Dumbbell flyes with an upward angle

I do not recommend angling the bench more than 30 degrees or lowering the dumbbells below the shoulders. Perform the exercise smoothly. Sudden movements can easily lead to injuries. The higher the angle of the bench, the more load is placed on the upper chest. The incline allows you to better target the upper part of the pectoral muscle. The weight of the dumbbells is usually slightly less than that of a similar exercise performed flat.

Nuances and mistakes

1. It is advisable to fully straighten the arms at the top position and bring the dumbbells together. This will maximally contract your chest muscles.

2. There are 2 variations of performing this exercise: with the dumbbells turned outward at the bottom of the movement, and without the turn. Both variations are equally good; it just depends on which one suits you better. Try both ways and see where you feel your chest more, and stick with that.

3. During the lowering of the dumbbells, it is better to slightly rotate the wrists inward. This is safer. Lower the dumbbells to shoulder level or slightly above, but not below.

4. The higher the angle, the more load will be on the upper part of the chest. However, the risk of injury also increases. Therefore, I personally do not recommend angling the bench more than 30 degrees.

5. Choose a weight that allows you to perform at least 10 repetitions. This exercise places significant strain on the shoulder joints, so there is no need to lift maximal weights. I believe that the maximum weight for flies should be 15% of your maximum bench press. For example, if you can bench press 100 kg for one rep, then your limit for flies should be 15 kg. The working weight should be around 10 – 12.5 kg.