The dumbbell one arm bench fly is a unilateral chest exercise that targets the pectoral muscles and also engages the shoulders. It requires balance and control to stabilize the weight with one arm while lying on a bench.
Also Works
Shoulders
How to Perform
1
Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell in one hand, resting it on top of your thigh.
2
Lie back on the bench, keeping the dumbbell pressed against your thigh.
3
Using your free hand, help lift the dumbbell up to the starting position.
4
Hold the dumbbell directly above your shoulder with your arm extended and palm facing inward.
5
Lower the dumbbell out to the side in a wide arc, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.
6
Pause when your arm is parallel to the ground, then reverse the movement and bring the dumbbell back to the starting position.
7
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms and repeat.
Pro Tips
•Focus on squeezing your pec to bring the dumbbell back to the top rather than pulling with your shoulder.
•Keep your shoulder blade pinched against the bench throughout the movement to stabilize the joint.
•Use your free hand to lightly touch your working pec to build a stronger mind-muscle connection.
Common Mistakes
•Dropping the dumbbell too far below chest level, which shifts the load to the front delt and risks shoulder impingement.
•Losing the slight elbow bend at the bottom and straightening the arm completely, stressing the elbow joint.
•Rocking the torso side to side to generate momentum on each rep.