You hinge at the hips and lift dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, working the rear deltoids and upper back.
How to do the Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly#
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, then hinge forward at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor with a neutral spine.
- Allow your arms to hang down from the shoulders with a slight bend in the elbows and palms facing each other.
- Raise the weights out to the sides in a controlled, wide arc until your elbows reach shoulder height, leading the movement with your elbows.
- Pause and draw your shoulder blades together at the top while keeping your shoulders down away from your ears.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly back to the starting position with control.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Rear delts (Posterior Deltoid)
- Secondary: Upper back (Rhomboids & Middle Trapezius), Traps (Trapezius)
Common mistakes#
- Using torso momentum to swing the weights up.
- Rounding the upper back or neck.
- Shrugging the shoulders instead of driving the movement from the rear delts.
- Bending the elbows so much that the move becomes a row.
