Execution form
- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternIsolation
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
How to do the Dumbbell Fly
Set up. Lie on a flat bench holding two dumbbells over your chest, palms facing each other. Keep a small bend in your elbows.
- Open your arms out to the sides in a wide arc, keeping the elbow bend fixed.
- Lower until you feel a stretch across the chest and the dumbbells are about level with it.
- Bring the dumbbells back together over your chest along the same arc.
Form cues
- Think of hugging a large tree.
- Keep the elbow angle the same throughout.
- Use a weight you can control at the bottom.
Common mistakes
- Bending and straightening the elbows so the fly becomes a press.
- Lowering the arms far below the bench.
Muscles worked
Main target: Chest. The chest muscles fan out across the front of the ribcage, from the breastbone and collarbone to the upper arm. They bring the arm forward and across the body, which is the work of every press, push-up and fly.
On the way: Front delts.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Dumbbell Fly, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Close-Grip Bench Press Same push session: it trains the triceps.
- Dumbbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Dumbbell Fly first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Dumbbell Fly 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Close-Grip Bench Press 3 × 5 to 12 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Pec Deck, Cable Crossover and Low Cable Fly.
Do before it: Doorway Chest Stretch (shoulder range) and Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Dumbbell Fly is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Fly?
Set up: Lie on a flat bench holding two dumbbells over your chest, palms facing each other. Keep a small bend in your elbows. Steps: 1. Open your arms out to the sides in a wide arc, keeping the elbow bend fixed. 2. Lower until you feel a stretch across the chest and the dumbbells are about level with it. 3. Bring the dumbbells back together over your chest along the same arc. Form cues: Think of hugging a large tree. Keep the elbow angle the same throughout. Use a weight you can control at the bottom. Common mistakes: Bending and straightening the elbows so the fly becomes a press. Lowering the arms far below the bench.
What muscles does the Dumbbell Fly work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the front delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Fly?
At home: Dip. In a gym: Pec Deck. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Dumbbell Fly with?
Good partners in the same workout are Single-Arm Dumbbell Row, Upright Row, Close-Grip Bench Press and Dumbbell Shrug.
How heavy should the Dumbbell Fly be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.