Coach Tips: Rear Delt Flys

Introduction

When it comes to sculpting a well rounded physique, attention to every muscle group is crucial. The rear deltoid, a muscle located at the back of the shoulder, is often one of the most neglected muscle groups to train. Developing strong and well defined rear delts not only contributes to a balanced aesthetic but also plays a significant role in enhancing overall shoulder health. In this short form blog, we'll briefly explain the anatomy of the rear delts, their importance, and some tips to target and strengthen these muscles.

Rear Delts: Anatomy and Function

The deltoids, or shoulder muscles, consist of three distinct parts: the anterior (front), lateral (middle), and posterior (rear) deltoids. The rear delts are situated at the back of the shoulders; they are responsible for various movements, including shoulder extension and external rotation. While the anterior delts often receive attention during pressing movements, neglecting the rear delts can lead to muscle imbalances and compromised shoulder health.

Importance of Rear Delt Training

• Aesthetic Balance: Developing the rear delts contributes to a well balanced physique, providing a rounded and sculpted appearance to the shoulders.

• Shoulder Health: Strengthening the rear delts helps stabilise the shoulder joint, reducing the risk of injuries and imbalances caused by an overemphasis on front delt training.

• Improved Posture: Well developed rear delts play a role in maintaining proper posture by countering the forward pull caused by daily activities like sitting at a desk or working on a computer.

Training the Rear Delts with Cable Rear Delt Flys

One of the best exercises for training the rear delts is the cable rear delt fly, here are some tips on performing the exercise, in order to maximise your gains!

1. Support your chest - Adding stability to this movement will allow you to lift more weight. Supporting your chest with a bench will help with this.

2. Cable height - Position your cables slightly above head height. This is to line up your rear delts nicely and allow for you to minimise the upper traps getting savagely pumped.

3. Hand position to the cable - You want your arm at around 90 degrees to the cable when you start the rep. This will create a slight drop off at the top of the rep and make the mid and lengthened positions more challenging.

4. Arm path - Think about your upper arm moving out and away from you rather than thinking about squeezing shoulder blades etc.

5. Use cuffs - Rather than using handles, grab hold of the end of the cable or use cuffs to take away the use of the grip which can allow you to focus more on the path of the arms.

Conclusion

To summarise, the rear delts play a large role in maintaining a balanced and healthy upper body physique. Training this muscle group is always going to be a part of any functional bodybuilding programme. Whilst you’re here, be sure to check out our Gain Programme.