Incline Dumbbell Flyes

Setup

Set a bench to 30 to 45 degrees. Lie back with a dumbbell in each hand above the upper chest, palms facing each other, elbows softly bent. Shoulder blades pulled back and down, feet flat.

How to do it

1. Open the arms in a wide arc, lowering the dumbbells until you feel a stretch across the upper chest.
2. Keep the elbow angle fixed; the shoulder does the moving.
3. Drive the dumbbells back up over the upper chest by squeezing the pecs, stopping before they touch.
4. Keep the path angled with the bench so the load stays on the upper chest.

Watch out for

• ✗Setting the incline too steep, which shifts the work onto the front delts.
• ✗Dropping the dumbbells straight down instead of out in an arc.
• ✗Locking the elbows or bending them mid-rep, which changes the lever and strains the joint.