Exercise guide
Cable Incline Rear Delt Fly With Back Support
- Intermediate
- Isolation
- Rep-based
- Back
- Shoulders
This exercise utilizes an incline bench to provide torso stability, allowing for intense isolation of the posterior deltoids and mid-trapezius. The cable setup ensures constant tension throughout the movement, particularly at the peak contraction where dumbbells often lose effectiveness.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle in the center of a cable crossover machine.
- Lower the pulleys to the bottom setting and position the bench so you are facing the machine.
- Lie chest-down on the bench with your feet braced firmly on the floor and your collarbone just above the top of the pad.
- Cross your arms to grab the right cable with your left hand and the left cable with your right hand using a handle-less or D-handle grip.
How to do it
- Start with your arms extended toward the floor, feeling a slight stretch in your rear delts and upper back.
- Exhale as you pull the cables out and back in a wide, sweeping arc while keeping your elbows slightly bent but locked.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement when your arms are roughly parallel to the floor.
- Inhale as you slowly return the cables to the starting position, resisting the weight for a 2-second eccentric phase.
Form checklist
- Keep your chest firmly pressed against the pad at all times to eliminate momentum.
- Lead the movement with your elbows, not your hands, to ensure rear delt dominance.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders toward your ears; keep your traps depressed.
- Maintain a neutral spine by keeping your gaze fixed slightly downward.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'pushing' your hands toward the side walls rather than pulling them back to maximize the lateral tension on the deltoid.
- Use a thumbless (suicide) grip to reduce forearm and bicep involvement, shifting more load to the shoulders.
- Align the pulleys so the cable path directly follows the natural line of your rear deltoid fibers.
Make it harder
- Add a 2-second isometric hold at the peak of the contraction on every repetition.
- Incorporate '1.5 reps' by performing a full rep followed by a partial rep in the top half of the range.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the cable incline rear delt fly with back support work?
- The cable incline rear delt fly with back support primarily targets the deltoids, and also works the lats and rhomboids as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the cable incline rear delt fly with back support?
- The cable incline rear delt fly with back support uses cable.
- Is the cable incline rear delt fly with back support good for beginners?
- The cable incline rear delt fly with back support is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.