10 Best Incline Dumbbell Flyes Alternatives for Upper Chest Development

Original Exercise: Incline Dumbbell Flyes

Primary Muscle

Pectorals

Equipment

Dumbbell

Difficulty

Beginner

Type

Isolation

Secondary Muscles: Shoulders

How to Perform Incline Dumbbell Flyes

1. Hold a dumbbell on each hand and lie on an incline bench that is set to an incline angle of no more than 30 degrees.
2. Extend your arms above you with a slight bend at the elbows.
3. Now rotate the wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing you. Tip: The pinky fingers should be next to each other. This will be your starting position.
4. As you breathe in, start to slowly lower the arms to the side while keeping the arms extended and while rotating the wrists until the palms of the hand are facing each other. Tip: At the end of the movement the arms will be by your side with the palms facing the ceiling.
5. As you exhale start to bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position by reversing the motion and rotating the hands so that the pinky fingers are next to each other again. Tip: Keep in mind that the movement will only happen at the shoulder joint and at the wrist. There is no motion that happens at the elbow joint.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Pro Tips

• Category: Strength
• Force: Push
• Movement type: Compound

Best Incline Dumbbell Flyes Alternatives

Best Match

1. Dumbbell Decline Fly

99.9% Match

Pectorals Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

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.

2. Dumbbell Fly

99.9% Match

Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
2. Extend your arms straight up over your chest, with a slight bend in your elbows.
3. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
4. Pause for a moment, then reverse the movement and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

3. Dumbbell Decline Twist Fly

99.4% Match

Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Lie down on a decline bench with your head lower than your hips.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended straight up over your chest.
3. Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
4. As you lower the dumbbells, twist your wrists so that your palms face forward at the bottom of the movement.
5. Reverse the motion and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top.

4. Bodyweight Flyes

98.4% Match

Pectorals Ez-barbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Position two equally loaded EZ bars on the ground next to each other. Ensure they are able to roll.
2. Assume a push-up position over the bars, supporting your weight on your toes and hands with your arms extended and body straight.
3. Place your hands on the bars. This will be your starting position.
4. Using a slow and controlled motion, move your hands away from the midline of your body, rolling the bars apart. Inhale during this portion of the motion.
5. After moving the bars as far apart as you can, return to the starting position by pulling them back together. Exhale as you perform this movement.

5. Dumbbell Incline Fly On Exercise Ball

96.8% Match

Pectorals Stability-ball Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
2. Sit on an exercise ball and roll forward until your upper back is resting on the incline bench.
3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended above your chest.
4. Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
5. Pause for a moment, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.

6. Dumbbell Fly On Exercise Ball

96.8% Match

Pectorals Stability-ball Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an exercise ball and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Walk your feet forward and roll your body down until your head, neck, and upper back are supported by the ball.
3. Extend your arms straight up above your chest, palms facing each other.
4. Bend your elbows slightly and lower your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
5. Pause for a moment, then reverse the movement and squeeze your chest muscles as you bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.

7. Dumbbell One Leg Fly On Exercise Ball

95.4% Match

Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an exercise ball with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
2. Place one foot on the ground and extend the other leg straight out in front of you.
3. Lean forward slightly and bring your arms out to the sides, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells down and out to the sides, feeling a stretch in your chest.
5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position.

8. Decline Dumbbell Flyes

95.2% Match

Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
2. Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width. The palms of the hands should be facing each other and the arms should be perpendicular to the floor and fully extended. 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.

9. Dumbbell Incline Fly

93.4% Match

Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle.
2. Sit on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
3. Lie back on the bench and press the dumbbells up to the starting position, directly above your chest.
4. Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
5. Pause for a moment, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position.

10. Dumbbell Pullover On Exercise Ball

93.1% Match

Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an exercise ball and hold a dumbbell with both hands above your chest, arms extended.
2. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head while keeping your arms straight.
3. Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Incline Dumbbell Flyes Alternative

You might swap incline dumbbell flyes because of shoulder pain, lack of an adjustable bench, or a desire for more load progression. Cables and machines maintain constant tension, reducing end-range stress on the glenohumeral joint, while presses let you overload the pecs through heavier weights. If impingement limits horizontal abduction, choose a decline angle or pressing variation and keep elbows slightly tucked. For travel or bodyweight days, feet-elevated push-ups replicate the incline vector and still recruit the clavicular head of the pectoralis major. Each substitute changes scapular mechanics and tension curves, so pick one that preserves upper-pec activation without aggravating symptoms.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Decide by equipment, shoulder health, and training goal. If you want isolation and steady tension, pick incline cable flyes—set pulleys low and arc hands slightly upward while keeping a 10–20° elbow bend to emphasize the upper pecs. For strength and progressive overload, choose incline dumbbell or barbell presses and load heavier with controlled 2–3 second eccentrics. If you have impingement, use a machine fly or reduce bench angle to 30° to lower deltoid involvement. For bodyweight options, use feet-elevated push-ups to preserve the incline vector. Prioritize movement that lets you feel the clavicular fibers contract while maintaining safe scapular mechanics.

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