Shoulders · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Incline Rear Fly
How to do the dumbbell incline rear fly, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set an incline bench to about 45 degrees and lie face down with your chest supported and a dumbbell hanging in each hand, palms facing in. With a slight bend in your elbows, open your arms wide out to the sides until they reach shoulder level, squeeze your shoulder blades together, then lower slowly.
- 1Feel your rear delts and mid traps squeeze as the arms open wide
- 2Keep a fixed slight bend in the elbows and lead with the elbows
- 3Pinch your shoulder blades together at the top of each rep
Common mistakes
- Do not shrug the upper traps or lift your chest off the bench
- Avoid bending the elbows more to turn it into a row
- Do not use momentum; control both the lift and the descent
Muscles worked
The dumbbell incline rear fly mainly works the rear delts and mid traps, with the lower traps and side delts assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell incline rear 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.