Skip to content
Dumbbell Fly strength standards

What is a good Dumbbell Fly?

The Intermediate Dumbbell Fly standard is about 55 lb (0.31x bodyweight) for a 180 lb man and 27 lb for a 140 lb woman. Advanced starts around 83 lb for men and 42 lb for women. Enter your bodyweight below for your exact standard. These are estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, not averages of what people lift in the gym.

Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology

Dumbbell Fly Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 6 16 33 56 84
120 7 19 37 61 89
130 9 21 40 65 95
140 10 23 43 69 99
150 11 26 46 73 104
160 13 28 49 76 108
170 14 30 52 80 112
180 16 32 55 83 116
190 17 34 57 87 120
200 19 36 60 90 124
210 20 38 62 93 128
220 22 40 65 96 131
230 23 42 67 99 135
240 24 44 70 102 138
250 26 45 72 104 141
260 27 47 74 107 144
270 28 49 76 110 147
280 30 50 78 112 150
290 31 52 80 114 153
300 32 54 82 117 156
310 33 55 84 119 158

The Dumbbell Fly standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Dumbbell Fly Standards by Age

How the Dumbbell Fly standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 11 25 44 69 98
20 13 28 51 79 112
25 13 29 52 81 115
30 13 29 52 81 115
35 13 29 52 81 115
40 13 29 52 81 115
45 13 28 49 77 109
50 12 26 46 72 103
55 11 24 43 67 95
60 10 22 39 61 87
65 9 20 35 55 78
70 8 18 32 49 70
75 7 16 28 44 63
80 7 14 25 40 56
85 6 13 23 35 50
90 5 11 20 32 45

The Dumbbell Fly standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Dumbbell Fly Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 55 lbs (0.31x bodyweight) on the Dumbbell Fly is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
Help improve accuracy for everyone
Share your result
Thanks for contributing! lifters have shared their data for this exercise.
to track your progress over time.

What the Dumbbell Fly Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning dumbbell stabilization and control on the Dumbbell Fly, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

You can perform the Dumbbell Fly with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Your Dumbbell Fly is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

You have built significant strength on the Dumbbell Fly through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Dumbbell Fly strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Dumbbell Fly

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Dumbbell Fly to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Dumbbell Fly 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Dumbbell Fly.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Dumbbell Fly plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Dumbbell Fly strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Dumbbell Fly

Dumbbell Fly demonstration
Primary Muscles Biceps, Anterior Deltoid, Pectorals
Equipment Dumbbells, Flat Bench
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Isolation
  1. Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
  2. Extend your arms above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  3. Slowly lower the dumbbells in an arc out to the sides, feeling a stretch in your chest.
  4. Stop when your arms are level with your chest or slightly below.
  5. Bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position by reversing the motion.
  6. Keep your shoulders and back flat on the bench throughout the movement.
  7. Exhale as you lift the weights and inhale as you lower them.

Tips

  • Maintain a slight bend in your elbows to reduce stress on the joints.
  • Keep the movement slow and controlled to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Avoid bringing the dumbbells too close together at the top to maintain tension on the chest.
  • Keep your lower back pressed against the bench to prevent arching.

Read the complete Dumbbell Fly guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Dumbbell Fly Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Dumbbell Fly table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Dumbbell Fly itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Dumbbell Fly depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Dumbbell Fly after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Dumbbell Fly table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.