Decline fly

Decline Fly: Muscle Worked, Benefits, Form

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If you are looking for the decline exercises, either it is decline cable fly, decline dumbbell fly, then you are at the right place, here we discuss the decline fly exercises, how to do them, and pro-tips. As we all know, a well-shaped chest is one of the most important qualities of a good physique.

The lower chest is one of the harder areas to train because of the lack of variations available and the limited range of motion. That’s why it’s so important to incorporate these best decline fly exercises into your chest workout routine.

To build more thickness, muscle, and strength in your lower pecs, you need to add decline dumbbell or cable fly to your training regime. Having a well-developed lower chest contributes to the fullness of the upper body and has functional benefits.

Decline fly

Muscles Worked during decline fly

A decline fly works the primary work on the lower pectoral muscle of your chest and as well as the fronts of the shoulders. These muscles allow you to move your arm across your chest, such as in a pressing or hugging motion.

Decline fly also engage the rhomboids at the upper back and the biceps as stabilizing muscles.

The move involves the rotator cuff and the back of the shoulders, as well as the serratus anterior, a muscle along the ribs that helps keep your shoulders in proper alignment. Unlike most other chest exercises, the dumbbell fly does not use the triceps muscles, which are at the back of the upper arm.

Benefits of Decline Fly

  • The decline fly can help open up your chest muscles. Chest openers may help reduce upper back pain, increase range of motion, and reduce tightness in the upper body.
  • Having a stronger chest will not only enhance your physique, but will also help you out with daily activities and improve your sporting performance.
  • Having a stronger chest will not only enhance your physique, but will also help you out with daily activities and improve your sporting performance.
  • While the main focus of a decline fly is on your chest, it will also target muscles in your shoulders, back, and arms which are used to help stabilize the weight during the exercise.

Decline Fly Form

  • Start with a light set of weight if you’re a beginner, and slowly increase the amount of weight each week as you build strength.
  • Don’t let the dumbbells or handle touch as they meet at the top, holding for a second in the contracted position.
  • Make sure you keep your elbows bent. You should never fully straighten your arms, or lock them out, as this forces the weight you’re lifting onto the elbows and shoulder joints, which increases your chance of injury.
  • Don’t let your elbows drop too far when you’re in the start position, they should remain in line with your torso when you’re lying on the bench.
  • Maintain control, with a 4-second descent, slight pause and contract with a reverse motion, hold and repeat.
  • Pick a weight that you can control, that’s not too light or too heavy — find what’s right for you.

Here is the Best decline chest fly exercise variations that helps to build bigger and wider Chests.

1. Decline Cable Fly

Decline Cable fly is one of the most suitable exercises for isolating the lower chest muscles.

Performing this exercise with cables instead of dumbbells allows for constant tension to help in building the lower Chest fibers. This constant tension cannot be achieved with the Dumbbells.

Decline Dumbbell Fly
Decline Cable Fly
Execution Steps
  1. Set a Decline bench at a 30-degree angle. Lie on the bench with your feet flat on the footpad or the roller.
  2. Lift your arms straight up from your shoulders and hold the cable handle directly over your chest.
  3. Slowly lower your arms out to your sides until your wrists come to about shoulder level or slightly above.
  4. Bring your arms back toward the midline of your body, focusing on using your lower pec muscles to draw them back together.
Tips
  • Exhale while you exert.
  • Vary the position of the bench to hit different angles of the upper chest.
  • Hold and contract the chest muscles when hands are together.
  • Set bench at about 30 degrees Decline.

2. Decline Dumbbell Fly

The decline dumbbell chest fly is a variation of the dumbbell fly used to target the muscles of the chest. In particular, the decline dumbbell fly targets the lower chest due to the decline angle used.

Decline Dumbbell Fly
Execution Steps
  1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and lie on your back on a decline bench. Hook your feet into the footpad or roller.
  2. Extend the dumbbells above your chest. Turn the palms to face each other and the dumbbells directly over your upper chest.
  3. Slowly lower your arms out to your sides until your wrists come to about shoulder level or slightly above.
  4. Bring your arms back toward the midline of your body, focusing on using your lower pec muscles to draw them back together.
Tips
  • Keep the movement slow and controlled.
  • Use a slight decline, such as 30 degrees. Extremes are never the best option.
  • If you’re using very heavyweights, have a spotter to handle dumbbells for you once your body is in position.

3. Dumbbell Decline Twist Fly

The decline dumbbell twist fly is a slight variation of the decline dumbbell fly.

The movement targets the muscles of the chest, with an emphasis on the lower pecs. It also indirectly targets the muscles of the shoulder and triceps.

The slight added twist, the decline dumbbell twist fly provides, results in a greater contraction on the chest.

Dumbbell Decline Twist Fly
Dumbbell Decline Twist Fly
Execution Steps
  1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand in each hand with a neutral grip and lie on a decline bench.
  2. Hold the weights above you at shoulder height. Slightly retract your shoulder blades, unlock your elbows, and slowly lower the dumbbells laterally while maintaining the angle at your elbow.
  3. Once the dumbbells reach chest level, reverse the movement by squeezing your pecs together. As the dumbbells are returning to the starting position, twist the handles so that the bottom of the dumbbells almost touch.
  4. Without allowing the dumbbells to touch, start the next repetition by untwisting the handles back to a neutral position, and continue until the set is completed.
Tips
  • Imagine you’re trying to hug a tree while completing the exercise.
  • Avoid touching or banging the dumbbells together at the top of each repetition to keep constant tension.

Best Alternate of Decline Fly

Cable Decline Bench Press

The decline cable chest press is a variation of the decline barbell bench press. Decline cable press is a great compound exercise for your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Using cables, as seen in the decline cable chest press, allows one to keep constant tension on the target muscle groups throughout the exercise.

Cable Decline Bench Press
Muscles Involved

Primary: Lower pectoralis.

Secondary: Anterior deltoid, triceps.

Execution Steps
  1. Set a Decline bench at a 30-degree angle. Lie on the bench with your feet flat on the foot pad or the roller.
  2. Lift your arms straight up from your shoulders and hold the cable handle directly over your chest.
  3. Once in position, slowly press and extend your arms straight out until you feel tension in your chest, and hold for a count.
  4. Bring your arms back toward the mid-line of your body, focusing on using your lower pecs muscles to draw them back together.
Tips
  • Maintain more tension through the pecs by not locking out the elbows entirely.
  • Vary the position of the bench to hit different angles of the lower chest.
  • Hold and contract the chest muscles when hands are together.
  • Set bench at about 30 degrees Decline.

Dumbbell Pullover

Dumbbell Pullover is the best exercise to build a strong rib cage and build serratus anterior muscle to build a complete chest and back.

Pullovers work directly on the serratus anterior muscle to develop the back. This exercise is done lying across on a bench with a heavy dumbbell.

Dumbbell Pullovers
Dumbbell Pullovers
Muscles Involved

Primary: Pectoralis.

Secondary: Shoulder, triceps, Back

Execution Steps
  1. Lie across on a bench on your shoulders so that your head is hanging.
  2. Grasp a dumbbell with both hands and get it straight over your chest.
  3. Lower the dumbbell in an arc, slowly getting a good stretch in your rib cage.
  4. Lower the dumbbell as far as possible and then raise it back to the starting position.
Tips
  • Exhale while you exert.
  • Maximum stretching ensures the greatest expansion of the rib cage.
  • Relax your hips and let them fall, as relaxed hips help in extra expansion.

High Cable Fly (High to Low Cable Fly)

The High To Low Cable Fly is a variation of the chest fly is a great exercise to target the lower portion of your chest.

High to low cable fly is a machine exercise that primarily targets the chest and to a lesser degree also targets the shoulders and triceps.

High Cable Fly (High to Low Cable Fly)
Muscles Worked

Primary: Lower pectoralis

Secondary: Anterior deltoid, latissimus dorsi (back), Biceps Brachii, rhomboids.

Execution Steps
  1. Set both pulleys as High as possible and select the desired weight. In a standing position, grab the handles with a neutral grip.
  2. Bend slightly forwards, and extend your arms feeling a good stretch in your chest muscles.
  3. Bend your elbows slightly, Pull your hands (high to low) toward each other in wide arcs in front of you, pausing when your hands touch.
  4. Slowly lower back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip
  • Ensure you maintain some tension in your abs and don’t allow your lower back to arch excessively.
  • Focus on form before choosing a heavy weight.
  • Breathe out as you pull the handles together.

Thanks for reading.

Stay Fit, Live a Happy and Healthy Life

Takeaway

Doing the exercises provided in this article will give your lower chest a complete workout. For anyone interested to build body strength and gaining muscle on the lower chest, this lower chest decline fly exercises are highly recommended.

Let us know, in the comment section below, your favorite exercise!

Thanks for reading.

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