10 Best Reverse Machine Flyes Alternatives for Rear Delt Strength

Reverse Machine Flyes are done seated with a machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Lever Seated Reverse Fly (Parallel Grip), the Lever Seated Reverse Fly and the Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise.

A busy rear delt machine leaves you looking for a swap that keeps the same pulling arc. The Lever Seated Reverse Fly (Parallel Grip) puts your chest against the pad, palms facing each other, and pulls the handles back and outward while you squeeze your shoulder blades together, much like Reverse Machine Flyes. With only dumbbells on hand, the Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise has you sit chest to a 45-degree backrest and raise your arms out to the sides.

Reverse Machine Flyes

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

How to Do Reverse Machine Flyes

The steps for Reverse Machine Flyes themselves, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Delts · Machine · Beginner · Isolation

  1. Adjust the handles so that they are fully to the rear. Make an appropriate weight selection and adjust the seat height so the handles are at shoulder level. Grasp the handles with your hands facing inwards. This will be your starting position.
  2. In a semicircular motion, pull your hands out to your side and back, contracting your rear delts.
  3. Keep your arms slightly bent throughout the movement, with all of the motion occurring at the shoulder joint.
  4. Pause at the rear of the movement, and slowly return the weight to the starting position.

The 10 Best Reverse Machine Flyes Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches Reverse Machine Flyes 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.

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

  1. Lever Seated Reverse Fly (Parallel Grip)Play demonstration

    1. Lever Seated Reverse Fly (Parallel Grip)

    99% match

    Delts · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a lever machine to work with, and it still works the delts.

    • Lever
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your chest against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.
    2. Grasp the handles with a parallel grip, palms facing each other, and keep your arms slightly bent.
    3. Exhale and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the handles back and outward, away from your body.
    4. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction, then inhale and slowly return 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
    • Movement: rear-delt fly, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
    • Body position: seated, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
  3. Cable Seated Rear Lateral RaisePlay demonstration

    3. Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise

    88% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the delts.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
    • Equipment: a cable, not a machine
    • Body position: seated, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
  4. Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral RaisePlay demonstration

    4. Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise

    88% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Isolation

    A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the delts.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Sit on the bench with your chest against the backrest and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
    3. Extend your arms straight down with your 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
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: seated, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
  7. Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support)Play demonstration

    7. Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support)

    80% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Isolation

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

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing inwards.
    3. Lean forward and place your free hand on the bench for support.
    4. Keep your arm slightly bent and raise it out to the side until it is parallel to the ground.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arm back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: rear-delt fly, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: seated, the same as Reverse Machine Flyes
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than Reverse Machine Flyes

Why You Might Need a Reverse Machine Flyes Alternative

A swap gets picked because the lever station for Reverse Machine Flyes is busy, your gym never bought one, or you are training with only dumbbells and a bench. The steps behind the original are simple: sit with the handles set to the rear, pull your hands out to the side and back in a semicircular arc, and pause at the rear before returning. The two lever alternatives keep that seated pull and change only the grip; the cable and dumbbell options raise your arms out to the sides from a seated, chest-supported, lying or hinged position. The Dumbbell Incline T-raise keeps the arms straight to form a T, while the Dumbbell Incline Y-raise lifts them up and out in a Y.

How to Choose the Right Reverse Machine Flyes Substitute

Match the equipment you can reach first. If a lever machine is open, the Lever Seated Reverse Fly (Parallel Grip) repeats the seated pull, and the Lever Seated Reverse Fly on the same station swaps in an overhand grip. Where the gym is cable only, the Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise sits you facing the stack with straight arms raised to the sides. With dumbbells and a bench, the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) works one arm at a time while your free hand rests on the bench, the Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise lets the flat bench hold your torso, and the Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise (Support Head) moves the raise to a standing hip hinge.

Reverse Machine Flyes FAQ

What can I do if every machine at the gym is taken?

Grab two dumbbells and an incline bench for the Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench. You lean forward until your forehead touches the bench, let your arms hang with palms facing each other, then lift the dumbbells straight to the side until both arms are parallel to the floor. Neither the bench nor the dumbbells tie up a lever station.

Which Reverse Machine Flyes alternative uses a cable machine?

The Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise. You sit on a bench facing the cable machine, hold the handles with an overhand grip and arms straight in front of you, then raise them out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. It is the only cable option on the list.

Can I train rear delts at home with just dumbbells?

Yes. The Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise (Support Head) needs nothing but a pair of dumbbells: stand with feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly, hinge forward at the hips with a straight back, and raise your arms to the sides until parallel to the ground. Add a flat bench and the Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise becomes available too.

How do the incline T-raise and Y-raise differ?

Both start seated on a 45-degree incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards. In the Dumbbell Incline T-raise you keep your arms straight and raise them out to the sides to form a T; in the Dumbbell Incline Y-raise you keep a slight bend in the elbows and raise them out and up in a Y shape.

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