Shoulders · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Reverse Flyes
How to do the dumbbell reverse flyes, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Fly
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Hold dumbbells and hinge at the hips. Raise the weights outward in a wide arc, squeezing your shoulder blades, then lower.
- 1Hinge at your hips and raise the dumbbells out to your sides, feeling your rear delts and upper back contract
- 2Keep a slight bend in your elbows and your palms facing down
- 3Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top and control the weights on the way down
Common mistakes
- Don't swing the weights or use momentum to lift them
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders or rounding your back
- Don't let your arms drop below your torso, maintain the correct range of motion
Muscles worked
The dumbbell reverse flyes mainly works the rear delts and mid traps, with the lower traps assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Lower TrapsSupport
- BicepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Dumbbell Reverse Flyes strength standards
See how your dumbbell reverse flyes ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM15 lb
Silvere1RM32.5 lb
Golde1RM57.5 lb
Platinume1RM85 lb
Diamonde1RM100 lb
Champione1RM115 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the dumbbell reverse flyes 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 April 2026.