Reverse Flyes With External Rotation
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1To begin, lie down on an incline bench set at a 30-degree angle with the chest and stomach pressing against the incline.
- 2Have the dumbbells in each hand with the palms facing down to the floor. Your arms should be in front of you so that they are perpendicular to the angle of the bench. Tip: Your elbows should have a slight bend. The legs should be stationary while applying pressure with the ball of your toes (your heels should not be touching the floor). This is the starting position.
- 3Maintaining the slight bend of the elbows, move the weights out and away from each other in an arc motion while exhaling.
- 4As you lift the weight, your wrist should externally rotate by 90-degrees so that you go from a palms down (pronated) grip to a palms facing each other (neutral) grip. Tip: Try to squeeze your shoulder blades together to get the best results from this exercise.
- 5The arms should be elevated until they are level with the head.
- 6Feel the contraction and slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
- 7Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
table_chartRecommended sets and reps
These ranges vary depending on your training goal — adjust the load accordingly.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| boltStrength | 3–4 | 6–8 | 2–3 min |
| fitness_centerHypertrophy | 3–4 | 10–15 | 60 s |
| timerEndurance | 2–3 | 15–20 | 30–45 s |
About Reverse Flyes With External Rotation
The reverse fly with external rotation combines a classic rear delt fly with a wrist rotation at the top, shifting from a pronated to a neutral grip as the arms rise. This added rotation engages the shoulder's external rotators more than a standard reverse fly, on top of the rear deltoid. Performed lying face-down on a 30-degree incline bench, it eliminates any torso-momentum cheating, ensuring strict isolation of the target muscles. It's an excellent exercise for strengthening the rotator cuff while building the rear shoulder, particularly useful for joint health in lifters who do a lot of pressing work.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleStrengthens the rotator cuff on top of the rear deltoid
- check_circleStrictly isolates the target muscles thanks to the incline position
- check_circleImproves shoulder joint health
- check_circleGreat complement to a press-heavy training program
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbUse a light load to properly control the wrist rotation
- lightbulbSqueeze the shoulder blades together at the top
- lightbulbKeep a slight bend in the elbows throughout
- lightbulbControl the descent back to the starting position
warningCommon mistakes
- warningForgetting the wrist rotation and doing a plain reverse fly
- warningUsing a load too heavy that breaks the rotation
- warningLifting the chest off the bench to cheat the range
- warningRaising the arms too high above head level
helpFrequently asked questions
Why add external rotation to the reverse fly?expand_more
It further engages the shoulder's external rotators, a muscle group often neglected but important for joint health.
What load should I use?expand_more
A light load, since the priority is mastering the wrist rotation rather than lifting heavy.
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