Dumbbell Flyes

What it is

This isolation exercise strengthens your chest muscles by having you lie on a flat bench. You move dumbbells in a wide, controlled arc, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. This push movement primarily targets your pectoralis major.

Technique tips

• Start with a slight bend in your elbows to prevent tendon stress.
• Lower the dumbbells in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
• Keep your arms stationary, with movement coming only from your shoulders.
• Squeeze your chest as you return the dumbbells to the starting position.
• Inhale as you lower the weights, exhale as you bring them up.
• Maintain control through the full range of motion.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.