Rear deltoid fly on the machine

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Adjust the seat so the handles are at shoulder height or slightly below when you sit down.
2. Press your chest firmly against the pad and keep your feet flat on the floor.
3. Pick a light starting weight on the selectorized stack with the pin.
4. Grab the handles with a comfortable grip, arms slightly bent.
5. Keep your chest in contact with the pad for the whole set.

How to do it

1. Sit tall with your chest against the pad, eyes forward, shoulders down and relaxed.
2. Start with the handles in front of you, arms almost straight but not locked, hands at or slightly wider than shoulder-width.
3. Inhale, then open your arms out and back, bringing the handles apart while you squeeze your shoulder blades together until your hands line up with your shoulders or a bit behind.
4. Keep your torso glued to the pad, avoid arching your lower back or using momentum to pull.
5. Control the return for about 2 to 3 seconds, letting your arms come back close together without letting the weight stack slam.
6. Repeat with a smooth rhythm, keeping the same range of motion on every rep.

Common mistakes

• Bending or locking the elbows too much

  Instead : Keep a slight bend in your elbows and hold it the whole time. Don’t turn the exercise into a row or an arm-extension movement.

• Arching or rounding the back

  Instead : Keep your chest on the pad and your trunk solid. If you have to peel your torso off the pad to finish the rep, the weight is too heavy.

• Using momentum to move the weight

  Instead : Lift with control and pause briefly in the open position, then lower for 2 to 3 seconds. Slow down instead of yanking the handles.

• Not squeezing the shoulder blades

  Instead : Think about pulling your shoulder blades together on every rep so your upper back works, not just your arms.

Coach tips

• Start with a moderate weight and focus on control on the way down; go heavier only if your form stays the same from the first rep to the last.
• Breathe out as you open your arms, breathe in as you return. Aim for about 1 second to open, 2 to 3 seconds to come back.
• Keep your hands at or slightly wider than shoulder-width and adjust until you feel the rear shoulders and upper back working the most.
• Since it’s a weight stack, you can sometimes use drop sets by lowering the pin one or two plates at the end of a set to squeeze out a few clean extra reps.

Variations

• Use a neutral grip (palms facing each other) or overhand grip (palms down), whichever gives you the best feel in your rear shoulders.
• Work one side at a time to focus on each shoulder separately and help with left-right imbalances.

Exercises on this machine

• Machine reverse flyShoulders

Machine taken? Try instead

• Multi-station cable machineBack · Chest · Shoulders · Biceps · Triceps
• Assisted chin-up and dipBack · Triceps
• Back extensionBack · Glutes
• Fixed-weight barbellsBiceps · Triceps · Back
• Chest pressChest · Shoulders · Triceps
• Deltoid fly (lateral raise)Shoulders

Common questions