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Machine Chest Fly strength standards

What is a good Machine Chest Fly?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Machine Chest Fly is about 199 lb (1.11x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 275 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 199 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 275 lb Advanced standard
Gym median Separate tab Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer Machine Chest Fly

A solid (Intermediate) Machine Chest Fly for a 180 lb male is about 199 lb (1.11x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Machine Chest Fly into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 275 lb (1.53x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

Estimated Standards

How strong is your Machine Chest Fly? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Biceps, Anterior Deltoid, Pectorals
Equipment Chest Fly Machine
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Machine Chest Fly?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 199 lbs (1.11x bodyweight) on the Machine Chest Fly ranks Intermediate on the FVCP competition scale, stronger than ~50% of verified competition lifters at this bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

That clears the median for this bodyweight and gives you a useful benchmark for the next tier.

Over 40? Our calculator also reports an age-adjusted percentile and an age-30 equivalent using the McCulloch age factor, so masters lifters are compared to lifters their own age. See the age-adjusted (Masters 40+) standards below for the full breakdown.

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
Your FVCP:
Age-adjusted percentile
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
th percentile

Illustrative: a normal-distribution model anchored to the real Beginner to Elite percentile thresholds for your bodyweight. The marker shows where your lift falls, not a measured frequency count.

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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted Machine Chest Fly entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

199 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.11x x Bodyweight

Baseline figures for a 180 lb male at Intermediate level, from the standards table. This is not reader-submitted data. So far readers have logged a lift here.

Enter your numbers above first. We publish reader benchmarks only after a sample threshold is met.

How Much Should You Machine Chest Fly?

Use this table to find the standard closest to your bodyweight. The tiers are standards, not claims about reader submissions.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM scales with bodyweight at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 38 73 121 182 251
120 45 83 134 197 269
130 52 92 146 211 285
140 59 101 157 225 301
150 66 110 168 238 317
160 73 119 179 251 331
170 80 127 189 263 345
180 86 135 199 275 359
190 92 143 209 286 372
200 99 151 218 297 384
210 105 159 227 308 396
220 111 166 236 318 408
230 117 173 245 328 419
240 123 181 253 338 430
250 129 188 261 347 441
260 134 194 269 357 451
270 140 201 277 366 461
280 145 208 285 374 471
290 150 214 292 383 481
300 156 220 300 391 490
310 161 226 307 399 499

Is Your Machine Chest Fly Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Machine Chest Fly at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Machine Chest Fly is about 199 lb (1.11x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 275 lb (1.53x), and Elite is 359 lb (1.99x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Machine Chest Fly is about 84 lb (0.6x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 128 lb (0.91x), and Elite is 178 lb (1.27x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Machine Chest Fly?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 199 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 86 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 84 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 25 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 168 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 236 lb at an Intermediate level. Find your exact bodyweight in the table above.

By age (men): at an Intermediate level a 30 year old male lifts about 192 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 171 lb. See the By Age tab for every age band.

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

How Does Age Affect Machine Chest Fly Strength?

How Machine Chest Fly standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM changes with age at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 63 106 164 233 311
20 72 122 187 267 356
25 74 125 192 274 365
30 74 125 192 274 365
35 74 125 192 274 365
40 74 125 192 274 365
45 71 119 182 260 346
50 66 111 171 244 325
55 61 103 158 225 301
60 56 94 144 206 274
65 50 85 131 186 248
70 45 76 117 167 222
75 41 68 105 149 199
80 36 61 94 133 178
85 32 55 84 120 159
90 29 49 76 108 144

What Do Machine Chest Fly Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Machine Chest Fly, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Machine Chest Fly with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Machine Chest 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

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built significant strength on the Machine Chest Fly through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Machine Chest 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 Machine Chest Fly

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Machine Chest 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 Machine Chest 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 Machine Chest 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 Machine Chest 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 Machine Chest Fly

  1. Adjust the seat height so that the handles are at chest level when seated.
  2. Sit back with your back firmly against the pad and feet flat on the floor.
  3. Grasp the handles with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
  4. Start with your arms extended but slightly bent at the elbows to prevent joint strain.
  5. Exhale and bring the handles together in a wide arc, focusing on squeezing your chest muscles.
  6. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction.
  7. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position, keeping the movement controlled.
  8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips for Machine Chest Fly

  • Keep a slight bend in your elbows to protect your joints.
  • Focus on a slow and controlled motion to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Avoid locking out your elbows at the end of the movement.
  • Maintain a neutral spine and avoid arching your back.
  • Adjust the seat height correctly to ensure optimal muscle targeting.

Where Do These Machine Chest Fly Standards Come From?

FitnessVolt keeps each data population labeled. Competition percentiles use verified raw meet results where available. Gym percentile tabs use self-reported Symmetric Strength data. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

Is Your Machine Chest Fly Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Machine Chest Fly against clearly labeled standards and percentile datasets. Here is the cleanest way to read it:

  1. Start with Standards to find the tier closest to your bodyweight.
  2. Use Gym Percentiles when you want self-reported gym comparisons.
  3. Use Competition for verified meet-result percentiles where the lift supports it.
  4. Use By Age when age-segmented gym data is available.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the one rep max calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Machine Chest Fly 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

The important rule: do not mix the tabs. Standards, gym percentiles, competition percentiles, and reader logs answer different questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Machine Chest 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 Machine Chest 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.
Yes. Competition views use verified meet-result data where available, gym percentile views use self-reported gym cohorts, and reader-submitted benchmarks are shown only after enough entries are logged. The populations are labeled separately.
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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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.