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Dumbbell Floor Fly
A chest isolation exercise performed supine on the floor with dumbbells. It targets the mid-chest and pectoral muscles to promote hypertrophy and strength, while the floor limits excessive stretch.
About Exercise
Equipment
Dumbbells
Difficulty
2/5 • Beginner
Primary Muscle Groups
Chest
Secondary Muscles
Shoulders
Accessory Muscles
Triceps
Popularity Score
6
Goals
Training Style
Setup Requirements
Requires Rack
No
Requires Bench
No
Requires Spotter
No
Space Needed
Medium
Noise Level
Low
Muscle Breakdown
View Muscle MapChest
10/10Mid Chest, Lower Chest
Shoulders
4/10Anterior Delts
Triceps
2/10Programming
Typical Rep Range
10-15 reps
Rest Between Sets
60-120 seconds • Shorter rest for high-rep hypertrophy sets.
How to Perform
Lie flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand directly above your chest with palms facing each other. Maintain a slight, fixed bend in the elbows throughout the exercise.
- Slowly lower the weights out to the sides in a wide, controlled arc, keeping the fixed bend in your elbows.
- Continue lowering until the back of your upper arms gently touches the floor.
- Squeeze your chest muscles to powerfully reverse the movement.
- Bring the dumbbells back together above your chest without allowing them to crash.
- Maintain constant tension on the chest throughout the set.
Coaching Tips
Form Cues
- Fixed elbows.
- Control the descent.
- Squeeze the chest hard.
- No bouncing off the floor.
Breathing
Inhale deeply as you lower the weights to stretch the chest; exhale forcefully as you contract the chest and bring the weights back to the top.
Tempo
3-0-1
Range of Motion
Lower the dumbbells until the back of the upper arms make light contact with the floor. The elbows should remain slightly bent and fixed.
Safety
Safety Notes
- Avoid using excessively heavy weight, which compromises form and elbow angle.
- Stop immediately if you feel sharp pain in the shoulder joint.
Spotting
Not recommended. If assistance is needed, a spotter can lightly guide the elbows during the upward, concentric phase.
Common Mistakes
- Bending the elbows further as the weight lowers.
- Using momentum or bouncing off the floor.
- Allowing the dumbbells to crash together at the top.
When to Avoid
- Acute shoulder or sternum pain.
- Severe rotator cuff instability.
Flexibility Needed
- Adequate shoulder external rotation mobility.
Build Up First
- Ability to maintain a fixed, slight bend in the elbow.
Also known as
Floor Dumbbell Fly, DB Floor Fly
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