- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternIsolation
- Reps12 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back, or sit and lean forward over your thighs, holding a dumbbell in each hand under your chest.
First cueKeep the torso still.
How to do the Rear Delt Fly
Set up. Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back, or sit and lean forward over your thighs, holding a dumbbell in each hand under your chest.
- With a slight bend in the elbows, raise the dumbbells out to the sides.
- Squeeze the back of your shoulders at the top.
- Lower slowly to the start.
Form cues
- Keep the torso still.
- Think of moving the arms out wide, not back.
- Use light weights.
Common mistakes
- Squeezing the shoulder blades so the upper back takes over.
- Swinging the weights up.
Muscles worked
Main target: Rear delts. The rear head of the deltoid covers the back of the shoulder. It draws the arm back and turns it outward, the opposite of a bench press.
On the way: Upper back.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Front delts, in the front and rear shoulder pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Rear Delt Fly, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Front Raise Superset partner: it trains the other side of the front and rear shoulder pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Pull-Up Same pull session: it trains the lats.
- Dumbbell Curl Same pull session: it trains the biceps.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Rear Delt Fly first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Rear Delt Fly 3 × 12 to 20 reps
- Front Raise 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Curl 3 × 8 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Prone T-Raise
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Reverse Pec Deck
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Reverse Pec Deck, Cable Rear Delt Fly and Prone T-Raise.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Rear Delt Fly is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Rear Delt Fly?
Set up: Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back, or sit and lean forward over your thighs, holding a dumbbell in each hand under your chest. Steps: 1. With a slight bend in the elbows, raise the dumbbells out to the sides. 2. Squeeze the back of your shoulders at the top. 3. Lower slowly to the start. Form cues: Keep the torso still. Think of moving the arms out wide, not back. Use light weights. Common mistakes: Squeezing the shoulder blades so the upper back takes over. Swinging the weights up.
What muscles does the Rear Delt Fly work?
It trains the rear delts as its main target and works the upper back on the way.
What can I do instead of the Rear Delt Fly?
At home: Prone T-Raise. In a gym: Reverse Pec Deck. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Rear Delt Fly with?
Good partners in the same workout are Front Raise, Pull-Up and Dumbbell Curl.
How heavy should the Rear Delt Fly be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.