Dumbbell Fly

Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms out to the sides, with a slight bend in your elbows. Gradually lower the dumbbells down and out to the sides, feeling a stretch in your chest muscles. Pause for a moment, then contract your chest muscles as you bring the dumbbells back up to their starting position. Repeat for desired number of reps.

How to perform the Dumbbell Fly

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Fly using your dumbbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your pectoralis major.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your pectoralis major rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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Variations of Dumbbell Fly

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