Exercise of the Month – Rear Delt Fly

Exercise benefits

Often when people train their shoulders they will include plenty of exercises for the front deltoids, side deltoids and the trapezius muscles, but often they neglect their rear deltoids.

To work towards avoiding shoulder injuries and to keep your shoulders balanced, it is helpful to aim at building well-developed rear delts, additional benefits include a reduced chance of rotator cuff problems. The front delts can often become strong from a lot of press movements, such as bench presses, overhead presses, etc. so it is possible they can sometimes overpower the rear delts.

If you want to improve your strength when performing exercises such as the bench press, then having strong rear delts will also help you do this. Developing a stronger upper back will help generate more power, as a well-developed back will make you more solid on the bench. Strong, big delts and traps help to stabilise the bar more effectively and also ensure you do not hunch over when performing the squats. Anyone who has a big bench press or squat, usually has well-developed upper back muscles and rear delts, also helping your squat because the bar is placed across your upper back.

How to perform exercise

1. Grab two dumb bells with your thumbs pointing in.
2. Bend slightly at the knees.
3. Move your hips back, shifting your weight onto your heels.
4. Tighten your core.
5. Bend forward until your torso is as close to horizontal as you can while maintaining a straight back.
6. Allow your arms to hang down.
7. Raise your arms up to your sides with your elbows slightly bent. Stop and hold when dumbbells are at shoulder height and then lower the dumbbells.

Luke Reilly, Fitness Professional – Sittingbourne