At a glance
- Main muscle
- Chest
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Rep range in Mitta
- 10 to 15 reps
- Skill level
- Intermediate
- How tiring
- Low
- Weight step in Mitta
- 2 kg
How to do it
- Elbows slightly bent.
- No deeper than feels comfortable.
- Stop before the dumbbells touch.
Pick a weight you can lift for 10 to 15 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating B
Tension only in the stretch and shoulder risk when going too heavy; cables are better, but usable at home.
Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.
Alternatives
These train the same muscle. Use one if you lack the equipment, if this exercise does not feel right, or for some variety.
- Cable Fly · Cable · rating A
- Pec Deck · Machine · rating A
- Dumbbell Bench Press · Dumbbell · rating A
Keep learning
- What is progressive overload, and how do you do it?
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- What is RIR, and how do you estimate it?
- One-rep max calculator: your max from any hard set of the dumbbell fly.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the dumbbell fly with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
dumbbell fly
What muscles does the dumbbell fly work?
The dumbbell fly mainly trains your chest.
How many reps of the dumbbell fly should I do?
Mitta plans the dumbbell fly at 10 to 15 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the dumbbell fly?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the cable fly, pec deck and dumbbell bench press.
Is the dumbbell fly good for beginners?
It takes some practice. Learn it with a light weight first, or start with an easier alternative.
Why does the dumbbell fly have rating B?
Tension only in the stretch and shoulder risk when going too heavy; cables are better, but usable at home.