Shoulders · Cable
Cable 45 Degrees Reverse Fly
How to do the cable 45 degrees reverse fly, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set a cable pulley to roughly shoulder height and grab the handle with the opposite hand so the cable crosses your body. Hinge slightly forward at about 45 degrees with a soft bend in your knees. Keep a slight bend in your elbow and pull the handle out and back in a wide arc, leading with your rear shoulder. Squeeze at the back, then return slowly.
- 1Feel the back of your shoulder squeeze as you open the arm
- 2Lead the movement with your elbow, not your hand
- 3Keep tension on the rear delt through the whole return
Common mistakes
- Do not bend your elbow more to turn it into a row
- Avoid shrugging your trap up toward your ear
- Do not use momentum from your torso to swing the weight
Muscles worked
The cable 45 degrees reverse fly mainly works the rear delts, with the mid traps, lower traps, and external rotators assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- External RotatorsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- LatsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the cable 45 degrees reverse fly for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.