Are Rear Delt Flyes A Push Or Pull Exercise?

While rear delt flyes could be considered both a push and pull exercise, it usually regarded as a pull exercise as the movement requires you to pull your elbows and arms back until they’re in line with your body. It also works the back of shoulder and upper back, muscles which are used in pulling movements, rather than the chest and front of shoulders which would typically be used in push movements.

Does The Rear Delt Fly Work Back Or Shoulders?

The cable face pull primarily targets the posterior deltoids which makes it mainly a shoulder exercise. Having said this, the rear deltoids are involved in many pulling movements that target the back muscles and could therefore be implemented into a back workout too!

What Does The Rear Delt Fly Work?

The rear delt fly works the rear deltoids, with support from the traps, rhomboids, and lateral deltoids. The standing rear delt fly variation also engages the hamstrings and glutes due to the hip hinge.

How To Do Dumbbell Rear Delt Flyes

What Is A Rear Delt Fly

The rear delt fly is a dumbbell exercise which involves sweeping the dumbbell out to the side to train the rear deltoids. In addition to the rear delts, this exercise works the traps, rhomdoids, lateral deltoids, and core.

The use of free weights means rear delt flyes are great for improving both strength and stability in the shoulders. It can also help to identify and minimise muscular imbalances as each arm must lift the exact same load.

Working the rear delts can help to improve poor posture and reduce imbalances between the front of the body and back, which can often occur in people who spend a lot of their day slouched or hunched forward.

Rear delt flyes can be done seated or standing; we’ve covered both in this page.

Commonly Asked Questions On Rear Delt Flyes

Are Rear Delt Flyes A Push Or Pull Exercise?

While rear delt flyes could be considered both a push and pull exercise, it usually regarded as a pull exercise as the movement requires you to pull your elbows and arms back until they’re in line with your body. It also works the back of shoulder and upper back, muscles which are used in pulling movements, rather than the chest and front of shoulders which would typically be used in push movements.
Does The Rear Delt Fly Work Back Or Shoulders?

The cable face pull primarily targets the posterior deltoids which makes it mainly a shoulder exercise. Having said this, the rear deltoids are involved in many pulling movements that target the back muscles and could therefore be implemented into a back workout too!
What Does The Rear Delt Fly Work?

The rear delt fly works the rear deltoids, with support from the traps, rhomboids, and lateral deltoids. The standing rear delt fly variation also engages the hamstrings and glutes due to the hip hinge.

Rear Delt Fly Tips

The rear delt fly can be performed standing or seated. Both variations involve bending at the hip, but the standing variation involves maintaining a hip hinge position without support, which engages the posterior chain, erector spinae, and core more. In the seated rear delt fly, the torso is supported so stability is challenged less and momentum is minimised, allowing the rear delts to be isolated to a greater extent. Both variations are useful, but depending on your goals you may prefer one over the other.

How to do a seated rear delt fly

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, take a seat on a bench and lean forwards at the hips so that your torso is at a 30–45-degree angle.
Keep your shoulders pinned back and your chin tucked to ensure a neutral spine and allow your arms to extend in front of you.
To commence the reps, maintain a soft bend in the elbows as you sweep the dumbbells outwards to the sides until they are in line with your torso.
Slowly reverse the movement to return the dumbbells to the starting position.

How To Do A Standing Rear Delt Fly

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, push your hips backwards to hip hinge forwards so that your torso is at a 30–45-degree angle.
Keep your shoulders pinned back and your chin tucked to ensure a neutral spine and allow your arms to extend in front of you.
To commence the reps, maintain a soft bend in the elbows as you sweep the dumbbells outwards to the sides until they are in line with your torso.
Slowly reverse the movement to return the dumbbells to the starting position.

If you’re not sure if any of the above exercises are suitable for you, please consult your doctor before you start it. Need guidance on how to perform the exercise? Ask a personal trainer at your gym.