Bench Press or Pec Fly? A study examined the different muscle activation patterns of people doing barbell bench press and the dumbbell fly in 17 resistance-trained males (1).
Bench Press or Pec Fly?
The barbell bench press activated the pectoralis major, deltoids anterior, and triceps brachii more than the dumbbell fly.
Though, the dumbbell fly showed more activation in the biceps than the barbell bench press. However, participants could lift more when performing the barbell bench press.
This is important for athletes to understand when developing and participating in a resistance training program.
This is because if the aim of a program is to elicit high amounts of mechanical tension on the pecs, shoulders and triceps than the bench press is the ideal choice.
Nevertheless, the dumbbell fly can be used by athletes who want to accrue more volume for the target muscles without it being as fatiguing as the bench press.
Moreover, the fly can help people develop strength and stability in a horizontal shoulder flexion position.
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