Resistance Band Rear Fly

How to do the Resistance Band Rear Fly

1. 1Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a resistance band with both hands, palms facing down or facing each other.
2. 2Extend your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height, keeping the band taut between your hands.
3. 3Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement to protect the joints.
4. 4Initiate the movement by squeezing your shoulder blades together and driving your arms out to the sides in a wide, sweeping arc.
5. 5Continue pulling until the band touches or nearly touches your chest and your arms are fully extended to each side.
6. 6Pause at the end position and feel the contraction in the rear deltoids and across your upper back.
7. 7Slowly return your arms back to the starting position in front of you, controlling the band without letting it snap forward.
8. 8Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining tension on the band throughout each rep.

Form tips

• Keep your shoulders pulled down and away from your ears throughout — allowing them to shrug shifts the work onto the upper trapezius rather than the posterior deltoid.
• Think of leading with the backs of your hands rather than your elbows to maximize the stretch and contraction through the rear deltoid.
• Use a lighter band than you expect — the posterior deltoid is a small muscle that responds better to controlled, full-range reps than to heavy resistance with a shortened arc.
• Keep your torso upright and avoid leaning back as you pull; all motion should come from the shoulder joints, not momentum through the spine.

Common mistakes

• Using a band that is too heavy and limiting the range of motion, which reduces stimulus on the posterior deltoid and forces compensating muscles to take over.
• Shrugging the shoulders as the band is pulled apart, which recruits the upper trapezius instead of the target rear deltoid and places unnecessary stress on the neck.
• Snapping the band back too quickly on the return — the slow, controlled eccentric phase is where significant muscle development occurs and should not be rushed.
• Locking out or hyperextending the elbows at the end position, which places unnecessary stress on the joint; keep a soft bend in the arms at all times.

Frequently asked questions