Rear Delt Fly: Dumbbell, Cable and Machine Form Guide

The rear delts are often undertrained, yet they make a big difference in how your shoulders look from the side and back. The rear delt fly isolates them better than most rows.

Muscles Worked

• Rear deltoids: pull the arms out and back.
• Rhomboids and middle traps: assist with the shoulder blades.
• Rotator cuff muscles: help stabilize.

Bent-Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

1. Hold light dumbbells and hinge forward until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
2. Let the dumbbells hang under your chest with a soft bend in your elbows.
3. Raise your arms out to the sides, leading with your elbows.
4. Stop when your arms are in line with your body.
5. Lower slowly.

Cable Rear Delt Fly

Set two pulleys at shoulder height, cross the cables and grab the opposite handle in each hand. Pull your arms out and back in a wide arc. The cables keep tension on the rear delts the whole time.

Reverse Pec Deck

Sit facing the pec deck with the handles set for the rear delt position. Push the handles back in an arc. This is the easiest version to learn.

Common Mistakes

• Squeezing your shoulder blades hard, turning it into a back exercise.
• Using too much weight.
• Swinging the torso.
• Shrugging.

Sets and Reps

Rear delts respond well to higher reps. Try 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 reps, two to three times a week.

Where to Program Them

Rear delt flys fit on pull day or shoulder day. See our pull day workout and shoulder day workout. You can also pair them with face pulls.

Grip and Gear

These are light, but on high-rep cable sets some lifters like lifting straps to keep the forearms out of it. Bay Gear Co. straps are 24" and $19.99.

Why Rear Delts Get Left Behind

Most pressing exercises train the front delts heavily, and many people spend more gym time on chest and front-facing muscles than on the back of the shoulders. Rows involve the rear delts, but the lats and upper back often take over. Direct rear delt work helps round out your shoulders and balance all the pressing in a typical program.

Arm Path and Elbow Position

Think of moving your arms out to the sides in a wide arc, like spreading wings. Keep a slight bend in the elbows and lead with the back of your hands or your pinkies rather than pulling your elbows back like a row. If your elbows bend more and more as the set goes on, the weight is too heavy and your back is taking over.

Head-Supported Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Rest your forehead on an incline bench set to a low angle while standing, or lie chest-down on an incline bench. This removes the need to hold a hinge and keeps your torso still. It is one of the easiest ways to keep the focus on the rear delts.

Cable Rear Delt Fly Setup

Set both pulleys at shoulder height without handles, or with handles if you prefer. Hold the left cable in your right hand and the right cable in your left hand so the cables cross in front of you. Step back to create tension, then sweep your arms out and back. Hold the end position for a moment before returning.

Reverse Pec Deck Tips

• Adjust the seat so the handles are at shoulder height.
• Use a neutral or overhand grip.
• Keep your chest against the pad.
• Stop when your arms are in line with your body.
• Use a slow return to keep tension.

Rear Delt Programming Ideas

Twice a week

3 sets on pull day and 3 sets on shoulder day.

High-rep finisher

1 set of 30 reps with a light weight, followed by a 10-second rest and as many more reps as you can.

Drop set

On the reverse pec deck, do 12 reps, drop the weight and do 12 more, then drop again and finish.

Superset

Pair rear delt flys with lateral raises for a complete side and back shoulder finisher.

Rear Delt Fly vs Face Pull

Both train the rear delts. Face pulls also involve external rotation and the upper back, while rear delt flys isolate the rear delts more directly. Many lifters use both across the week.

Tracking Progress

Rear delt weights climb slowly. Track reps and look for cleaner, more controlled sets over time. Moving from 10 to 12 lb dumbbells for the same strict reps is real progress for this muscle.

Rear Delt Fly at Home

With light dumbbells or resistance bands, you can train rear delts anywhere. Band pull-aparts and bent-over dumbbell flys done for high reps are simple and effective options.

Breathing and Tempo

Exhale as you open your arms and inhale as you return. Aim for a smooth two seconds out and two to three seconds back.

FAQ

How heavy should rear delt flys be?

Light. Choose a weight you can move with control for 12 or more reps.

Are rows enough for rear delts?

Rows train them, but direct work like flys adds extra volume.

Train Shoulders With Bay Gear Co.

Gear for every lifter, with free shipping on orders over $49 and a 30-day return policy.