Better posture, fewer injuries and a stronger upper body…there are so many reasons why we love this back-toning move. Here’s how to do the reverse fly with correct form.
Hands up if you sit at a desk for the majority of the day. Hands up again if you feel hunched and generally slouched when you finally get up. We thought so, and this is why Jack Claxton, Level 3 personal trainer and personal training ambassador at David Lloyd Clubs, encourages his clients to regularly practise the reverse fly.
Related: 8 best back exercises for women
What is the reverse fly?
‘Not only is this back exercise a prime move for toning your upper back and the backs of your shoulders, it will help improve posture by pulling your shoulders back and down and helping balance out the forward nature of daily tasks,’ says Claxton.
‘Doing this exercise can also help reduce the risk of neck and shoulder pain, by building up the supporting muscles around the shoulders (rear deltoids) and in the upper and middle back (mainly the rhomboids and traps).’
Sounds good, doesn’t it? If you’re struggling to get to grips with the reverse fly, here’s how to perform it with correct form.
How to do the reverse fly with correct form:
- Start the movement by pulling your shoulders back and down. This takes any stress off of your shoulders and neck.
- Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together, and don’t swing or use momentum to get the weights up. Instead, move in a slow and controlled motion on the way up and on the way down.
- Keep your chest open. This will ensure you use your upper back and deltoids to lift the dumbbells.
- Exhale and lift the dumbbells laterally in a wide arching motion, making sure your elbows are slightly bent. Don’t go past shoulder-height when you lift the dumbbells.
- Make sure your feet are hip-width apart and your knees are slightly bent. Keep your core engaged the whole time.
Top tip: Your tempo should be one second up, one-second hold, one second down (1:1:1)
Looking for a good workout that incorporates the reverse fly? Try this full-body dumbbell workout for women
Head over to Men’s Fitness UK to discover the best dumbbell exercises for every body part