# Dumbbell Floor Flye

A dumbbell flye performed lying on the floor, which stops the upper arms at floor level and shortens the bottom stretch. Trains the chest through horizontal shoulder adduction with a slight, fixed elbow bend.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: Dumbbells
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-floor-fly/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-floor-flye/

## Muscles worked

- Mid chest: 9/10
- Upper chest: 6/10
- Front delts: 5/10
- Biceps: 3/10
- Rotator Cuff: 3/10

## How to do the Dumbbell Floor Flye

1. Lie on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand above your chest.
2. Turn your palms toward each other, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
3. Slowly lower the weights out to the sides in a wide arc.
4. Stop when your upper arms lightly touch the floor.
5. Bring the dumbbells back up, squeezing your chest as you finish.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Lie on your back on the floor with a dumbbell held above your chest in each hand.
2. Turn your palms to face each other and keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows.
3. Lower the weights out to your sides in a wide arc without changing your elbow angle.
4. Descend until your upper arms lightly touch the floor without dropping the dumbbells onto it.
5. Bring the dumbbells back together along the same arc by drawing your upper arms inward.
6. Finish with the dumbbells above your chest without letting them drift behind your shoulders.

## Common mistakes

- Turning the flye into a press
- Bending and straightening the elbows
- Bouncing the arms off the floor
- Letting shoulders roll forward
- Bringing dumbbells too far back

## Form cues

- Slight elbow bend
- Move through the shoulders
- Match the same arc
- Touch the floor lightly
- Keep shoulders down and back

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, pause 1 s, lift 2 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Cable machine**: [Lying Cable Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-cable-flye/), [Mid Cable Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/mid-cable-flye/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Single Arm Resistance Band Chest Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-resistance-band-chest-flye/), [Incline Resistance Band Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/incline-resistance-band-flye/)
- **No equipment**: [Standing Bodyweight Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/standing-bodyweight-flye/)
- **Weight plates**: [Incline Svend Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/incline-svend-press/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Lying Svend Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-svend-press/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Dumbbell Floor Flye — Beginner**
- Harder: [Dumbbell Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-flye/) — Beginner
- Harder: [Stability Ball Dumbbell Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/stability-ball-dumbbell-flye/) — Intermediate

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Dumbbell Floor Flye work?

Primary: Mid chest 9/10. Also works: Upper chest 6/10, Front delts 5/10, Biceps 3/10, Rotator Cuff 3/10.

### When should I do the Dumbbell Floor Flye in a workout?

Finisher. Goes last, once the heavy work is done. ≈ 6 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Dumbbell Floor Flye?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Floor Flye?

Cable machine: Lying Cable Flye, Mid Cable Flye. Resistance bands: Single Arm Resistance Band Chest Flye, Incline Resistance Band Flye. No equipment: Standing Bodyweight Flye. Weight plates: Incline Svend Press.

### What is an easier version of the Dumbbell Floor Flye?

Lying Svend Press (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Dumbbell Floor Flye?

Dumbbell Flye (Beginner), Stability Ball Dumbbell Flye (Intermediate).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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