Incline Bench Dumbbell Reverse Fly: how to do it right
In short: Rear-shoulder isolation (rear delt), loaded in the stretched position, chest supported on an incline bench.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Lie face down against an incline bench set at 30-45 degrees, a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging toward the floor.
- 2Keep your elbows slightly bent and frozen, shoulder blades barely active to target the shoulder.
- 3Open your arms outward until they are at shoulder height, without going any higher.
- 4Contract the rear shoulder at the top, then come back slowly over 2-3 s toward the stretch.
- 5Don't relax at the bottom: keep the tension and chain the reps with no bounce.
The mistake to avoid
Don't lift your chest off the bench to help: your torso stays down.
Other common mistakes
- Swinging the torso or pulling with the traps to launch the load: stay supported on the bench and let the shoulder alone do the work.
- Raising the arms too high or squeezing the shoulder blades together: it shifts the effort to the rhomboids, keep the range at shoulder height.
- Letting the descent drop in a free-fall: brake for 2-3 s to exploit the stretched position.
- Loading too heavy and bending the elbows: lighten up and freeze the elbow angle to stay in isolation.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Rear delts
The rear delt is the prime mover: it performs horizontal abduction of the arm. The posterior fibers of the deltoid are targeted when you limit the action of the traps and rhomboids, which stay secondary here. The infraspinatus and teres minor stabilize the head of the humerus.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this reverse fly?
Lie face down against an incline bench at 30 or 45 degrees, a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging toward the floor. Elbows slightly bent and frozen, shoulder blades barely active. Open your arms outward to shoulder height, contract the rear shoulder, then come back slowly over 2 to 3 seconds toward the stretch without relaxing at the bottom.
How high do I raise my arms?
Rise until your arms are at shoulder height, no higher: above that, you shift the effort to the rhomboids. At the bottom, go for the full range, arms hanging toward the floor, that's where the rear delt is most lengthened and most loaded.
Where exactly should I feel it?
You should feel the back of the shoulder, the rear delt, which performs horizontal abduction of the arm. If you mostly feel the middle of your back, you're squeezing your shoulder blades or going too high: keep the scapulae barely active and stop at shoulder height. Visualize spreading your hands toward the walls, not toward the ceiling.
What tempo should I use?
Open in a controlled way, contract briefly at the top, then brake the return over 2 to 3 seconds toward the stretch. It's this return phase that counts: the tension is maximal at the bottom, arms hanging, while at the top the resistance drops almost to zero. Chain the reps with no bounce or relaxing at the bottom.
What angle do I set the bench to?
Set the bench to 30 or 45 degrees and lie belly against the pad. The point of this setup is that it supports your chest and stops you from swinging to launch the weight. Check that your arms hang freely toward the floor at the start, without the dumbbells touching.