Why the Chest Fly Is a Must-Do Upper-Body Exercise

The chest fly (also called the dumbbell fly, or pec fly) may seem like a bro move. You’ve probably seen a muscled guy lying on a bench, desperately trying to get a dumbbell to his chest. But in reality, this low-key upper-body move is perfect to incorporate into any type of fitness routine. It has posture benefits you might not know about. Here’s why, and how to do it right.

Benefits of Chest Fly Exercise and It’s Variants

It works the chest and shoulders in general, as well as the supporting muscles of the triceps and shoulders, and at the very least, it makes pushups a lot easier. It opens up the chest really well and teaches you to retract your shoulder blades. Retracting your shoulder blades basically means being able to squeeze your shoulder blades together, and this movement is very important for combating the bad posture that comes from hunching over a desk or phone all day.

How to Do a Chest Fly

A. Lie on your back on a flat bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand, on your upper thighs, palms facing inward. Using your legs to help lift the dumbbells, raise them so they are directly above your chest. Push your arms up so they are extended (but not fixed) in the center of your chest, palms facing inward, to start the movement.

B. Keeping your arm joints slightly bent, inhale and slowly lower your bent arms, naturally pulling your shoulder blades back. Pause when the dumbbells reach shoulder height.

C. Exhale, squeeze your chest, and pull the dumbbells back above your chest to return to the starting position.

Repeat 10 to 15 times. Try 3 sets.

Construction Video for How to Chest Fly

A word of caution, though: people often try to do this movement too quickly, not only not working the proper muscles, but also risking injury. Remember, this is a chest exercise, so you should feel it in your chest.

The easiest way to increase or decrease is to increase or decrease the weight you use. Remember: if the last few reps are hard (but doable) to do, then you know you’re using the right weight. You can also change your hand position (hands forward or back) to strengthen different parts of your chest. Or make it harder on your core by doing dumbbell flyes on a stability ball or Bosu ball, or using a pull-up bar.

Chest Fly Type Tips

1. Keep your core engaged and avoid arching your lower back too much during the lower movement.
2. It primarily works the chest and shoulders, with a small amount of the triceps and supporting muscles of the shoulders. So remember, this is a chest exercise and you should feel it in your chest!
3. The easiest way to increase or decrease is to increase or decrease the weight you use. Remember: if the last few reps are hard but doable, you know you are using the right weight.