Looking to build your chest after 40, but finding regular chest flys leave your shoulders aching? The dumbbell floor fly could be the solution.
That’s according to fat-loss and strength coach Tom Ragusa, who says the exercise delivers the chest-building benefits of traditional flyes without putting your shoulders through the same amount of stress.
In a recent Instagram post, he explained why the movement has become a staple of his chest routine.
‘I’m 48. I’ve been lifting for 30 years, and my shoulders have the mileage to prove it,’ he wrote.
‘Regular flyes started feeling like a bad idea a long time ago. So surprisingly, I took the bench away and things got better.’
5 Benefits of Dumbbell Floor Flyes for Men Over 40
Ragusa says the floor version provides the ‘same chest work’, but ‘without the part that beats up your shoulders’.
1/ Reduced Shoulder Strain
‘The floor stops your elbows before your shoulders get stretched into the danger zone,’ he explains. ‘All the chest work, none of the front-of-shoulder pain.’
2/ Lift More Weight
‘You can go heavier than a regular fly,’ Ragusa says. ‘Shorter range, built-in safety stop, real overload on the chest.’
3/ Keep the Focus on Your Chest
‘It’s pure chest,’ he explains. ‘Your triceps can’t take over like they do on presses.’
4/ Minimal Equipment
‘No bench needed,’ he points out. ‘Home gym, hotel gym, garage. No excuses.’
5/ Easier on Your Lower Back
‘[It’s] easy on the lower back,’ Ragusa says. ‘Knees bent, feet flat, nothing to arch.’
How to Do a Dumbbell Floor FlyLie on the floor holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, roughly shoulder-width apart.Press the dumbbells directly above your chest with a slight bend in your elbows and your palms facing each other.Lower the weights slowly out to your sides until your elbows lightly touch the floor. ‘Don’t bounce your elbows off the floor,’ Ragusa says. ‘Touch, pause, squeeze.’Squeeze your chest to bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.
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