Incline Vs. Decline Dumbbell Flyes

A strong, well-toned, well-rounded chest is a goal for many workout participants. The incline and decline dumbbell flyes are part of a pectoral-strengthening routine to help you reach these goals. Changing the angle at which you perform your flyes changes the concentration on the pectorals, so you can easily adapt your program to fit your personal requirements.

  1. Dumbbell Flyes

    • You can perform the dumbbell fly on a variety of benches, including the incline and decline bench. The movement is the same on both benches. You begin with your arms straight over your chest, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other. Keep a slight bend in your elbow as you slowly lower your straight arms out to the sides with your hands in line with your shoulders. Then, you use the chest muscles to return your arms to the starting position.

    Muscles

    • Dumbbell flyes target the pectoral muscles located on both sides of your chest. The pectorals are attached to the collar bone, the breast bone and the upper arm bone. The fibers of the upper pectorals are placed in a vertical position until you raise your arm. The incline bench targets these upper-pectoral fibers and also uses the deltoids in your shoulders to perform the fly movement. The decline bench exercise uses the lower-pectoral fibers that are placed horizontally across your chest. The shoulder also contracts to help keep your arms stable during the fly. Both exercises rely on the biceps, the fronts of the upper arms, to maintain the bent-arm position during the movement.

    Angle

    • The incline bench is set at an upward angle from the floor. Your head is higher than your hips at approximately a 45 to 50-degree angle with the floor. Your feet are flat on the floor and your back is supported against the bench. In contrast, the decline bench is set at a downward angle toward the floor. Your head is lower than your hips at approximately a 30 to 40-degree angle with the floor. Your feet are not on the floor, rather they are secured behind a roller pad to keep you from sliding off the bench. Your back is flat when you tighten your stomach and tilt your hips slightly to press your lower back in contact with the bench.

    Intensity

    • The decline dumbbell fly is a greater challenge than the incline dumbbell fly. The downward angle is one of the key factors for the greater intensity. You are fighting against gravity to keep your position and to support the weight of the dumbbells as you try not to drop them to the floor. The incline bench is a more natural position. You are seated upright and have greater control over the dumbbells as you do not have to worry about sliding off the bench.