Rear delt fly
Primary muscles: Shoulders. Assisting muscles: —.
How to do it
- Lie chest and stomach down on an incline bench, with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Extend your arms forward, perpendicular to the bench, with your elbows slightly bent – this is the starting position.
- Raise the dumbbells out to the sides in an arc, squeezing your shoulder blades together, until your arms are parallel to the floor, exhaling.
- Pause briefly, feeling the contraction in your rear delts, then lower under control, inhaling.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Key to the execution: Lead the movement from your shoulder blades, squeezing them together, not just from your arms.
Common mistakes
- Bending your elbows too much, turning the movement into a row rather than a fly.
- Raising the dumbbells above back level, straining the shoulder.
- Using momentum by jerking the weights up from the bottom position.
Alternatives: exercises for the same muscles
Log your sets and see your progress
In the PlanSports app you pick the exercise, log weight and reps, and each exercise page shows your best weight and progression. The AI coach puts the exercises into a 4-week program.
Shoulders exercises › Training programs by sport ›The exercise pages are compiled by PlanSports; if you have an injury or pain, talk to your coach or doctor first.