Written by Steve Theunissen, PT

The reverse pec deck fly is an exercise done on specialized equipment to target the rear deltoids. The exercise also engages the trapezius and rhomboid muscles. But reverse pec deck machines are not that common these days. 

You’re more likely to find a reverse pec deck machine in a hard-core bodybuilding gym than in a general-purpose fitness center. And if you’re working out at home, you most likely won’t have access to this equipment. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a toolbox of reverse pec deck alternative exercises that you can use to target your posterior deltoids.

In this article, we lay out nine reverse pec deck alternatives that are just as good and in some cases—better than the original.

The main muscles worked in the reverse pec deck are:

Posterior deltoids: The posterior deltoid pulls the upper arm back and down. The backward horizontal movement of the reverse pec deck covers the backward part but does move the rear delts down diagonally. In selecting the best reverse pec deck alternatives, we have favored exercises that bring the arms down diagonally and back to better simulate the anatomical function of the muscle.

Middle trapezius and rhomboids: The trapezius, or traps, is a kite-shaped muscle that covers the top half of your mid-back. It has the dual function of shrugging your shoulders and pulling the shoulder blades together. The rhomboids, located between the scapula, work with the traps to bring the shoulder blades together when you perform the reverse pec deck exercise. 

The cable reverse fly is an excellent exercise to isolate the rear delts and move them through their full anatomical range of motion. The diagonal direction of movement follows the direction of the muscle fibers. 

Using cables allows you to keep constant tension on the working muscle. Cables are also an early phase loaded form of resistance, being harder at the beginning and easier at the end. This is the same as the resistance curve of the rear delts.

Pro tip: You only need to use a very lightweight when doing this exercise. The posterior delts—a very small muscle—responds best to a higher rep range, so we recommend pyramiding down from 30 reps on your first set to 15 reps on your last.

Check out the in-depth cable reverse fly guide here!

If you don’t have a double cable pulley machine in your home gym, you can still do a version of the cable reverse fly. By substituting resistance bands for cables, you get a cost-effective alternative that is almost as good. 

The main difference between the resistance band and cable versions of the reverse fly is that with bands, the exercise is easier at the start and harder at the finish. This runs counter to the natural strength curve of the muscle. Besides, the resistance band reverse fly is a very good rear delt exercise.

Pro tip: The hardest part of this exercise will be the last third, where you bring the arms out level with the hips. Hold the end position for a couple of seconds to really feel the rear delt contraction before returning under control to the start position. 

The bent-over dumbbell reverse fly is probably the most popular exercise in gyms to hit rear delts. It does a good job of working through the same horizontal plane as the reverse pec deck but doesn’t traditionally bring the arms down to the sides. You can improve on the angle of motion by bringing your arms out and down on a diagonal as you pull the elbows back. 

Pro tip: Do not use heavy dumbbells for this exercise. If you do, the upper traps and middle delts will take over, with your rear delts merely going along for the ride. 

Check out the in-depth bent-over dumbbell reverse fly guide here!

The lying one-arm dumbbell rear delt raise does a good job of moving through the functional range of the rear delts. To achieve that movement, you have to be lying on the floor on your side, which isn’t that comfortable. Use a very light weight so you can control the movement against gravity.

Pro tip: Don’t lift the arm too high, or you will lose the contraction in the rear delts. In the end position, the dumbbell should be about six inches from your hip. 

The bent-over one-arm banded rear delt raise is a unilateral exercise that involves the same horizontal plane of motion as the reverse pec deck fly. The versatile angling of the band, however, means that you can more precisely move your arm in line with the diagonal direction of the muscle fibers.

By using a band instead of dumbbells, you can keep constant tension on the working muscle.

Pro tip: Use a light resistance band to allow for full control. Hold the contracted position for a two-second count. 

If you don’t have any light dumbbells or resistance bands, you can effectively target the same muscles as the reverse pec deck with YTWs. In this exercise, you will alternate between three positions, each of which will target one of the three major muscles engaged by the reverse pec deck: the posterior deltoids, the middle traps, and the rhomboids.

Pro tip: Besides being an effective stand-alone exercise if you don’t have access to equipment, YTWs are an excellent finishing exercise at the end of your delt workout. You can also do this exercise with light dumbbells in your hands.

The incline bench rear delt fly is a more strict version of the rear delt fly that eliminates momentum. That’s because you are prone on an incline bench. This exercise is a lower back-friendly variation of the seated bent-over rear delt fly.

Pro tip: Throughout this exercise, keep your chest flat on the bench.

The lying supine cable raise is a stricter version of the standing cable reverse fly. That’s because you’re lying on a bench. This keeps momentum out of the movement. It’s also easier on your lower back. 

Pro tip: Do not bring the cables lower than your waistline or you will transfer the emphasis from the rear to the middle deltoids. 

The bent-over one-arm cable fly is a unilateral version of the bent-over cable reverse fly. This allows you to work each side of the delts individually to promote strength and muscle balance.

Pro tip: Use a weight that allows you to control the eccentric motion. There should be no momentum at all in this exercise. 

For complete deltoid development, you need to work all three heads of the muscle. The reverse pec deck fly does a good job of working the rear deltoid. All of the alternatives listed in this article are just as good, if not better.

The rear deltoids are a small muscle group that responds best to high reps. This will also help keep the exercises momentum-free. You should ideally stay in the 15-30 rep range.

For best muscle and strength-building results, you should work your muscles, including the rear delts, every 3-4 days. Training the rear delts twice per week, with a three-day gap between workouts is recommended.

The reverse pec deck fly does a pretty good job of working the rear delts, mid traps, and rhomboids. However, if you don’t have access to a reverse pec deck machine, you’ve now got an arsenal of exercises that you can use at home or in the gym that are as good or better than the reverse pec deck fly. Use them as part of a balanced routine to develop rounded, detailed delts, rhomboids, and traps. 

Steve Theunissen is a former gym owner and personal trainer and is the author of six hardcopy books and more than a hundred ebooks on the topics of bodybuilding, fitness and fat loss. Steve also writes history books with a focus on the history of warfare. He is married and has two daughters. Steve hold the following certifications from the International Sorts Sciences Association: * Certified Personal Trainer * Fitness Nutrition Certification * Specialist in Group Fitness & Guided Study * Strength & Conditioning Certification * Sports Nutrition Certification * Transformation Specialist & Guided Study

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