RepCount App IconRepCount

Incline dumbbell fly alternatives

An incline cable fly retains the supported fly arc. A flat dumbbell fly changes the bench angle, while an incline dumbbell press fills a broader compound pressing slot.

The original opens two dumbbells in a wide arc above an inclined bench. Keep the slight, steady elbow bend described by the written guide; a press adds elbow extension, and a flat bench changes the shoulder path.

Anatomical illustration of an incline dumbbell fly at the open and closed positions, with the chest highlighted.
What equipment can you use?

Choose everything you have. Some exercises need two items, such as dumbbells and a flat bench. Choose floor space for options without equipment.

Your replacements

Choose your equipment above to see replacements.

Compare all alternatives

These options need different equipment. Use the finder above to show only the setups you can use.

  • Two-frame anatomical illustration of a man performing an incline cable fly, with the arms open beside the chest and then closed above it, and the chest and front shoulders highlighted.

    Similar movement

    Incline cable fly

    You need: Two adjustable cable pulleys set low + Pair of single cable handles + Adjustable bench with incline and upright settings

    Why it fits
    Keeps an incline-supported fly with nearly fixed elbow bend.
    What changes
    Place an incline bench between two low pulleys and use one handle per hand. Cables replace independent dumbbells and change resistance direction through the closing arc.
    See exercise guide
  • Two-frame anatomical illustration of a flat-bench dumbbell fly on a white background. In the left frame, a man lies on a flat bench with his feet on the floor and holds a dumbbell in each hand. His arms are open wide at chest level with a small bend in both elbows and his palms facing inward. In the right frame, the same man has brought the dumbbells together above his chest while keeping the slight elbow bend. The pectoralis major is shaded bright red in both frames. Lighter shading also appears over the front of the shoulders, biceps and parts of the forearms.

    Similar movement

    Dumbbell fly

    You need: Dumbbells + Flat bench

    Why it fits
    Keeps a two-dumbbell fly with a slight, steady elbow bend.
    What changes
    Lie on a flat bench rather than an incline. Open and close the same broad arm arc without bending and straightening the elbows as in a press; the torso angle and shoulder path change.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a man pressing two dumbbells while lying back on a bench inclined at roughly forty-five degrees, shown twice side by side on a white background. In the left frame his arms are straight overhead and the two dumbbells are almost touching. In the right frame he is at the bottom of the rep, the dumbbells level with his chest and his elbows out from his torso, palms facing forward. The muscles of the chest and the front of the shoulder are shaded red in both frames, most strongly in the upper chest running from the collarbone out to the shoulder; the rest of the body is drawn in plain white. The back of the upper arm is not highlighted. The bench angle, the elbow position and the palms-forward grip shown are one option among several, not the required way to do the movement.

    Different movement

    Incline dumbbell press

    You need: Dumbbells + Adjustable bench with incline and upright settings

    Why it fits
    Offers a supported incline compound press for the chest.
    What changes
    Use the linked incline setup with the palms forward and wrists above the elbows. The elbows bend and straighten through a press instead of staying nearly fixed through a fly; choose a separate load.
    See exercise guide
See the original exercise guide

How we choose replacements

These are curated alternatives, chosen for the movement and the job the exercise does in a workout. A shared muscle group is not enough. Read what changes before choosing: support, range of motion, balance and resistance can all differ. If your goal is to improve a specific lift, alternatives do not replace practice of that lift.

Explore alternatives by exercise