If you are looking to strengthen and build your chest and shoulders, look no further than an exercise known as the Dumbbell Flat Fly. Sometimes referred to as a Dumbbell Fly or Dumbbell Chest Fly, this simple exercise targets your pectoral muscles and the fibres attached to your sternum, which can help you to create a more defined chest.
There are also many advantages to adding dumbbell-assisted workouts into your routine, as they are versatile objects that allow for a variety of moves that target many muscle groups. The Flat Fly is just one way to use these workout accessories in your routine. In this piece, we will be dissecting the best way to properly and safely execute this exercise.
Equipment
Two dumbbells (weight dependent on your current fitness level)
Flat bench (optional)
Execution
- Begin by lying flat on your back or on a flat bench. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your head and shoulders firmly supported by the floor or bench.
- Hold the dumbbells firmly, but comfortably, above you with your palms facing inwards and your elbows slightly bent. Do not lock your elbows.
- Keep the slight bend in your elbows and slowly lower your arms out to the sides, until you feel a slight stretch in your chest. Do not lower the dumbbells below the level of your shoulders as this can result in hyperextension or other injury.
- Use your pectoral muscles to assist in lifting the dumbbells back to the original position. Be careful not to arch your back, concentrating on keeping it flat along the floor or bench.
Variations
There are several variations on the Dumbbell Flat Fly that can be used to target more specific areas of the pectoral and shoulder muscles, depending on what level of fitness you are at or what your personal fitness goals are.
Incline Bench Dumbbell Fly
This variation targets the top of the pectoral muscles more than the classic version. It involves adjusting your flat bench to a slight incline (approximately 30º).
Gym Ball Dumbbell Fly
You can also replace the bench with a gym ball if you would like to add another level to this exercise. By supporting yourself on a gym ball you will be improving your balance and engaging your core in addition to getting a chest and shoulder workout.
Takeaway
The Dumbbell Flat Fly is a simple exercise that can be utilised in a variety of ways to build up strength in the chest and shoulder muscles. It can be easily incorporated into a workout routine, alongside other chest exercises such as chest presses and pushups. Lastly, this exercise is very versatile and allows for you to build on it as you improve, by increasing the weight of the dumbbells as your strength increases and incorporating variations.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Want to learn about other exercises that you can teach others? If you do then you should really study our Personal Training Diploma. For more information, please follow this link.
