General exercise guide
Cable Rear Delt Fly
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Primary
Shoulders
Secondary
Traps, Rhomboids
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Pull
See how Cable Rear Delt Fly could fit a workout
The example below shows one possible placement. Your purchased plan is built from your assessment, and Ely checks every exercise before approving it.
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This page is not medical advice or a rehabilitation protocol. Ely's personal review applies to purchased workout plans and does not replace an in-person assessment by a licensed healthcare professional.
The cable rear delt fly provides constant tension on your rear delts using a cross-body cable setup. Standing between two cable stacks, you pull opposite handles across your body and outward, loading your posterior deltoids throughout the entire range of motion.
When to use it
Use for rear delt isolation for optimal results.
Who it's for
All fitness levels looking to build strength and muscle definition.
Coaching Note
Set cables at shoulder height and grab the left cable with your right hand, right cable with your left. Your arms cross in front at the start. Pull apart by driving your elbows backward, not by straightening your arms. Squeeze your shoulder blades at full extension.
Cable Rear Delt Fly — targeted muscles
Browse all shoulders exercises
Also targets: traps, Back
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How do you perform the Cable Rear Delt Fly?
- 1
Set cables at shoulder height with no attachments.
- 2
Stand between the cables.
- 3
Cross your arms and grip opposite cables.
- 4
Pull the cables apart and back.
- 5
Squeeze your rear delts.
- 6
Return slowly to start.
What are the best tips for the Cable Rear Delt Fly?
Cross-body motion targets rear delts.
Keep a slight bend in elbows.
Squeeze at full extension.
Control the return for optimal results.
When to Use the Cable Rear Delt Fly
Use cable rear delt flyes when you want constant tension that dumbbells can't provide. They work well alongside face pulls for complete rear delt coverage—cables for pure isolation, face pulls for added external rotation. Position them after pressing or pulling work.
Common Cable Rear Delt Fly mistakes
Using too much weight.
Loading more weight than you can control on the Cable Rear Delt Fly often creates compensations that shift work away from your Rear shoulders. Reduce the load until each rep follows the intended path.
Not squeezing at the back.
Changing your back position during the Cable Rear Delt Fly can alter the movement and make the load harder to control. Brace your midsection and keep the torso position called for by the exercise.
Rushing through reps.
Rushing through the Cable Rear Delt Fly makes it easier to lose position and harder to keep tension on your Rear shoulders. Slow down enough to control both the lifting and lowering portions of each rep.
Cable Rear Delt Fly — who it's best for
All fitness levels looking to build strength and muscle definition.
Programming examples for Cable Rear Delt Fly
These ranges illustrate ways to organize training. They are not an individual prescription. Adjust them for the exercise, your experience, and the rest of your program.
Strength8-10 reps
Heavier loads can be useful for developing maximum strength. The range shown is an example, and the load must match your current technique and capacity.
Muscle Growth12-15 reps
Muscle growth can occur across different loads and repetition ranges. This example is not a uniquely effective zone; your overall program and effort also matter.
Endurance15-20 reps
This is an example of a longer set. A repetition target alone does not establish joint safety or whether the exercise is appropriate for you.
Example: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps. Rest 60s.
Background for resistance exercises: the 2026 ACSM position stand covers healthy adults, and a load-comparison review found similar muscle growth across loads in studies using sets taken to muscular failure. These findings do not validate every exercise-specific range shown here or require training to failure.
Where Cable Rear Delt Fly fits in your workout
This is one example of how Cable Rear Delt Fly could sit inside a complete workout. Your plan may use different movements after Ely checks your assessment.
Sample workout
- Overhead Press4 × 8
- Lateral Raise3 × 12
- Cable Rear Delt Fly3 × 12
- Face Pull3 × 15
Use this exercise in Gym Mode
MySetPlan guides you set by set, times your rest, records your work, and tells you what to do next from the plan Ely approved.
Start My $19 WeekWhat are good alternatives to the Cable Rear Delt Fly?
Other Variations
- Single-Arm Cable Rear Fly
- High Cable Rear Fly
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Related Content
Safety Notes
- Don't use too much weight.
- Control the movement.