10 Best Alternatives to Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly for Shoulders
The Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly is done lying face down with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Left Hook. Boxing.
Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works
Original Exercise: Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
- Primary muscle
- Delts
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
Secondary muscles: Shoulders, Core
How to perform Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
- Start by lying on your side with your legs extended and stacked on top of each other.
- Place your forearm on the ground directly below your shoulder, keeping your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Hold a dumbbell in your top hand, with your arm extended straight down towards the ground.
- Engage your core and lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
- While maintaining the side plank position, lift the dumbbell up towards the ceiling, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Ranked Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly Alternatives
10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
A looser match: it works the lats rather than the delts.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, not lying face down
2. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row
52% match- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let the dumbbell hang straight down in front of you, with your arm fully extended.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, not lying face down
3. Skin The Cat
51% match- Upper Back
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
A looser match: it works the upper back rather than the delts.
How to perform this exercise
- Start by hanging from a bar with your arms fully extended and your body relaxed.
- Engage your core and lift your legs up, bringing your knees towards your chest.
- Continue to lift your legs up and over your head, allowing your body to pass through the arms.
- Once your legs are fully extended over your head, begin to lower them back down towards the starting position.
- As you lower your legs, allow your body to pass back through the arms until you are hanging with your arms fully extended again.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: upper back, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: hanging, not lying face down
4. One Arm Towel Row
51% match- Upper Back
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Extend your arm fully, allowing the towel to hang in front of you.
- Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: upper back, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, not lying face down
Best match 5. Left Hook. Boxing
51% match- Delts
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the delts with bodyweight alone.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Keep your left hand up to protect your face and your right hand by your chin.
- Rotate your hips and pivot on your left foot as you extend your left arm forward in a punching motion.
- Twist your torso and engage your core muscles to generate power in the punch.
- Snap your arm back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, not lying face down
- Lats
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, not lying face down
7. Hyperextension
47% match- Spine
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
A looser match: it works the spinal erectors rather than the delts.
How to perform this exercise
- Adjust the hyperextension bench so that your upper thighs are resting on the pad and your feet are secured.
- Cross your arms over your chest or place your hands behind your head.
- Lower your upper body towards the ground while keeping your back straight.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then raise your upper body back up until it is in line with your legs.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: spine, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
- Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
8. Hyperextension (On Bench)
47% match- Spine
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Adjust the hyperextension bench so that your hips are resting comfortably on the pad and your feet are secured.
- Cross your arms over your chest or place your hands behind your head.
- Slowly lower your upper body towards the ground while keeping your back straight.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then raise your upper body back up until it is in line with your legs.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: spine, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
- Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
9. Scapula Dips
47% match- Traps
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Isolation
How to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended in front of you.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows and retracting your shoulder blades, as if you are trying to squeeze a pencil between them.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your hands to extend your elbows and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: traps, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: standing, not lying face down
- Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
10. Lower Back Curl
46% match- Spine
- Bodyweight
- Intermediate
- Isolation
How to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your stomach with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
- Engage your glutes and hamstrings, and slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling your back upwards.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: spine, not delts
- Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
- Body position: lying face down, the same as the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly
Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly Alternative
You might substitute the Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly due to shoulder pain, limited equipment, core weakness, or balance deficits. The original combines lateral trunk stability with a posterior-delt pull, which demands scapular control and rotator cuff strength; if any link is weak you risk compensation. Choose a replacement if you feel shoulder impingement, excessive lumbar rotation, or inability to maintain a neutral spine. Use cues such as bracing the core, keeping the hips stacked, and maintaining a slight elbow bend to reduce joint shear and preserve posterior deltoid activation while you progress.
Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly FAQ
What muscles does Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly work?
The move targets the posterior deltoid, upper back (rhomboids and mid-trapezius), and the rotator cuff while the side-plank component engages the obliques and glute medius for pelvic stability. Biomechanically it combines horizontal shoulder abduction with scapular retraction and anti-rotation core demand.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Side Plank With Rear Fly?
A side-lying T-raise or side plank with a T-raise is the top bodyweight option: lie on your side, lift the arm into a T while keeping the elbow soft and scapula retracted. That preserves posterior-delt horizontal abduction and trains the obliques for anti-rotation without weights.
Find Alternatives for Any Exercise
Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.
Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology