Exercise library
Rear Delt Fly
The rear delt fly targets the back of the shoulders and upper back, helping improve posture and shoulder balance for pressing-heavy training.
DumbbellShouldersBeginner
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Focus
- Shoulders
- Level
- Beginner
- Suggested sets
- 3–4 sets of 12–18 reps.
- Muscles worked
- Rear deltsUpper backTraps
How to do it
- 1Hold a pair of dumbbells and hinge forward with a soft bend in your knees.
- 2Let the weights hang below your shoulders with a slight bend in the elbows.
- 3Raise the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until your arms are about in line with your shoulders.
- 4Pause briefly while squeezing the rear delts and upper back.
- 5Lower the weights back down under control and repeat.
Tips & tricks
- Lead with the elbows and think about moving wide, not backward like a row.
- Keep the neck relaxed and shoulders away from the ears.
- Use lighter weights than you think so the rear delts stay in charge.
Common mistakes
- Turning the movement into a row by pulling the elbows too far back.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears.
- Using momentum and torso swing to lift the dumbbells.
