Decline dumbbell fly

Also called decline dumbbell flye, dumbbell decline fly.

What is a decline dumbbell fly?

A decline dumbbell fly is a chest exercise done lying on a decline bench, with your head lower than your hips and your feet secured. The arms open out and sweep back over the chest while the elbows keep a small bend. The movement trains the pectoralis major; the steady elbow angle separates it from a decline dumbbell press.

A woman lies with her head below her hips on a decline bench and her feet secured, holding dumbbells out to the sides and then above her chest.

How do you perform a decline dumbbell fly?

Set up

Lock a stable bench in a decline position, sit at the raised end and secure your feet under its supports.
Lie back with your head and back supported by the pad, then have your helper pass you the dumbbells.
Position the weights above your chest with your palms facing inward, shoulders settled against the pad and elbows slightly bent.

Execution

Let your arms travel outward in an arc while you hold the elbow bend steady.
Stop around chest height or sooner if the stretch is uncomfortable or the shoulders start to roll forward.
Sweep your arms inward to return the weights above your chest, keeping the same elbow shape.
After the last rep, bend your elbows and bring the weights close for your helper to take. Sit up before releasing your feet.

Common mistakes

Changing the elbow bend to finish a rep
Folding the elbows on the way down and straightening them on the way up changes the exercise into a press. Reduce the weight when you cannot keep the arm shape consistent.
Chasing a deeper bottom position
You need to be able to stop the weights and reverse the arc without losing your position on the pad. Shorten the descent if the shoulders move forward or the stretch becomes uncomfortable.
Releasing the feet while still holding the dumbbells
Unhooking early leaves you trying to sit up on a sloping bench with weights in your hands. Arrange the handoff before the set and keep your feet secured until you are sitting.

Where it fits in a session

Use it as chest accessory work after your main presses.

Begin with light dumbbells that you can pause and reverse at the bottom. Stop the set when you need to bend and straighten your elbows to keep going.

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Primary

Secondary

None listed in this guide

Select a muscle name to locate it.

Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

Variations

Dumbbell flyThe flat-bench version, with the torso level instead of declined.
Incline dumbbell flyThe head is higher than the hips on an incline bench.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does a decline dumbbell fly work?

It trains the pectoralis major, the large muscle across the front of your chest. The decline angle describes your body position; it is still a chest fly.

How is a decline dumbbell fly different from a decline dumbbell press?

In the fly, the arms sweep out and back with a steady bend at the elbows. In the press, the elbows fold as the weights come down and straighten as you push them away. Use a fly weight you can control without switching to that pressing action.

Can I do decline dumbbell flies without a helper?

This guide uses a helper so you can secure your feet and lie back before receiving the dumbbells, then hand them off before sitting up. If that setup is unavailable, choose a flat-bench fly rather than carrying weights while trying to hook or release your feet.

Sources

Baig MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Pectoral Muscles. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545241/