Dumbbell Flye

An isolation chest exercise targeting the pecs through horizontal shoulder adduction. Used to train chest lengthened tension and hypertrophy with lighter loads.

Also known as: DB flyes, dumbbell chest flyes, DB chest flyes, dumbbell flye flat bench, flat bench dumbbell flyes

Beginner Isolation DumbbellsFlat bench

How to do the Dumbbell Flye

  1. Lie on a flat bench with feet planted and a dumbbell held above your chest in each hand.
  2. Turn your palms to face each other and keep a soft, fixed bend in your elbows.
  3. Set your shoulder blades down into the bench and hold the dumbbells over your chest.
  4. Lower the weights out to your sides in a wide arc without changing your elbow angle.
  5. Descend until your chest is fully stretched and your upper arms reach bench level or slightly below.
  6. Bring the dumbbells back together along the same arc by drawing your upper arms inward.
  7. 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
  • Dropping too deep at bottom
  • Letting shoulders roll forward
  • Bringing dumbbells too far back

Form cues

  • Keep elbows softly bent
  • Move through the shoulders
  • Stretch, don't force depth
  • Match the same arc
  • Keep shoulders pinned down

Substitutes & similar