Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Dumbbell Fly on Exercise Ball: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell fly on exercise ball is a chest exercise that also challenges your core and stability by performing the movement on an unstable surface. It targets the pectorals, with secondary emphasis on the shoulders and triceps.

Primary muscles
Chest
Secondary muscles
Triceps , Shoulders
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell fly on exercise ball
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell fly on exercise ball. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell fly on exercise ball. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell fly on exercise ball

  1. Step 1: Sit on an exercise ball and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Step 2: Walk your feet forward and roll your body down until your head, neck, and upper back are supported by the ball.
  3. Step 3: Extend your arms straight up above your chest, palms facing each other.
  4. Step 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. Step 5: Pause for a moment, then reverse the movement and squeeze your chest muscles as you bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell fly on exercise ball by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Dumbbell Fly on Exercise Ball alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest exercises

See the best chest exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.