Shoulders
Bent Over Reverse Fly
A hinge and raise for the back of your shoulders and your upper back. It's a small move with light weight that balances out all the pressing you do.
- Works
- Rear shoulders, upper back, traps
- Equipment
- A pair of light dumbbells
- Load
- Light
How to do it
- 1Stand with your feet hip width apart and a soft bend in your knees. Hinge at your hips until your chest is close to parallel with the floor, back flat.
- 2Let the dumbbells hang under your shoulders, palms facing each other, a slight bend in your elbows.
- 3Raise your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until they're level with your shoulders.
- 4Lower slowly back under your shoulders.
Cues
- Reach the dumbbells out wide, not back toward your hips.
- Neck long, eyes on the floor a little in front of you.
- Go light. Your rear shoulders are small muscles.
Common mistakes
- Swinging your body up. Stay still in the hinge. If your chest rises with each rep, the weights are too heavy.
- Shrugging. Keep your shoulders away from your ears and think about reaching out wide, so your traps don't take over.
- Rounding your back. Hinge from your hips with your chest proud. If your back rounds, don't go as low.
Easier
Go lighter, or lie chest down on an incline bench so you don't have to hold the hinge.
Harder
Pause for 2 seconds at the top of every rep.
Try it: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
What's the difference between a reverse fly and a rear delt fly?
They're the same move. Both names mean raising the dumbbells out to the sides while bent over. Either way, it works the back of your shoulders and your upper back.
