10 Best Dumbbell Flyes Alternatives for Limited Equipment

Dumbbell Flyes are done lying on your back with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Dumbbell Decline Fly, Incline Dumbbell Flyes and Bodyweight Flyes. Six harder versions, among them Around The Worlds and the Straight-arm Dumbbell Pullover, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Dumbbell Flyes

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do Dumbbell Flyes

The steps for Dumbbell Flyes themselves, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Pectorals · Dumbbell · Beginner · Isolation

  1. Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each hand resting on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
  2. Then using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells, lift the dumbbells one at a time so you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width with the palms of your hands facing each other. Raise the dumbbells up like you're pressing them, but stop and hold just before you lock out. This will be your starting position.
  3. With a slight bend on your elbows in order to prevent stress at the biceps tendon, lower your arms out at both sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep in mind that throughout the movement, the arms should remain stationary; the movement should only occur at the shoulder joint.
  4. Return your arms back to the starting position as you squeeze your chest muscles and breathe out. Tip: Make sure to use the same arc of motion used to lower the weights.
  5. Hold for a second at the contracted position and repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Flyes Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches Dumbbell Flyes on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Dumbbell Decline FlyPlay demonstration

    1. Dumbbell Decline Fly

    80% match

    Pectorals · Beginner · Isolation

    It uses the same equipment and still works the pectorals.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended above your chest.
    3. Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
    4. Pause for a moment, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as Dumbbell Flyes
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as Dumbbell Flyes
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Dumbbell Flyes
  2. Around The Worlds

    Progression

    2. Around The Worlds

    99% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Isolation

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the pectorals.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lay down on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palms of the hands facing towards the ceiling. Tip: Your arms should be parallel to the floor and next to your thighs. To avoid injury, make sure that you keep your elbows slightly bent. This will be your starting position.
    2. Now move the dumbbells by creating a semi-circle as you displace them from the initial position to over the head. All of the movement should happen with the arms parallel to the floor at all times. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
    3. Reverse the movement to return the weight to the starting position as you exhale.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as Dumbbell Flyes
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as Dumbbell Flyes
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Dumbbell Flyes

How to Choose the Right Dumbbell Flyes Substitute

Match the substitute to your goal, shoulder health, and equipment. For isolation and continuous tension pick cable flyes, set pulleys at shoulder height, maintain a soft elbow, and squeeze the midline to emphasize sternocostal fibers. For safer joint loading choose a press (incline or flat) and cue scapular retraction and drive through the chest to shift activation. If you lack weights, use resistance bands anchored at chest height and focus on controlled eccentric tempo to maintain time under tension. Always test the movement for pain before adding load.

Dumbbell Flyes FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell Flyes work?

Dumbbell flyes primarily target the pectoralis major through horizontal adduction, with secondary involvement from the anterior deltoid and short head of the biceps for stabilization. The movement emphasizes the stretch and contraction of the chest fibers, so you should feel a deep pec stretch at the eccentric end range and a tight squeeze at the midline.

Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Flyes?

Yes, you can build chest muscle with presses, cable flyes, pec‑deck, and band work that provide similar stimulus through horizontal adduction or heavy pressing. Focus on progressive overload, full range controlled reps, and deliberate pec contraction (squeeze at peak) to ensure targeted hypertrophy.

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