How many sets and reps of the band rear delt fly should a beginner do?

Two to three sets of 15 to 20 reps suits this movement well, since the rear delts respond better to a light band and clean form than to heavy load. Progress by choosing a slightly thicker band once 20 reps stops being challenging, rather than rushing to lower the rep count.

What can you do instead of the band rear delt fly without a band?

A reverse pec deck or cable rear delt fly trains the same posterior-delt arc if a machine or cable station is available; a prone Y-T-W raise on a bench works with no equipment at all.

What is the band rear delt fly good for, and when should you pick a machine instead?

Its light, adjustable resistance suits the small rear-delt muscles well and makes it an easy postural and shoulder-health accessory to do almost anywhere. If you find the hinged position uncomfortable for your lower back, anchoring the band at chest height and standing tall removes that demand, or a chest-supported machine like a reverse pec deck avoids the hinge altogether.

Beginner

Band Rear Delt Fly

The band delivers a smooth, building tension that suits the small rear-delt muscles, which respond best to light load and clean form. Anchored underfoot or in front of you, it lets you chase a full horizontal-abduction squeeze without joint stress. An excellent postural and shoulder-health accessory.

Equipment: Band
Body part: Shoulder
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Posterior
Browse by movement: Horizontal Pull

How to do it

1
Stand on the middle of a band and hinge forward at the hips to a flat back, or anchor the band in front at chest height.
2
Hold an end of the band in each hand with arms hanging down and a soft bend in the elbows.
3
Keep the elbow angle fixed and open the arms out to the sides.
4
Pull until the hands reach roughly shoulder level and the shoulder blades draw together.
5
Squeeze the rear delts at the end range for a beat.
6
Return slowly to the start, resisting the band.

Tips

Lead the movement with the pinkies and elbows to target the rear delt.
Keep the elbow bend constant so it stays a fly, not a row.
Use a lighter band and higher reps; the rear delts respond to quality, not load.

Variations

Common mistakes

The lower back rounds as the hinge holds through the set, which turns a shoulder exercise into unwanted spinal loading; keep the back flat the way you would on any hinge.
The elbows bend more during the pull, pulling the hands in toward the body and turning the fly into something closer to a row.
Standing up out of the hinge partway through the set removes the stretch position the rear delts were working against, cutting the exercise's difficulty without you noticing.
Once the band tension builds, the hands rise higher than the shoulders, and the upper traps take over the top of the pull instead of the rear delts.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the band rear delt fly should a beginner do?: Two to three sets of 15 to 20 reps suits this movement well, since the rear delts respond better to a light band and clean form than to heavy load. Progress by choosing a slightly thicker band once 20 reps stops being challenging, rather than rushing to lower the rep count.
What can you do instead of the band rear delt fly without a band?: A reverse pec deck or cable rear delt fly trains the same posterior-delt arc if a machine or cable station is available; a prone Y-T-W raise on a bench works with no equipment at all.
What is the band rear delt fly good for, and when should you pick a machine instead?: Its light, adjustable resistance suits the small rear-delt muscles well and makes it an easy postural and shoulder-health accessory to do almost anywhere. If you find the hinged position uncomfortable for your lower back, anchoring the band at chest height and standing tall removes that demand, or a chest-supported machine like a reverse pec deck avoids the hinge altogether.

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