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Chest

Dumbbell Fly

Intermediate

An isolation movement that stretches and contracts the chest through a wide arc.

Target muscles

Chest

Calories burned

~6 kcal / set

Secondary muscles

Shoulders

Equipment

Dumbbell, Bench

Goal

Muscle Gain

Sets / Reps

3 × 10-15

Benefits

  • • Deep chest stretch improves flexibility
  • • Isolates the pecs without tricep involvement

Step by step

  1. 1Lie on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand above your chest.
  2. 2With a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights out to the sides.
  3. 3Lower until you feel a stretch across your chest.
  4. 4Bring the dumbbells back together above your chest in an arcing motion.

Breathing guide

Inhale as you lower, exhale as you bring the weights together.

Common mistakes

  • • Using weight too heavy to control
  • • Bending the elbows too much, turning it into a press

Safety tips

  • • Keep the arc of the movement wide and controlled.
  • • Squeeze your chest at the top.

Variations

  • • Incline dumbbell fly
  • • Cable fly

Related exercises

Barbell Bench Press

4 × 6-10

Incline Dumbbell Press

3 × 8-12

Decline Bench Press

3 × 8-10

Cable Crossover

3 × 12-15