Band Rear Delt Fly
Also known as: band rear delt raise, resistance band rear delt fly, band reverse fly, resistance band reverse fly, banded rear delt fly, band rear delt flyes, standing band rear delt fly
- Primary muscleDelts
- EquipmentResistance Band
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeIsolation · Push
- Secondary muscles
- Upper Back, Traps
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Position
- Lying
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Anchored at chest height, a band gives resistance that climbs as you pull it apart, so the hardest point lands right where your rear delts finish the rep with the shoulder blades pinched. Tension is lightest at the start, so run higher reps, around 15 to 25, than you would on the machine rear delt fly.
How to do the Band Rear Delt Fly
- Attach the band to a stationary object at chest height.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band with both hands in front of you.
- Keep your arms straight and lift them out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Imagine hugging a barrel rather than pushing a weight.
Muscles worked
Primary
Delts · Shoulders
Rear delt flies work the back of the shoulder as the arms swing wide, and the front delt assists on any chest fly.
Secondary
- Upper Back — On reverse flies the rhomboids and mid traps squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end of each rep.
- Traps
Common mistakes
- Elbows bending as you tire — this turns a fly into a press; set the elbow angle at the start and keep it constant for the whole set.
- Going too heavy — flies are a stretch and squeeze movement, not a strength lift; you should be able to pause at the bottom without the shoulders rolling forward.
- Stopping short of the stretch — let the arms open until you feel the chest or rear delts lengthen, then bring them back under control.
- Not squeezing at the finish — the last few inches are where the muscle shortens most, so hold the contraction for a count before opening again.
Where it fits in a workout
Flies are an isolation movement for after the pressing or rowing is done. Pair a chest fly with a rear delt fly for a balanced superset.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without resistance band
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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More exercises
Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.