Shoulders · Cable machine

Cable Lying Reverse Fly

The cable lying reverse fly is an isolation exercise performed face-down on a bench to target the rear deltoids, rhomboids, and mid-trapezius muscles. It is effective for building balanced shoulders and improving posture, fitting best in the accessory portion of an upper-body or shoulder workout.

Muscles: Shoulders, Back
Equipment: Cable machine
Type: Strength
Animation: Men

How to do it

Lie face-down on a flat bench positioned between two low cable pulleys.
Grab the cable handles with opposite hands (right hand grabs left handle, left hand grabs right handle).
With a slight bend in your elbows, pull the handles out to your sides in an arc motion.
Squeeze your rear delts and upper back.
Return to the starting position with control.

Common mistakes

Bending the elbows too much turns the fly into a row, shifting tension away from the rear delts toward the lats.
Lifting the chest off the bench using momentum reduces target muscle isolation and strains the lower back.
Squeezing the shoulder blades together too early recruits the traps before the rear deltoids can fully engage.

Tips

Position the bench centrally between the low pulleys so the cables pull symmetrically in line with your shoulders.
Keep a constant, slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement rather than opening and closing the joint.
Pause for a second at the peak of the movement to emphasize the contraction before controlling the negative phase.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets to prioritize hypertrophy and maintain strict form.

Muscles worked

Cable Lying Reverse Fly: shoulders, back

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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Questions

How does this compare to dumbbell reverse flies?

Cables provide constant resistance through the entire range of motion, whereas dumbbells lose tension at the bottom of the movement.

Is this variation safe if you have lower back discomfort?

Lying prone fully supports your torso, removing axial spinal load and making it much friendlier on the lower back than bent-over variations.

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