10 Best Cable Rear Delt Fly Alternatives for Rear Delt Strength

The Cable Rear Delt Fly crosses two pulleys above your head and pulls your arms back and out to work your rear delts, and that high two-pulley setup strands people when the towers are busy or set wrong. The Cable Standing Cross-over High Reverse Fly keeps you standing between the same towers with D-handles at shoulder height, arms out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together. The Band Pull Apart needs nothing but a band held in both hands.

Original Exercise: Cable Rear Delt Fly

Cable Rear Delt Fly
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
How to Perform Cable Rear Delt Fly
  1. Adjust the pulleys to the appropriate height and adjust the weight. The pulleys should be above your head.
  2. Grab the left pulley with your right hand and the right pulley with your left hand, crossing them in front of you. This will be your starting position.
  3. Initiate the movement by moving your arms back and outward, keeping your arms straight as you execute the movement.
  4. Pause at the end of the motion before returning the handles to the start position.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Cable Rear Delt Fly Alternatives

Best Match
Cable Standing Cross-over High Reverse Fly

1. Cable Standing Cross-over High Reverse Fly

99.4% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a D-handle to each side of a cable machine at shoulder height.
  2. Stand in the middle of the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and extend your arms out to the sides, palms facing forward.
  4. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and maintain a straight back throughout the exercise.
  5. Engage your shoulder muscles and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the handles towards the front of your body.
Cable Cross-over Revers Fly

2. Cable Cross-over Revers Fly

94.7% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a D-handle to each low pulley cable and stand in the middle of the cable crossover machine.
  2. Grasp the handles with a pronated grip (palms facing down) and take a step forward, positioning your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your abs engaged.
  4. With your arms extended out to the sides and slightly bent at the elbows, exhale and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the cables back and upward in a reverse fly motion.
  5. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction, then inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral

3. Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral

89% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Select a weight and hold the handle of the low pulley with your right hand.
  2. Bend at the waist until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. Your legs should be slightly bent with your left hand placed on your lower left thigh. Your right arm should be hanging from your shoulder in front of you and with a slight bend at the elbow. This will be your starting position.
  3. Raise your right arm, elbow slightly bent, to the side until the arm is parallel to the floor and in line with your right ear. Breathe out as you perform this step.
  4. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position as you breathe in.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and repeat the movement with the other arm.
Cable Supine Reverse Fly

4. Cable Supine Reverse Fly

88% Match
Delts Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a D-handle to a low pulley cable machine and lie face down on a flat bench.
  2. Grasp the D-handle with each hand, palms facing down, and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, raise them out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise

5. Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise

87.2% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench facing the cable machine with your feet flat on the ground.
  2. Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip and extend your arms straight in front of you.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise them out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Rear Delt Raise

6. Barbell Rear Delt Raise

85.2% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Raise the barbell out to the sides, keeping your arms straight, until they are parallel to the ground.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sled Reverse Flye

7. Sled Reverse Flye

85.2% Match
Delts Other Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach dual handles to a sled connected by a rope or chain. Load the sled to a light weight.
  2. Face the sled, backing up until there is some tension in the line. Take both handles at arms length at about waist level. Bend the knees slightly and keep your chest and head up. This will be your starting position.
  3. Without flexing the elbow, pull the handles upward and apart, performing a reverse fly with some external rotation. Your palms should be facing forward as you do this.
  4. Return to the starting position, taking a couple steps back to take the slack out of the line.
Band Pull Apart

8. Band Pull Apart

84.7% Match
Delts Band Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin with your arms extended straight out in front of you, holding the band with both hands.
  2. Initiate the movement by performing a reverse fly motion, moving your hands out laterally to your sides.
  3. Keep your elbows extended as you perform the movement, bringing the band to your chest. Ensure that you keep your shoulders back during the exercise.
  4. Pause as you complete the movement, returning to the starting position under control.
Band Reverse Fly

9. Band Reverse Fly

84.4% Match
Delts Band Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach the band to a stationary object at chest height.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band with both hands in front of you.
  3. Keep your arms straight and lift them out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground.
  4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
  5. Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
Cable Standing Rear Delt Row (with Rope)

10. Cable Standing Rear Delt Row (with Rope)

84.4% Match
Delts Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand facing a cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Hold the cable attachment with both hands, palms facing each other, and step back to create tension in the cable.
  3. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  4. Pull the cable towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the peak of the movement, then slowly release the cable back to the starting position.

Why You Might Need a Cable Rear Delt Fly Alternative

The Cable Rear Delt Fly needs two pulleys set above head height, and that specific setup is what makes it hard to replace on the spot: both cables are taken, your gym runs one tower, or you train at home with a band and a barbell instead. Several swaps keep you on a cable station and change the pulley height, stance or bench; bands, a barbell and a sled cover the rest. The Cable Cross-over Revers Fly uses the low pulleys, with you leaning forward at the waist and sweeping the handles back and upward.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

If the crossover machine is free, use the Cable Standing Cross-over High Reverse Fly and set the handles at shoulder height instead of overhead, the nearest setup change from the Cable Rear Delt Fly. When only one low pulley is open, the Bent Over Low-pulley Side Lateral works one arm at a time: bend until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor and raise the handle out to the side. Away from cables, the Band Reverse Fly anchors a band at chest height, while the Band Pull Apart needs no anchor at all. If you own a barbell, the Barbell Rear Delt Raise has you hinge forward and raise the bar with straight arms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do the Cable Rear Delt Fly at home?

Not on the cable itself, but the Band Pull Apart pulls your arms out to the sides with just a band held in both hands, no anchor needed. The Band Reverse Fly ties the band to a stationary object at chest height, and the Barbell Rear Delt Raise loads a barbell while you hinge forward at the hips.

Which alternative uses the same cable equipment as the Cable Rear Delt Fly?

The Cable Standing Cross-over High Reverse Fly sets both handles at shoulder height while you stand in the middle of the machine, while the Cable Cross-over Revers Fly runs from the low pulleys leaning forward at the waist and sweeping the handles back and up; both keep you on the crossover machine.

Is there a seated or lying cable option?

The Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise has you sit on a bench facing the cable machine and raise straight arms out to the sides. The Cable Supine Reverse Fly puts you face down on a flat bench with a low pulley, raising your arms until they are parallel to the floor.

Which swap brings the upper back in with the rear delts?

The Cable Standing Rear Delt Row (With Rope) is a rowing swap: you hold the attachment palms facing each other, step back for tension and pull the cable toward your body while squeezing your shoulder blades, so it is not a strict fly.

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