Rear Delt Fly
Also known as: reverse fly, rear delt raise, bent over reverse fly, rear deltoid fly
Rear delts are the most neglected muscle on most lifters, and the rear delt fly is the most direct way to fix that. Hinged forward with light dumbbells, you sweep your arms out to the sides and let the back of the shoulder do the work, with the mid traps and rhomboids assisting. Strong rear delts round out the shoulder from every angle and help balance all the pressing in a typical program.
How to do the rear delt fly, step by step
- Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and hinge at the hips until your torso is close to parallel with the floor, back flat.
- Let the dumbbells hang below your chest with palms facing each other and elbows slightly bent.
- Keeping that elbow bend fixed, raise both arms out to the sides in a wide arc.
- Lead with the elbows and stop when your upper arms are level with your back.
- Pause briefly at the top without squeezing the shoulder blades all the way together.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly back under your chest and repeat without swinging your torso.
Form cues that fix most reps
Keep a soft squeeze in the shoulder blades but let the rear delt, not the traps, lift the arm.
Point your pinkies toward the ceiling at the top of each rep to bias the rear delt.
If your torso bobs up and down, brace on an incline bench chest-down and take the lower back out of it.
Common mistakes (and the fix)
Rear Delt Fly sets and reps
Match the rep range to your goal, not the other way around. These are the standard evidence-based ranges:
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 8–12 | 60–90 sec |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 15–20 | 30–60 sec |
How our free programs prescribe it
Rear Delt Fly FAQ
What muscles does the rear delt fly work?
The posterior deltoid is the target, with the mid traps and rhomboids assisting as the arms sweep back. Trained strictly, it is one of the only movements that puts the rear delt first rather than treating it as an afterthought to rowing.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Rear delts handle high volume well: 3–4 sets of 15–20 reps with a deliberate pause at the top is a good prescription. They recover fast, so training them two or three times per week is reasonable.
Rear delt fly vs face pull — do I need both?
They overlap heavily, so you don't need both in every session. The fly isolates the rear delt a bit more, while the face pull adds external rotation and mid-trap work. Rotating them, or picking whichever your gym setup makes convenient, covers the base either way.
More shoulders exercises
Track your rear delt fly progress.
Log sets in two taps, see last session's weights pre-filled, and watch your e1RM climb — free in your browser, works offline in the gym.