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Dumbbell One Arm Fly on Exercise Ball

A single-arm dumbbell fly with the upper back bridged on a stability ball, isolating the chest through a wide arc while the core and glutes hold the body level.

ChestDumbbellChest fly
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-one-arm-fly-on-exercise-ball

Demonstration coming soon

Primary

Pectoralis major

Secondary

Anterior deltoidsCoreGlutesObliques

Equipment

Dumbbell

Pattern

Chest fly

Setup

  1. 01Sit on the ball with a light dumbbell, then walk out until the head and upper back are supported.
  2. 02Bridge the hips up so the torso is flat like a bench.
  3. 03Press the dumbbell over the chest with a soft elbow bend.
  4. 04Set the feet flat and slightly wider than the hips.

Execution

  1. 01Open the arm out to the side in a controlled arc, elbow bend fixed.
  2. 02Lower until a comfortable stretch is felt across the chest.
  3. 03Reverse the arc, squeezing the chest to bring the dumbbell back over the midline.
  4. 04Keep the bridge and ball position unchanged, then train the other arm.

Checkpoints

  • -Hips stay in line with knees and shoulders for the whole set.
  • -The working shoulder stays back; the arc comes from the chest.
  • -Elbow angle stays constant from top to bottom.
  • -No wobble in the ball between reps.

Common mistakes

  • -Letting the hips sag or the body tip toward the working arm.
  • -Turning the fly into a press when the chest fatigues.
  • -Descending too deep and stressing the front of the shoulder.
  • -Using momentum to swing the dumbbell back up.

Programming notes

  • -Use 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps per arm with light dumbbells.
  • -Best as a finisher for chest isolation plus trunk stability work.
  • -Progress with slower 3 second lowering phases before adding weight.

Related exercises

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