How Far Should You Pull Back on the Rear Delt Fly?

Many of us have dutifully sat down on the rear delt fly machine, prizing the handles apart and feeling the burn in our upper body. But how far back should we be pulling? Apparently, it all depends on your muscle building goals according to these experts.

Dr Danian Tonellos, who specializes in injury rehab, hypotrophy, and performance, recently told her almost 50k Instagram followers that on the rear delt fly machine, “the biggest mistake is swinging too far back and letting your traps take over.” Of course, there’s nothing wrong with levelling up the traps. These muscles sit where your shoulder meets your neck and create that pyramid appearance around the head and shoulders, but the best exercises to target the traps more efficiently is by utilizing shrugs, upright rows, face pulls, or weighted carries. When finding the correct form on the rear delt fly, you’ll be building the deltoids instead. “So, the rear delt muscle makes up a large portion of the (outer) shoulder and really gives the illusion of having those big, swole-cap delts,” added Paul Xydis, who many people know as ‘The Bodybuilding Physio.’ Here’s how to achieve a look that all body builders strive for.

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The Proper Rear Delt Fly Machine Form for Targeting Your Deltoids

Xydis advised that focus needs to be placed on the reaching aspect of this move, before the load bearing even begins. To do this, lean your shoulders forward. “Once Dani is in that position, she’s going to bring her elbows back, and contract her rear delts.” He explained. Rather than reaching too far back, movement should end once the elbows are both horizontally aligned with the neck. “We wanna keep the tension right in the read delts,” notes The Bodybuilding Physio, because going any further back will engage the traps. “That’s a way to really keep the pressure in the target area, without distributing that tension through her upper back and her traps.”

So now you know, reaching back too far will defer the weight to the traps, but stopping when the elbows are in line with the shoulders and neck is the best way to target the delts.

To follow Dr Danian Tonellos on Instagram, click here. 

To follow Paul “The Bodybuilding Physio” Xydis, click here.