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Incline Dumbbell Fly strength standards

What is a good Incline Dumbbell Fly?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Incline Dumbbell Fly is about 60 lb (0.33x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 89 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Incline 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 17 35 58 86
120 8 20 38 63 92
130 10 23 42 68 98
140 12 25 46 72 103
150 13 28 50 77 109
160 15 31 53 81 114
170 17 33 56 85 119
180 19 36 60 89 123
190 21 38 63 93 128
200 22 41 66 97 132
210 24 43 69 101 137
220 26 45 72 104 141
230 28 48 75 108 145
240 29 50 78 111 149
250 31 52 80 114 152
260 33 54 83 117 156
270 34 56 86 121 160
280 36 59 88 124 163
290 38 61 91 127 166
300 39 63 93 129 170
310 41 65 95 132 173

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

Incline Dumbbell Fly Standards by Age

How the Incline 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 14 28 49 75 106
20 16 32 56 86 121
25 16 33 57 88 124
30 16 33 57 88 124
35 16 33 57 88 124
40 16 33 57 88 124
45 15 31 54 84 118
50 14 29 51 79 110
55 13 27 47 73 102
60 12 25 43 66 93
65 11 22 39 60 84
70 10 20 35 54 76
75 9 18 31 48 68
80 8 16 28 43 60
85 7 14 25 39 54
90 6 13 23 35 49

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

Check Your Incline 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 60 lbs (0.33x bodyweight) on the Incline 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
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What the Incline Dumbbell Fly Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

Novice

You can perform the Incline 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 Incline 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 Incline Dumbbell Fly through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Incline 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 Incline Dumbbell Fly

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Incline 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 Incline 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 Incline 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 Incline 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 Incline Dumbbell Fly

Incline Dumbbell Fly demonstration
Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Chest
Equipment Dumbbells, Incline Bench
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Isolation
  1. Adjust an incline bench to a 30-45 degree angle and sit with your back firmly against the pad.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and extend your arms straight above your chest.
  3. Slightly bend your elbows to protect your joints.
  4. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells in a wide arc until they are level with your chest, maintaining the slight bend in your elbows.
  5. Exhale and bring the dumbbells back to the starting position by squeezing your chest muscles together.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Maintain a controlled motion to avoid shoulder strain.
  • Focus on the stretch and contraction of your chest muscles.
  • Avoid allowing the dumbbells to touch at the top to keep tension on the muscles.
  • Keep your feet flat on the ground for better stability.
  • Adjust the bench angle to target different areas of the chest.

Read the complete Incline Dumbbell Fly guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Incline Dumbbell Fly Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Incline Dumbbell Fly table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Incline 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" Incline 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 Incline 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 Incline 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.

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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.