- 4Return your arms back to the starting position as you squeeze your chest muscles and breathe out. Tip: Make sure to use the same arc of motion used to lower the weights.
- 5Hold for a second at the contracted position and repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
About Dumbbell Fly
The dumbbell fly is a pure isolation exercise for the chest, performed lying on a flat bench. With slightly bent arms, you open the dumbbells wide out to the sides then bring them back together over the chest. It maximizes the stretch on the chest fibers.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleIsolates the chest without triceps involvement
- check_circleDeeply stretches the chest muscle fibers
- check_circleImproves the mind-muscle connection with the pecs
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbKeep a fixed elbow angle throughout the movement
- lightbulbOpen the arms until you feel a controlled stretch
- lightbulbImagine hugging a large tree as you close
- lightbulbUse a moderate weight to protect the shoulder
warningCommon mistakes
- warningBending the arms and turning the fly into a press
- warningGoing too low and overstretching the joint
- warningChoosing a load too heavy at the cost of form
- warningClanking the dumbbells together at the top
helpFrequently asked questions
Fly or press for the chest?expand_more
The press builds strength and mass, the fly isolates and stretches; combine both for complete development.
How much weight for flyes?expand_more
Use a lighter weight than for pressing, since the priority is range and feel, not the load.
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