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Cable Reverse Fly strength standards

What is a good Cable Reverse Fly?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Cable Reverse Fly is about 65 lb (0.36x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 111 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 65 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 111 lb Advanced standard
Gym median Separate tab Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer Cable Reverse Fly

A solid (Intermediate) Cable Reverse Fly for a 180 lb male is about 65 lb (0.36x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Cable Reverse Fly into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 111 lb (0.62x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

Cable Reverse Fly demonstration
Estimated Standards

How strong is your Cable Reverse Fly? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Rhomboids, Trapezius, Upper Back, Posterior Deltoid
Equipment Cable Machine, D-Handles
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Isolation

How Strong Is Your Cable Reverse Fly?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 65 lbs (0.36x bodyweight) on the Cable Reverse Fly ranks Intermediate on the FVCP competition scale, stronger than ~50% of verified competition lifters at this bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

That clears the median for this bodyweight and gives you a useful benchmark for the next tier.

Over 40? Our calculator also reports an age-adjusted percentile and an age-30 equivalent using the McCulloch age factor, so masters lifters are compared to lifters their own age. See the age-adjusted (Masters 40+) standards below for the full breakdown.

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
Your FVCP:
Age-adjusted percentile
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
th percentile

Illustrative: a normal-distribution model anchored to the real Beginner to Elite percentile thresholds for your bodyweight. The marker shows where your lift falls, not a measured frequency count.

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Share your FVCP with friends
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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted Cable Reverse Fly entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

65 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.36x x Bodyweight

Baseline figures for a 180 lb male at Intermediate level, from the standards table. This is not reader-submitted data. So far readers have logged a lift here.

Enter your numbers above first. We publish reader benchmarks only after a sample threshold is met.

How Much Should You Cable Reverse Fly?

Use this table to find the standard closest to your bodyweight. The tiers are standards, not claims about reader submissions.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM scales with bodyweight at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 1 12 36 71 116
120 2 15 40 78 125
130 4 18 45 84 132
140 5 21 49 90 140
150 6 23 53 95 147
160 8 26 57 101 153
170 9 29 61 106 160
180 11 31 65 111 166
190 12 34 69 116 172
200 14 37 72 120 178
210 15 39 76 125 183
220 17 42 79 129 188
230 18 44 83 134 194
240 20 47 86 138 199
250 22 49 89 142 204
260 23 51 93 146 208
270 25 54 96 150 213
280 26 56 99 154 218
290 28 58 102 157 222
300 29 60 105 161 226
310 31 62 107 165 230

Is Your Cable Reverse Fly Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Cable Reverse Fly at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Cable Reverse Fly is about 65 lb (0.36x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 111 lb (0.62x), and Elite is 166 lb (0.92x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Cable Reverse Fly is about 31 lb (0.22x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 51 lb (0.36x), and Elite is 74 lb (0.53x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Cable Reverse Fly?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 65 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 11 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 31 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 7 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 53 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 79 lb at an Intermediate level. Find your exact bodyweight in the table above.

By age (men): at an Intermediate level a 30 year old male lifts about 62 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 55 lb. See the By Age tab for every age band.

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

How Does Age Affect Cable Reverse Fly Strength?

How Cable Reverse Fly standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM changes with age at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 7 24 53 92 140
20 8 27 60 105 160
25 8 28 62 108 165
30 8 28 62 108 165
35 8 28 62 108 165
40 8 28 62 108 165
45 8 27 59 103 156
50 7 25 55 96 147
55 7 23 51 89 136
60 6 21 46 81 124
65 6 19 42 73 112
70 5 17 38 66 100
75 5 15 34 59 90
80 4 14 30 53 80
85 4 12 27 47 72
90 3 11 24 43 65

What Do Cable Reverse Fly Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Cable Reverse Fly, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Cable Reverse Fly with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Cable Reverse Fly is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built significant strength on the Cable Reverse Fly through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Cable Reverse Fly strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Cable Reverse Fly

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Cable Reverse Fly to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Cable Reverse Fly 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Cable Reverse Fly.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Cable Reverse Fly plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Cable Reverse Fly strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Cable Reverse Fly

  1. Set the cable pulleys to shoulder height and attach D-handles.
  2. Stand in the center, grasp a handle in each hand with a neutral grip.
  3. Step back slightly to create tension in the cables and extend your arms in front of you.
  4. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and a neutral spine.
  5. Exhale and pull the handles outward, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  6. Keep your arms slightly bent and focus on engaging your rear deltoids.
  7. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position with control.
  8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Read the complete Cable Reverse Fly guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Cable Reverse Fly

  • Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
  • Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the peak of the contraction.
  • Avoid using momentum; perform the exercise with controlled movements.
  • Keep your core engaged to maintain a stable posture.
  • Adjust the weight to allow for proper form and full range of motion.

Where Do These Cable Reverse Fly Standards Come From?

FitnessVolt keeps each data population labeled. Competition percentiles use verified raw meet results where available. Gym percentile tabs use self-reported Symmetric Strength data. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

Is Your Cable Reverse Fly Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Cable Reverse Fly against clearly labeled standards and percentile datasets. Here is the cleanest way to read it:

  1. Start with Standards to find the tier closest to your bodyweight.
  2. Use Gym Percentiles when you want self-reported gym comparisons.
  3. Use Competition for verified meet-result percentiles where the lift supports it.
  4. Use By Age when age-segmented gym data is available.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the one rep max calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Cable Reverse Fly 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

The important rule: do not mix the tabs. Standards, gym percentiles, competition percentiles, and reader logs answer different questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Cable Reverse Fly depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Cable Reverse Fly after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
Yes. Competition views use verified meet-result data where available, gym percentile views use self-reported gym cohorts, and reader-submitted benchmarks are shown only after enough entries are logged. The populations are labeled separately.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.