10 Best Dumbbell Rear Fly Alternatives for Rear Delt Strength

The Dumbbell Rear Fly is done standing with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Dumbbell Reverse Fly, Reverse Flyes and the Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise. Two harder versions, the Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench and the Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

The Dumbbell Rear Fly hinges you forward and pulls both arms out to the sides until your shoulder blades meet. The Dumbbell Reverse Fly is the closest swap because it runs the exact same standing hinge with the same pair of dumbbells, the only change being that your arms start hanging in front of you rather than straight down. With a resistance band anchored at chest height, the Band Reverse Fly trains the same delts without any weight in your hands.

Dumbbell Rear FlyWatch the Dumbbell Rear Fly

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Dumbbell Rear Fly

The steps for the Dumbbell Rear Fly itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Delts, with trapezius, rhomboids · Dumbbell · Beginner · Isolation

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Extend your arms straight down towards the ground, palms facing each other.
  4. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lift your arms out to the sides and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Rear Fly Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Rear Fly on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Dumbbell Reverse FlyPlay demonstration

    1. Dumbbell Reverse Fly

    99% match

    Delts · Beginner · Isolation

    It uses the same equipment and still works the delts.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
    2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
    3. Extend your arms straight down in front of you, palms facing each other.
    4. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: rear-delt fly, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
  4. Sled Reverse Flye

    4. Sled Reverse Flye

    99% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Isolation

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the delts.

    • Other
    How to perform it
    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.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: rear-delt fly, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
  6. Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise (Support Head)Play demonstration

    6. Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise (Support Head)

    98% match

    Delts · Beginner · Isolation

    Pick this when you want to work the delts with less balance to manage.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
    2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
    3. Raise your arms out to the sides, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, until they are parallel to the ground.
    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.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Dumbbell Rear Fly
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Rear Fly

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Rear Fly Alternative

The Dumbbell Rear Fly needs a pair of dumbbells and room to hinge forward, which is exactly what disappears first when a gym gets busy or when you train from a home setup with one dumbbell pair already claimed. The alternatives here keep the same out-to-the-sides pull for the rear delts while changing what fills your hands and, in some cases, whether you hinge at all. The Barbell Rear Delt Raise moves the same pull onto a bar, so one piece of equipment does the job instead of two dumbbells. The Band Reverse Fly needs only a resistance band and an anchor, so a length of rubber replaces the dumbbells entirely. The Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise sits your chest against an incline bench instead, so you never have to hold the hinge at all.

How to Choose the Right Dumbbell Rear Fly Substitute

Pick by what is actually free. A working dumbbell station means the Dumbbell Reverse Fly, which uses the identical dumbbells and the same standing hinge, so nothing about your setup has to change. If only a barbell is open, the Barbell Rear Delt Raise keeps that same pulling motion and lets you load a single bar instead of juggling two dumbbells. Training with just a resistance band, the Band Reverse Fly still drags your shoulder blades together against tension that builds as the band stretches through the movement. If you would rather not hinge at all, the Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise lets you sit with your chest against an incline bench and remove the hinge altogether.

Dumbbell Rear Fly FAQ

Which alternative uses a barbell instead of dumbbells?

The Barbell Rear Delt Raise. It moves the same hinge-and-raise onto a single bar, so you load one piece of equipment instead of two, and your rear delts still do the work as the bar comes up level with the floor.

How do I make the Dumbbell Rear Fly harder as I progress?

The Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise braces your chest against a 45-degree bench and runs the same out-to-the-sides raise, so you cannot swing for momentum. The Barbell Rear Delt Raise has you hinge forward and raise the bar with straight arms rather than bent elbows, a longer lever that is harder to finish. Either one makes the same weight feel heavier on your rear delts once the standing version feels easy.

Which alternative asks less of my balance?

The Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise. You sit with your chest against the backrest of an incline bench and raise the dumbbells out to the sides from there, so your legs and core do not need to hold the hinge steady. It trains the same delts with one less thing to balance.

Can I do the Dumbbell Rear Fly at home?

Yes, with a pair of dumbbells, a resistance band and an anchor, or dumbbells plus an incline bench. The Dumbbell Reverse Fly keeps the same standing hinge with dumbbells you likely already own. The Reverse Flyes has you lie with your chest and stomach pressing against an incline bench instead. The Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench rests your forehead on an incline bench while you lift the dumbbells straight out to the sides.

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