Shoulders · Bodyweight
Standing Iron Eagle
How to do the standing iron eagle, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms raised out to your sides at shoulder height. Sweep both arms forward and across your body until your hands meet, rounding your upper back, then open them wide again behind you to stretch and contract the shoulders. Keep the motion controlled and continuous.
- 1Feel a stretch across your chest as your arms open wide
- 2Feel your rear delts and mid-back squeeze as you pull the arms back
- 3Keep your core braced so your torso stays still
Common mistakes
- Don't arch your lower back as you open the arms
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears
- Don't swing with momentum; control both directions
Muscles worked
The standing iron eagle mainly works the rear delts, with the mid traps, front delts, side delts, and external rotators assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- External RotatorsSupport
- Upper ChestMinor
- Mid ChestMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the standing iron eagle 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.