There are a lot of underrated exercises when it comes to upper body training, and one of those is rear delt flys. Dumbbell rear delt flys are sometimes missed by people who work out, who will target the rear deltoid muscles situated at the back of the shoulders and can ultimately leave you with muscle imbalances, a bad posture, and an increased risk of injury. Including rear delt crossovers as a part of your workout can also fix these problems and offer you numerous benefits, such as enhanced shoulder stability and upper back strength.
Rear delt crossovers are a simple yet powerful movement exercise which can do wonders for your upper body growth, posture, and overall functional fitness. In this comprehensive guide, I will show you the top ten benefits of rear delt crossovers and tell you in detail how this exercise works. Regardless of how much of an experienced athlete you are or how much of a beginner you are, rear deltoid crossovers deserve a place in your workout schedule.
You can visit our previous article on the Russian Twist: 10 Benefits for Great Strength, if you are interested in building your abs.
Introduction
Rear delt flys are an awesome exercise for the rear deltoid, which is normally ignored when performing shoulder exercises. The complete shoulder development, increase in upper body strength, etc, make this exercise important. Today, we are going to look at the anatomy and utility of the posterior deltoids, how to perform the rear delt flys, and the benefits and alternatives of it.
What is Rear Delt Flys?
The rear delt flys is one of the resistance exercises which are utilised in developing a rear deltoid program. In this position, dumbbells or cables are positioned behind the body, arms are straight, while slight curves in the elbows are made. It can also be performed while standing; another kind is the rear delt flys machine. Rear delt fly is also called reverse fly (reverse cable fly or posterior delt fly). Since this exercise can be performed with progression or modification of the intensity and the use of equipment, this should be an exercise that is very effective in any exercise program involving the shoulders.
Analysis and importance of the rear delts
The posterior deltoids are one of the muscles that form the deltoid muscle group and are located at the back of the scapula, and their functions include retraction of the arm, extension of the shoulder joint and external rotation of the joint.
While smaller in size compared to the anterior and the lateral delts, they are extremely important in maintaining balance, human posture, as well as in the prevention of certain injuries and in boosting one’s performance during physical activities.
This is because shoulder development is part of the general body aesthetic look; healthy, developed posterior delts are also used during lifting, carrying or throwing movements. This is especially the case when it comes to shoulder compensation, poor posture, and subpar performance. The following subheading will explain the advantages of the ‘delt fly’ exercise and how it aids in enhancing posterior delt growth.
1) Strong and Sculpted Shoulders
Among the valuable shoulder exercises that would help to work on the rear delt effectively, the rear deltoid exercise is preferable. These muscles are, however, sidelined since most upper body exercises overly focus on the front and side of the deltoids. If not balanced, then there is a likelihood of having the shoulder area improperly developed so that it looks unnatural, and in addition to that, the chances of getting an injury are high due to poor posture.
- How it works: The rear delts engage during the reverse fly, and this is when the arms are moving back and forth while the elbows are somewhat flexed. This has the effect of targeting the rear delts instead of using other parts of the shoulder to bend the arm.
- Advantages: Having strong and muscular rear delts complements the shoulder area and gives the right balance, offering a better outlook from all angles. It creates an improved upper body contour and makes the side or rear view of a person more appealing.
2) Enhance posture
It can be confidently noted that the rear delt flys is immensely beneficial for several reasons, firstly in the aspect of posture. It is also advised that during exercises, one should position the feet wide apart, with the width being as wide as the shoulder width. In confinement, even whilst working at the desk or using inventions for extended hours, poor postures develop and the shoulders hunch, and the neck bends, compromising the wellbeing of the upper back after a long-term period.
- Explanation: The main duty of the posterior deltoid and the upper back muscles is targeted during the execution of the rear delt flys; therefore, exercising this machine strengthens the muscles used in retracting the shoulders and maintaining the spinal region.
- Impacts: From doing rear delt flys, one is likely to avoid slouching and have back shoulders and chest brought forward, improving posture.
3) Enhances shoulder stability
Shoulder stability is crucial for almost any upper limb load, such as lifting, and other sporting activities, since weak posterior glutes put pressure on the shoulders. This tends to improve with time and poses a high possibility of getting injured during overhead or pushing movements, such as the bench and shoulder presses. Motions that involve the shoulder joint extensions, for instance, the rear deltoids, help in fortification of the system of the scapula and superior arm.
Rear deltoid exercises are done slowly and deliberately to target small stabiliser muscles that are most times can be ignored in the normal deltoid exercises. Light weights should be used for the shoulders to have good stability when lifting the barbell because of the snaps or pulls that may at times occur. People with broad shoulders are also recommended for athletes and weightlifters, generally, as it enhances their safety as well as proficiency.
4) Increase upper back strength
Rear deltoid raises are considered a compound upper-body exercise which effectively works on the posterior deltoid, rhomboids, and trapezius muscles. Reverse also dumbbell raises to focus on upper back muscular contraction, which is vital for fine positioning, shoulder mobility and joint armour.
Also, during the rear deltoid raise exercise, the pulling action is performed by major muscles along the upper back, besides enhancing the strength, balance and stability of the shoulders. A strong upper back must incorporate exercises such as rows, chin-ups, and deadlifts, which work on the muscle, as it minimises the chances of experiencing pain and maximises one’s movements to have the right posture in any activities.
5) Stability in shoulder development
It is an unfortunate problem typical among those training shoulders where one ends up with overdeveloped front and side delts at the cost of other muscles, predisposing them to injuries. This leads to unequal shoulder development, and front shoulder strength is usually greater than that of the back shoulder, hence unbalancing the shoulders’ biomechanics and structure.
This can be fixed by the flies that train the rear delts, which are usually overlooked, during the workout session. They are best done in your workout plan to develop all three deltoid heads, hence promoting the right shoulder shaping and to avoid regular injuries.
6) Enhances functional movement
Isotonic exercises are those that replicate real-life movements, for instance, pulling, pushing, lifting or rotational. This is because exercises to strengthen the rear shoulders can be helpful when performing such movements in a gym and regular life. In terms of performing basic movements in your day-to-day life, like shopping or lifting loads, or simply in sports activities, having strong rear delts assists in preventing injuries and helps one to perform activities optimally.
- How it works: The rear delts strengthen the muscles used in pulling and rotating movements, which is an important factor in functional activities.
- Any strengthening training allows overall improved functionality in daily life and reduces the possibility of an injury during any ordinary tasks or sporting activities.
7) Supports spinal health
If your rear delts and your head tilt are not as strong, this will overweight your spine, particularly the lower region, and this causes soreness and the worst, chronic pains. This tension is a problem that can be eliminated with the help of exercises such as the rear delt flys, which target the rear shoulders in the upper body.
- How it works:
The posterior delts prevent the shoulder blades as well as the spine from excessive movement that could lead to pain. Exercising these muscles also helps in maintaining the spinal structure and reduces pressure, which is crucial for avoiding lower backache in individuals who spend many hours seated.
- Benefits of Rear Delt Flys:
Strengthens spine-supporting muscles
Improves posture
Helps reduce lower back pain
8) Enhances flexibility and range of motion
Most of the exercises require free movement of the shoulders and the upper back to achieve the right form. Restricted movement in these areas will hinder the execution of exercises such as the overhead presses, bench presses and rows, which in turn results in what we refer to as compensation and in this case, compensation movements lead to injuries. The rear deltoid fly includes exercises that target the muscles around the shoulder joint to increase the flexibility and mobility of the joints.
- How it works: Sliding the dumbbells slowly behind and up straightens and extends the posterior delts, therefore improving the flexibility of the upper back and shoulders.
- Advantages: That way is less limited, which enables to make more other movements with a more correct form and helps to avoid injuries. Flexibility, on the other hand, enhances freedom in physical activities and enhances athletic movements in and outside the game fields.
9) Prevents shoulder and neck pain
The weak posterior deltoids cause other muscles, such as the trapezius and neck muscles, to be overworked when exercising. It can lead to tension, discomfort and pain in the shoulder and the neck, particularly during the Upper Body Presses and Pulls. Rear delt flys exercise is also helpful in strengthening the weaker posterior deltoid and easing the load on the neck and trapezius muscles.
- How it works: Since the rear delt flys targets and engages the posterior deltoids, it also causes less stress on the neck and upper trapezius muscles and therefore offers less chance of experiencing neck rigidity and shoulder discomfort.
- Benefits: The optimised training of posterior deltoids helps to avoid unbalance and issues related to inconveniences when lifting the shoulder joint, and pain in the neck and back. Therefore, including the rear delt flys in your fitness regimen can go a long way in preventing the above problems.
10) Versatile and easy to use anywhere
The advantage that can be highlighted when it comes to the rear delt flys relates to flexibility. Like with the previous exercises, they can be performed with the use of dumbbells, resistance bands, cables and sometimes even on machines. This makes rear delt flys an exercise you can perform in a gym, at home or even outdoors without causing anyone harm. It is useful for both beginners and advanced exercises because the exercise does not involve much use of weights.
How it is done: Like many exercises, rear delt flys can be done using a range of equipment, thus it can be customised to the kind of equipment you have and the level of exercise you want to undertake.
Advantages: The common and convenient nature of the rear delt flys makes it possible to perform this exercise from any place. Whether your goal is strength, endurance or functional fitness, the rear delt flys can be adapted to.
Conclusion
Rear delt flys are one of the perfect and efficient movements that can help any individual who wants to build and maintain strong shoulder muscles and good posture. Concentrating on the neglected muscle group of the rear deltoids, the rear deltoid opener assists in enhancing shoulder stability and increasing upper back strength and functionality of the upper body muscles. Rear delt exercises can be incorporated by anyone, from an athlete, weightlifter to common people who want to improve their posture and avoid shoulder issues. Include them in your training program in a frequent manner to realise several advantages such as developed shoulders, improved upper-body posture and overall health.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What muscles do rear delt flys work?
It isolates the posterior deltoids, the traps and the upper back for postural and shoulder support muscles.
2. How often should I do them?
Thus, it is recommended that the shoulder muscles be trained 2–3 times a week.
3. Are they good for beginners?
Yes! It is right to use small weights or elastic bands and concentrate on correct form.
4. What should I avoid?
This exercise should not involve lifting weights, swinging the arms or shrugging the shoulders. Trunk Rotation. Some key guidelines that ought to be followed include: The movement should be very slow and deliberate.
