Machine reverse fly

Muscles worked

How to do it

1. 1. Adjust the seat so the handles are roughly at shoulder height and press your chest firmly against the pad, back straight.
2. 2. Grab the handles with your arms nearly straight in front of you, hands at or slightly wider than shoulder width, shoulders relaxed away from your ears.
3. 3. Inhale, brace your core, then open your arms back in a wide arc, keeping a small bend in your elbows and your chest glued to the pad.
4. 4. Bring the handles out to the sides until your arms line up with your shoulders, without arching your lower back or shrugging your shoulders.
5. 5. Pause briefly at the end of the movement under control, then return slowly to the start in 2 to 3 seconds, following the same path.
6. 6. Keep a smooth pace for all your reps and stop if you need to swing your torso or if your chest lifts off the pad.

Common mistakes

• Shrugging the shoulders up to the ears

  Instead : Think about keeping your neck long and your shoulders away from your ears. Use a weight you can control and focus on moving your arms instead of pulling with your neck.

• Seat set too low or too high

  Instead : Reset the seat so the handles line up with your shoulders. If they’re too high or too low, the movement feels awkward and you lose a proper path for your arms.

• Bending the elbows too much

  Instead : Keep only a slight bend. If your elbows are closing like in a row, adjust your grip and think about moving your hands away from each other instead of driving your elbows back.

• Using momentum with the back

  Instead : Keep your chest pressed into the pad and your lower back steady. Slow down the return phase and lower the weight until you can control 2 to 3 seconds on the way back without cheating.

Coach tips

• Start light to really feel the rear shoulders, then increase the weight only when you control the full range without swinging.
• Breathe out as you open your arms back, breathe in as you return to the start position.
• If the machine allows it, try a slightly wider or more neutral grip to see where you best feel your rear shoulders working.
• People often use this exercise for 2 to 4 controlled sets near the end of a workout to finish off the upper back and shoulder work.

Variations

• Neutral grip (palms facing each other) if your machine has that option, which often feels more comfortable for the shoulders.
• Partial range at the end of a set with a slightly shorter path to keep tension without overloading the joints.
• Slower tempo (3 seconds on the way back, 1–2 seconds on the way out) to increase time under tension with a moderate weight.

Equipment

• Rear deltoid flyAt all 76 gyms GoSet follows
• Pec deck and rear delt machineAt all 76 gyms GoSet follows

Alternatives for the same muscles

• Standing overhead pressShoulders
• Arnold pressShoulders
• Dumbbell front raiseShoulders
• Dumbbell lateral raiseShoulders
• Dumbbell reverse flyShoulders
• Seated dumbbell shoulder pressShoulders

Common questions