Exercise guide · Chest
Dumbbell Incline Chest Fly
An incline dumbbell fly at 30–45° targeting the upper chest. Keep soft elbows and arc the weights in front of your shoulders.
- Targets: Chest
- Equipment: Dumbbell
- Type: Isolation
Step by step
How to do the Dumbbell Incline Chest Fly
- Set an incline bench to 30–45° and sit with a dumbbell on each thigh.
- Lie back and kick the weights to starting position above your upper chest, palms facing each other with soft elbows.
- Pinch your shoulder blades into the bench.
- Lower the dumbbells in a wide arc until you feel a stretch across your upper chest.
- Raise them back together over your upper chest in the same arc without pressing.
Form cues
- Keep the same elbow bend throughout each rep
- Arc in front of your shoulders
- Blades pressed into the bench
- Slow down on the descent
Common mistakes
- Bench too steep, shifting load to shoulders
- Lowering weights too low toward your head
- Turning the fly into a press
- Rocking your torso for momentum
Muscles worked
Primary
Chest
Secondary
None significant
Safety: Use a moderate incline and lighter weight than your flat-bench fly.
Alternatives
