Incline Dumbbell Flye

ChestDumbbells, Incline Bench

An isolation exercise for the upper chest performed on an incline bench. It stretches the upper pecs at the bottom without placing excess strain on your elbows.

How to do it

1Set the bench to a 30–45 degree incline, sit back, and hold the dumbbells over your chest with a slight elbow bend.

2Inhale and open your arms out in a wide arc, maintaining that fixed angle in your elbows.

3Lower the dumbbells until you feel a full, comfortable stretch in your upper chest.

4Exhale and fly the weights back up along the same arc, focusing on squeezing your chest.

5Keep a slight bend in your elbows at the top and avoid clacking the dumbbells together.

Common mistakes

Locking out your elbows, shifting heavy stress onto the joints and ligaments.

Dropping the weights too low, placing excessive torque on your shoulders.

Bending your arms into a press during the rep, taking tension off the pecs.

Breathing

Inhale as you open your arms wide, and exhale as you bring the weights back together over your chest.

Make it harder or easier

To make it easier, reduce the weight or lower the bench angle. To make it harder, hold the bottom stretch position for a second on each rep.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.