Incline Bench Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

In SetGrip: Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly (Incline Bench)

Secondary muscles
Traps, Rhomboids
Body part
Shoulders
Position
Lying
Laterality
Bilateral (both sides together)
Category
Strength

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Bracing your chest against an incline bench removes the hip hinge from the rear delt fly, so your lower back stops rationing how many quality reps you can do. The pad also exposes cheating instantly, since any body swing lifts your torso off the bench; expect lighter dumbbells than the free-standing bent-over version, and cleaner reps for it.

How to do the Incline Bench Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Extend your arms straight down in front of you, palms facing each other.
  4. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  6. 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

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 dumbbell

Easier and harder

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

  1. ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
  2. ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
  3. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
  4. 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.