Decline Dumbbell Flyes
Decline Dumbbell Flyes is a beginner compound dumbbell exercise that mainly works your chest.


How to do the decline dumbbell flyes
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
- Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width. The palms of the hands should be facing each other and the arms should be perpendicular to the floor and fully extended. This will be your starting position.
- With a slight bend on your elbows in order to prevent stress at the biceps tendon, lower your arms out at both sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep in mind that throughout the movement, the arms should remain stationary; the movement should only occur at the shoulder joint.
- Return your arms back to the starting position as you squeeze your chest muscles and breathe out. Tip: Make sure to use the same arc of motion used to lower the weights.
- Hold for a second at the contracted position and repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Muscles worked
Sets and reps
For strength, do 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add a little weight when you hit the top of the range on every set.
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Start your free trialDecline Dumbbell Flyes alternatives
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What muscles does the decline dumbbell flyes work?
It mainly works your chest.
How many sets and reps of decline dumbbell flyes should I do?
For strength, do 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add a little weight when you hit the top of the range on every set.
Is the decline dumbbell flyes good for beginners?
Yes. It is a beginner-friendly movement: start light and focus on the form steps above.