Shoulders · Kettlebell
Kettlebell Rear Fly
How to do the kettlebell rear fly, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back, holding a kettlebell in each hand below your chest with palms facing each other. Keeping a slight bend in the elbows, raise the bells out to the sides in a wide arc until your arms are in line with your shoulders. Squeeze the rear shoulders at the top, then lower under control.
- 1Feel the rear delts open the bells out to the sides
- 2Keep a fixed soft bend in the elbows so it stays a fly, not a row
- 3Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top of each rep
Common mistakes
- Do not bend the elbows to pull the bells up like a row
- Avoid shrugging the traps toward your ears
- Do not swing the torso up to launch the weight
Muscles worked
The kettlebell rear fly mainly works the rear delts and mid traps, with the lower back and lower traps assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the kettlebell 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.