Dumbbell Fly
A lying chest isolation exercise where you open the arms wide with dumbbells, then bring them together in an arc over the chest.
Secondary muscles
How to do it
- Lie flat on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand, and plant your feet on the floor.
- Press the dumbbells above your chest with your palms facing each other and soften your elbows slightly.
- Lower both arms out to the sides in a wide arc until your elbows reach about chest level.
- Pause briefly at the bottom while keeping the same elbow bend.
- Squeeze your chest and bring the dumbbells back together over your chest along the same arc.
Form cues
- Hug a wide barrel
- Keep elbows softly bent
- Lower with control
- Squeeze chest at the top
Common mistakes
- Bending and straightening the elbows like a press
- Lowering the dumbbells too far below chest level
- Bringing the dumbbells together by shrugging the shoulders forward
- Dropping the arms quickly instead of controlling the arc
Breathing
Inhale as you lower the dumbbells out to the sides, and exhale as you bring them back together over your chest.
