How to do the Dumbbell Flye
- Lie back on a bench, feet flat, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Turn your palms toward each other, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Slowly lower the weights out to the sides in a wide arc.
- Bring the dumbbells back up, squeezing your chest as you finish.
Full technique — 7 steps
- Lie on a flat bench with feet planted and a dumbbell held above your chest in each hand.
- Turn your palms to face each other and keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows.
- Set your shoulder blades down into the bench and hold the dumbbells over your chest.
- Lower the weights out to your sides in a wide arc without changing your elbow angle.
- Descend until your chest is fully stretched and your upper arms reach bench level or slightly below.
- Bring the dumbbells back together along the same arc by drawing your upper arms inward.
- 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
- Slight elbow bend
- Move through the shoulders
- Stretch, don't force depth
- Match the same arc
- Keep shoulders down and back
