Reverse Flyes

An isolation exercise targeting the rear shoulders and upper back, performed on an incline bench with dumbbells in a wide arc motion.

Instructions

1. To begin, lie down on an incline bench with the chest and stomach pressing against the incline. Have the dumbbells in each hand with the palms facing each other (neutral grip).
2. Extend the arms in front of you so that they are perpendicular to the angle of the bench. The legs should be stationary while applying pressure with the ball of your toes. This is the starting position.
3. Maintaining the slight bend of the elbows, move the weights out and away from each other (to the side) in an arc motion while exhaling. Try to squeeze your shoulder blades together to get the best results from this exercise.
4. The arms should be elevated until they are parallel to the floor.
5. Feel the contraction and slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout to reduce shoulder joint stress.
• The incline angle helps isolate the rear delts and upper back.
• Focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together at the peak of the movement.
• Move in a smooth, controlled manner without using momentum.
• This exercise is excellent for posterior shoulder health and postural strength.
• Use lighter weights than you might expect to maintain proper form and control.