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Exercises

Rear delt fly alternatives that hit the back of your shoulders

Published October 23, 2026

The best rear delt fly alternative is the reverse pec deck, because the pad holds your chest still and your rear delts do all the work. If no machine is free, a rear delt cable fly keeps tension the whole way and lets you stand upright. With dumbbells, lie chest-down on an incline bench for incline rear delt raises, which take your lower back out of it; with a band, do band rear delt flies or pull-aparts.

What a dumbbell rear delt fly alternative has to replace

The dumbbell rear delt fly, also called the reverse fly, trains your rear delts and the muscles between your shoulder blades. Bent over, you sweep your arms out to shoulder height, and the rear delts work hardest near the top, where the dumbbells are farthest from your body.

The usual reasons to swap it are a tired lower back from holding the bent-over position, swinging that takes the work off the rear delts, or not having light enough dumbbells.

How to do the dumbbell rear delt fly

Machines and cables

The best swaps in a gym support your body or keep you upright, so the rear delts can be trained close to failure without swinging.

Closest swap: the machine version

Reverse Pec Deck

Shoulders

The same fly with your chest on a pad and the arc fixed, so your torso cannot help and your lower back is out of it. It is the easiest way to take rear delts close to failure, and you can add load in small steps.

How to do it

  1. Set the handles to the rear position, sit facing the pad, and adjust the seat so the handles are at shoulder height.
  2. Hold the handles with arms straight in front of you, palms down or facing in.
  3. Sweep your arms out and back in a wide arc until they are in line with your body.
  4. Return slowly, stopping just before the weight touches the stack, and repeat.

Cues

  • Wide arc, not a row
  • Arms almost straight
  • Keep the stack off the rest

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the elbows back like a row: the arms move out to the side.
  • Too much weight with jerky reps: these grow on 12 to 20 controlled reps.
Build a session with Reverse Pec Deck

Cable swap with tension the whole way

Rear Delt Cable Fly

Shoulders

Crossed cables set at chest height and pulled out to your sides. Unlike dumbbells, the cable keeps pulling at the bottom of the rep, so every inch of the arc works your rear delts. You stand upright, so your lower back stays out of it.

How to do it

  1. Set both pulleys at about chest height and stand in the middle of the crossover.
  2. Cross your arms: your right hand takes the handle on the left side, your left hand the one on the right.
  3. With straight arms, pull the handles out and back until your arms are in line with your body.
  4. Return slowly until your hands cross again.

Cues

  • Reach for the walls
  • Arms long, shoulders down
  • Stop when your arms line up with your body

Common mistakes

  • Squeezing your shoulder blades hard together: that shifts the work to the upper back. Let the arms move and the blades stay quiet.
  • Too much weight: the rear delt is small; if your elbows bend to finish, go lighter.
Build a session with Rear Delt Cable Fly

Cable swap with more upper back

Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pulling a rope to your face with your elbows high trains the rear delts plus the upper back and rotator cuff. Pick it over the fly when you want one exercise to cover more.

How to do it

  1. Set a rope at about forehead height on a cable and grab both ends with palms facing down.
  2. Step back until your arms are straight and there is tension on the cable.
  3. Pull the rope toward your face, spreading the ends apart and finishing with your hands beside your ears and elbows high.
  4. Return slowly to straight arms and repeat.

Cues

  • Hands beside the ears
  • Elbows high
  • Pause at the face

Common mistakes

  • Pulling toward the chest with low elbows, which turns it into a row: aim at the eyes.
  • Leaning far back to move a heavy stack: use a lighter weight and stand tall.
Build a session with Face Pull

Dumbbells and kettlebells

If you stay with free weights, put your chest on a bench or change the movement so your lower back and momentum stop doing part of the work.

Best dumbbell swap if your back tires

Incline Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

Shoulders

The same dumbbell fly, but lying chest-down on an incline bench. The bench holds your torso, so your lower back rests and you cannot swing the weight up.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench to about 45 degrees and lie chest-down with a light dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging and palms facing each other.
  2. Keep your elbows softly bent and sweep both arms out wide until they reach shoulder level.
  3. Pause for a second at the top with your shoulder blades pulled together.
  4. Lower under control to a full hang and repeat.

Cues

  • Chest stays on the pad
  • Arms out wide, not back
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows more as you tire, which shortens the lever and cheats the rep: keep the angle fixed and lower the weight.
  • Using so much weight that the dumbbells stop short of shoulder height: full range with a light pair beats half range with a heavy one.
Build a session with Incline Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

Chest-supported, with the lower traps

Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise

Shoulders

Chest on the bench, you raise light dumbbells up and out into a Y instead of out to the sides. It works the rear delts together with the muscles that pull your shoulder blades down.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench to about 45 degrees and lie chest-down on it with a very light dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging and thumbs pointing forward.
  2. Raise both arms up and out at about 30 degrees from your head, so your body makes a Y, until your arms reach the line of your body.
  3. Hold for a second at the top with your shoulder blades pulled down toward your back pockets.
  4. Lower slowly to a full hang and repeat.

Cues

  • Thumbs up the whole way
  • Shoulder blades down, not up
  • Lighter than you think

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging toward your ears as the arms rise: that moves the work to the upper traps. Lead with the shoulder blades sliding down.
  • Going heavy and swinging: use the lightest dumbbells you own and keep every rep slow, for 12 to 20 reps.
Build a session with Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise

When your dumbbells are too heavy to fly

Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Shoulders

Rowing one dumbbell with your elbow flared wide trains the rear delts with a bent arm, so you can use far more weight than in a fly. It suits home sets where the lightest pair is still heavy.

How to do it

  1. Put one knee and one hand on a flat bench with your back flat.
  2. Let the dumbbell hang under your shoulder, palm facing your feet.
  3. Pull it toward your upper chest with your elbow pointing out to the side.
  4. Lower it to a long arm, finish the set, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow out wide
  • Pull to the chest line
  • Flat back

Common mistakes

  • Tucking the elbow to your side: that makes it a lat row instead of a rear delt row.
  • Twisting the torso open at the top: keep the shoulders square to the floor.
Build a session with Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Bent-over pull to your face

Dumbbell Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Bent over, you drive your elbows up and out until the dumbbells reach face level. Your elbows bend, so it brings in more upper back than the fly and lets you use a little more weight.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and hinge until your torso is close to parallel to the floor, back flat and knees soft.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang under your shoulders with your palms facing behind you.
  3. Pull your elbows up and out to the sides as high as they go, so the dumbbells travel toward your face, not your hips.
  4. Hold the top for a second, then lower slowly to straight arms without standing up.

Cues

  • Elbows out and high
  • Hands toward the face
  • Hold the hinge

Common mistakes

  • Rowing toward your belly: that turns it into a lat row, so aim the dumbbells at your forehead.
  • Swinging heavy dumbbells with your hips: use a pair light enough to pause at the top of every rep.
Build a session with Dumbbell Face Pull

One kettlebell

Kettlebell Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders

A one-arm fly with a light bell while your free hand braces on your thigh. Working one side at a time makes it easier to keep your torso still.

How to do it

  1. Hinge forward with your free hand braced on your thigh and a light bell hanging below your shoulder.
  2. Keep a small bend in your elbow and raise the bell out to the side until your arm is level with your back.
  3. Hold for a moment at the top.
  4. Lower slowly to below your shoulder and repeat. Switch sides after the set.

Cues

  • Lead with the elbow
  • Raise to back level
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the bell up with your torso: stay still and use a lighter bell or fewer reps.
  • Bending the elbow more to cheat it up: the arm angle should stay fixed.
Build a session with Kettlebell Rear Delt Fly

Bands and suspension trainers

Bands load the top of the rep hardest and weigh nothing in a bag, which makes them the best rear delt tool at home or on the road.

Band swap, same bent-over fly

Band Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders

Stand on a band, hinge forward and raise your arms into a T. The band gets harder as your arms open, so the top of the rep, where dumbbells feel easiest, becomes the hardest part.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of a band with your feet about hip-width apart and hold one end in each hand.
  2. Hinge forward from the hips with soft knees until your torso is close to level with the floor.
  3. With your elbows slightly bent, lift your arms wide until they reach shoulder height.
  4. Lower back down with control and repeat.

Cues

  • Torso still
  • Arms make a T
  • Control the band down

Common mistakes

  • Letting the band snap your arms back down: take as long to lower as to lift.
  • Standing too upright, which shifts the work to the side delts: keep the hinge.
Build a session with Band Rear Delt Fly

Standing band swap, no hinge

Band Pull-Apart

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pulling a band apart at chest height trains the rear delts while you stand upright, so there is no bent-over position for your lower back to hold.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light band at chest height, arms long, hands about shoulder-width apart, palms down.
  2. Pull your hands apart and wide until the band touches your chest.
  3. Hold for a second with your shoulder blades squeezed together.
  4. Return slowly to the start, keeping tension on the band, and repeat.

Cues

  • Arms stay straight
  • Band to the chest
  • Shoulders stay away from the ears

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to make it easier: narrow your hands on the band instead.
  • Arching your lower back to finish the rep: keep your ribs down and stand tall.
Build a session with Band Pull-Apart

Band face pull from a door anchor

Band Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Anchor a band at face height and pull it to your forehead with your elbows high: rear delts, upper back and the outward turn, with one band.

How to do it

  1. Anchor a band at about face height in a door and hold an end in each hand, palms facing down.
  2. Step back until there is tension with your arms reaching forward.
  3. Pull the band toward your forehead, splitting your hands apart and lifting your elbows high and wide.
  4. Pause, then let the band return under control.

Cues

  • Elbows high and wide
  • Hands finish beside your ears
  • Pause at the face

Common mistakes

  • Pulling to the chest with the elbows low, which turns it into a row: aim the hands at your eyes.
  • Leaning back to move the band: stand tall and use a lighter band.
Build a session with Band Face Pull

Suspension trainer swap

TRX Rear Delt Row

Shoulders, Upper Back

A wide-elbow row on the straps with your bodyweight as the load. Walk your feet forward to make it harder.

How to do it

  1. Set the straps to about chest height, grip the handles with your palms turned in, and lean back with straight arms and your body in a straight line.
  2. Row your chest toward the handles by driving your elbows out to the sides.
  3. Stop when your upper arms are level with the floor and pinch your shoulder blades in.
  4. Lower back to straight arms with control and repeat.

Cues

  • Elbows out to the sides
  • Upper arms level at the top
  • Body stays straight

Common mistakes

  • Tucking the elbows to your ribs: keep them wide to keep the rear delts working.
  • Starting so upright that the row is too easy: walk your feet forward until 15 reps is hard.
Build a session with TRX Rear Delt Row

Rows and pulls to pair with them

Rear delt work finishes a pull day. Each example session opens with a row or a vertical pull for your whole back.

Row, to pair in the gym

Chest-Supported Row

Upper Back, Lats

A heavy row with your chest on a pad trains your mid back and rear delts together without your lower back limiting the set.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles are at chest height and the pad sits against your upper chest.
  2. Grab the handles with arms straight and your shoulders stretched forward.
  3. Pull the handles back by driving your elbows behind you until your hands reach your torso.
  4. Return slowly to straight arms and repeat without lifting off the pad.

Cues

  • Chest stays on the pad
  • Wide elbows for upper back, tucked for lats
  • Full stretch each rep

Common mistakes

  • Pulling your chest off the pad to finish reps: the set is over when you cannot finish with the chest down.
  • Setting the seat too low so you pull toward your neck: handles should line up with your mid-chest.
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Vertical pull, to pair in the gym

Lat Pulldown

Lats

Rear delt work is the smaller half of a pull day. The pulldown trains your lats so the session covers your whole back.

How to do it

  1. Set the thigh pad so your legs are locked under it, then stand up and take the bar a little wider than your shoulders, palms forward.
  2. Sit down with your arms fully stretched overhead and lean back only slightly.
  3. Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down toward your hips.
  4. Let the bar rise until your arms are straight and your shoulders lift toward your ears, then pull again.

Cues

  • Elbows to your back pockets
  • Bar to the top of the chest
  • Let the stack lift you at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning far back and rowing the bar to your stomach: stay nearly upright so it remains a vertical pull.
  • Stopping with the arms still bent at the top: the stretch overhead is half of what makes the pulldown work.
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Row, to pair at home

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

The dumbbell row is the heavy pull of a home upper-back session; the rear delt swaps then finish what it starts.

How to do it

  1. Put one hand and the same-side knee on a bench, or your hand on a chair seat with both feet on the floor, so your back is flat.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in the other hand with your arm hanging straight.
  3. Pull your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches your ribs.
  4. Lower it until your arm is straight again, finish all reps, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow to your hip
  • Back flat as a table
  • Full stretch at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Twisting your chest open to lift the dumbbell higher: keep both shoulders level.
  • Shrugging the shoulder up toward your ear: pull the elbow back, not the shoulder up.
Build a session with One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Vertical pull, to pair with a bar

Pull-Up

Lats

With bands and a bar at home, pull-ups are the heavy back exercise and the band work fills in the rear delts.

How to do it

  1. Hang from the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders, arms fully straight, feet off the floor.
  2. Set your shoulder blades low first, then bend your elbows and drive them toward your back pockets.
  3. Keep pulling until your chin clears the bar, with your chest rising toward it.
  4. Lower yourself all the way to straight arms over two seconds before the next rep.

Cues

  • Shoulders down before elbows bend
  • Chest to the bar
  • Dead hang between reps

Common mistakes

  • Kicking or swinging to reach the bar: cross your ankles, squeeze your glutes and stop the set when you can no longer pull cleanly.
  • Cutting the bottom short: a rep starts from straight arms, or the lats miss their stretch.
Build a session with Pull-Up

Example sessions without the dumbbell rear delt fly

Session 1

Gym with machines and cables

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets26 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentSeated Row Machine, Lat Pulldown, Fly Machine, Cable Crossover

You train in a gym and want rear delt work that does not depend on holding a bent-over position.

A heavy chest-supported row leads at lower reps, the pulldown covers your lats, then the reverse pec deck and cable fly train the rear delts two ways, the last to failure. 13 working sets.

Pull
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Chest-Supported Row1 warm-up set first 4 × 6–10 2 2:30 min
Lat Pulldown 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Reverse Pec Deck 3 × 12–20 1 1 min
Rear Delt Cable Fly 3 × 15–20 0 45 s
How to run it
Use it as your pull day once or twice a week.
How to progress
Add weight to the row and pulldown once every set reaches the top of its range at 2 RIR. On the rear delt work, add reps up to 20, then the smallest weight step.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home, lower back tires on bent-over work

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Incline Bench

You train at home with dumbbells and an incline bench, and bent-over flies leave your lower back more tired than your shoulders.

Every exercise supports your torso: a one-arm row braced on the bench, then incline rear delt raises and chest-supported Y raises with your chest on the pad. 10 working sets.

Upper back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
One-Arm Dumbbell Row1 warm-up set firstSets are per arm. 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Incline Dumbbell Rear Delt RaisePause 1 s at the top. 4 × 12–20 1 1 min
Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Twice a week, at the end of an upper-body or back session.
How to progress
Add reps until every set reaches the top of its range, then move up the smallest dumbbell step. Keep a one-second pause at the top of every raise.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Bands and a pull-up bar

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets33 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar, Resistance Bands

You train at home or on the road with resistance bands and a doorway pull-up bar.

Pull-ups are the heavy back work, then band face pulls, band rear delt flies and pull-aparts train the rear delts at high reps with short rest. 11 working sets.

Upper back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pull-Up 3 × 5–10 2 2 min
Band Face Pull 3 × 15–20 1 45 s
Band Rear Delt Fly 3 × 15–25 1 45 s
Band Pull-Apart 2 × 20–30 1 45 s
How to run it
Two or three times a week.
How to progress
Add a pull-up rep each week up to 10 on every set. On the band work, add reps to the top of the range, then use a thicker band or a narrower grip.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What exercise can I do instead of rear delt flies?

The reverse pec deck is the best swap, then the rear delt cable fly and face pulls. With dumbbells, incline rear delt raises; with bands, band rear delt flies or pull-aparts.

Is a reverse fly the same as a rear delt fly?

Yes. Both names describe raising your arms out to the sides while bent over or chest-down, which trains the rear delts.

How do you do rear delt flies without a machine?

Lie chest-down on an incline bench with light dumbbells and raise them out to shoulder height, or hinge forward on a band and raise your arms into a T.

Why are rear delt flies so hard to do?

The rear delts are small, so the weight has to be light, and most people let their back or momentum take over. A chest-supported version makes it much easier to feel.

Are rear delt flies effective?

Yes, when done strictly with a light weight and taken close to failure. They are one of the few exercises that train the rear delts directly.

Is a reverse fly necessary?

Not the fly itself, but rear delt work is worth doing: presses do not train them, and rows with your elbows tucked train them only a little. Any swap here covers it.