The bench press and its variations still remain the go-to exercises to build size and strength in the chest. But don’t discount the dumbbell chest flye and all its pec-pumping versions. The beauty of this exercise is that it takes much the triceps out of the move so you can focus on the chest just as long as you keep away from some of the common dumbbell chest flye mistakes.
Many lifters can’t “feel” their chest working with some press variations, and the dumbbell chest flye solves this problem. When performed with good form, the dumbbell chest fly will encourage an excellent mind-muscle connection for better gains.
But a one of the most common dumbbell chest flye mistakes is that some think more is better and let ego get in the way of their gains. Here we’ll briefly explain how to do the dumbbell chest flye and four common chest flye mistakes that’s stopping you from getting a massive chest pump.
How to Do The Dumbbell Chest Flye
Lie face up on a flat bench with dumbbells held with a neutral grip near your chest.
Press the weights to the lockout position with the dumbbells touching.
Lower the weights laterally, slightly bending your elbows to avoid elbow strain.
When the dumbbells are at shoulder level, squeeze your chest muscles, and bring the weights back to the lockout position.
Reset and repeat.
What’s Needed For Good Form
The dumbbell chest flye is not a technical exercise like a deadlift or bench press and will benefit anyone from beginner to advanced lifters. But like most exercises, there are better ways to do it to get the most out of it. Here is what’s needed for good chest fly form.
Decent shoulder mobility and health: If you have problems with either, this may not not the exercise for you.
Healthy elbows: Even though the triceps are not involved, flyes put stress on the elbows, and if you have pain there, again, this is not the exercise for you.
Grip strength: if you cannot grip it, you cannot rip it, and the dumbbell chest flye requires you to hold on tight to keep your wrist neutral. When the wrist hyperextends, good things will NOT happen.
Shoulders externally rotated: If you have a caveman posture, you will find this exercise difficult to do with good form. Externally rotating the shoulders engages the upper back and helps open the chest for the best results.
It is a simple exercise requiring no special knowledge or insider secrets. But that doesn’t mean you cannot make mistakes. You should avoid these four common mistakes to get the best out of this chest isolation exercise.
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BLACKDAY
Don’t Bend Your Wrists
When your press weight vertically or horizontally and you’re pushing the boundaries, there is a tendency for the wrist to hyperextend. Usually, this is not a massive deal unless wrist pain is an issue. But with the dumbbell chest fly, with the dumbbells pulling your wrist back, it makes it more difficult to lockout this lift if the wrists are hyperextended.
Fix it: Use a weight that allows you to keep your wrists neutral, and if the problem continues, doing this exercise with wrist straps helps.
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MDV Edwards
Too Much Or Too Little Range Of Motion
The dumbbell chest fly takes your arm from perpendicular to the ground to parallel. If you cannot lower the dumbbells to shoulder/chest level, you’ll leave gains on the table. Plus, some lifters think more is better, and to get a more significant stretch, the anterior shoulder glides forward to put the shoulder at risk. Both could be better.
Fix it: If shoulder mobility is not the issue and you’re having trouble judging the correct range of motion, the dumbbell floor chest fly might be the ticket. You’ll limit anterior shoulder glide and know when your arms are parallel to the floor because you’re on it.
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BLACKDAY
Too Much or No Elbow Bend
You can perform the fly with a locked elbow if you want, but it is not ideal because it will further strain the elbow joint and limit the weight you will use. But too much elbow bending puts more focus on the biceps and less on the chest. And last time I checked, isn’t it a chest exercise?
Fix it: In the lockout position, start with a slight bend in your elbows and keep it for the entire set duration.
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MDV Edwards
Ego Lifting
You could make a case for lifters making this mistake with all exercises, and it would be true. Lifting too heavy and pushing the boundaries does put the body in compromising positions. Tension and a good mind-muscle connection are essential when performing isolation exercises like the dumbbell chest flye. Lose both, and you also lose any muscle-building benefits.
Fix it: Because the triceps are not involved, you must use less weight than your dumbbell bench variations. Please don’t get the two confused.
