Exercises / Rear Delt Fly

Rear Delt Fly

Also known as: Reverse fly, Rear delt raise, Bent-over reverse fly, Rear lateral raise

A hinged reverse fly. The bells travel out to the sides until the arms line up with the torso.

Primary muscles
Shoulders (posterior deltoid)
Secondary muscles
Back (rhomboids)
Equipment
Dumbbell (pair of dumbbells, hinged stance)
Pattern
Isolation
Difficulty
Beginner
Line diagram of a Rear Delt Fly.
Diagram: Fytniz. License: original-placeholder (Fytniz).

Stills

Bent-over dumbbell reverse fly at mid-range.
Reverse flys by J@YGS, CC BY-SA 2.0. Via Flickr / Openverse. License: CC BY-SA (share-alike). Source.
Line-art bent-over reverse fly at peak.
Bent-over-cable-lateral-raises-1.png by Everkinetic, CC BY-SA 3.0. License: CC BY-SA (share-alike). Source.

Cues

  1. Hinge the hips until the torso is about 30–45 degrees, with a long spine and a soft knee.
  2. Start with the bells hanging under the shoulders, palms in, elbows only slightly bent.
  3. Raise the arms out to the sides until they are about in line with the torso; the elbows stay that same angle.
  4. Lead with the elbows, not a shrug; stop before the upper traps take over.
  5. Lower under control to the hang; do not turn it into a row by bending the elbows more.

Common mistakes

  • Standing too upright so it becomes a side raise.
  • Bending the elbows through the lift and rowing instead of flying.
  • Swinging the torso to throw the bells up.

Safety

  • Keep a soft elbow. Stop if you feel a sharp pinch in the front of the shoulder.