Strength Training · Aquatic Conditioning
Aquatic Dumbbell Fly
The aquatic dumbbell fly is a standing chest exercise performed in chest-deep water. Sweeping buoyant dumbbells together against water resistance trains your chest and front shoulders.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Stand in chest-deep water with your feet staggered on the pool floor.
- Grip an aquatic dumbbell in each hand.
- Position your arms out to your sides, slightly below shoulder height, with elbows slightly bent and dumbbells fully submerged.
- Sweep the dumbbells forward in a wide arc until your hands nearly meet in front of your chest.
- Open your arms back to the starting position at a controlled pace.
Form cues
- Keep your wrists straight.
- Keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
- Exhale as your hands come together.
Common mistakes
- Turning the fly into a pressKeep the same slight elbow bend throughout the sweep rather than bending and straightening your arms.
- Shrugging toward your earsUse a lower arm path if you cannot keep your shoulders relaxed.
- Rocking your body for momentumSlow the sweep until your torso stays still against the water resistance.
Safety
Buoyant dumbbells can pull your arms upward if you lose control, straining your shoulders. Fast sweeps can also disturb your balance on a slippery pool floor.
- Check that your footing is secure before starting.
- Begin with small aquatic dumbbells that you can comfortably control against buoyancy.
- Limit the opening range so your upper arms do not travel behind your torso.
- End the set when you can no longer control the dumbbells beneath the surface.
If you have shoulder pain or a history of shoulder instability, use a smaller, pain-free range and ask a physiotherapist for guidance.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Aquatic Dumbbell
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 10–15 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Water resistance increases with movement speed, so start with smooth, unhurried repetitions.