Banded Reverse Flys
You stand tall, hold the band out in front of you at shoulder height and pull it apart until your arms are open out to the sides and your shoulder blades draw together. Then you bring it back slowly. Your thumbs point up and your palms face each other.
Banded reverse flys work the back of the shoulder and the muscles around the shoulder blades. You stand tall, hold the band out in front of you at shoulder height and pull it apart out to the sides.
The rear deltoid does most of the work. The middle and lower trapezius and the rhomboid major draw your shoulder blades together, while the infraspinatus rotates your upper arm outwards.
The band stays under tension throughout the movement. You progress by using a stronger band or by folding it more times.
There are two grips: thumbs up with your palms facing each other, or palms facing down.
From the studio: I swap between the two because that is how I hit the back of the shoulder best. That is what I see in the studio.
Starting position
Use a light band. Andreas folds his four times. If you are not that strong yet, fold it half as many times so the band pulls back less.
Stand tall and hold the band with your thumbs pointing up and your palms facing each other. Hold your arms out in front of you at shoulder height and keep your shoulders down.
Pull the band apart until your arms are open out to the sides and your shoulder blades draw together. Then bring it back slowly. The movement is slightly dynamic, and that is deliberate: coming back is the part you control.
There is a second grip: turn your hands over so your palms face down and your thumbs point towards each other. Andreas swaps between the two, within a set or from set to set.
The three cues
- Shoulders stay down
- Open wide, come back slowly
- Shoulder blades together
Common faults
| Fault | How to fix it |
|---|---|
| Your shoulders ride up towards your ears as you open your arms | Fold the band one time fewer so it pulls back less, and keep your shoulders down. The movement comes from your shoulder blades. |
| You swing your arms open | Open briskly, then bring it back slowly. Coming back is the part you control. |
| Your upper body leans back as you pull | Stay tall and keep your ribs down — your arms and shoulder blades do the work. |
| The band is so strong that your arms only open halfway | Fold the band fewer times, or use a lighter one, so your arms open all the way out to the sides. |
Variations
| Variation | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Band folded once | The lightest setup. Stay here while your shoulders still ride up as you open your arms, or while your arms stop short of fully open. |
| Band folded twice | Move on once your arms open all the way out to the sides and your shoulders stay down. |
| Band folded four times | Andreas's own setup with the small band. Alternate between both grips here. |
| Stronger band | Once four folds stop giving you enough resistance, move up to the next band strength, with your shoulders still staying down. |
Reps and load
Andreas keeps the movement slightly dynamic: open briskly, come back slowly, no swinging.
This one belongs at the end of the session. All you need is the small band, so it works when the cable station is busy or when you are training away from the gym. Swap grips within a set or from set to set.
From the studio floor: people who do this regularly stand a little taller. That is what I see.
Which muscles do the work
| Muscle | Role | What it does here |
|---|---|---|
| Rear deltoid M. deltoideus, pars spinalis | Prime mover | Takes your raised upper arm back and out to the side |
| Middle trapezius M. trapezius, pars transversa | Synergist | Draws your shoulder blades in towards your spine |
| Lower trapezius M. trapezius, pars ascendens | Synergist | Keeps your shoulder blades down while your arms open |
| Rhomboid major M. rhomboideus major | Synergist | Pulls your shoulder blade in towards your spine |
| Infraspinatus M. infraspinatus | Synergist | Rotates your upper arm outwards and keeps it centred in the joint |
| Upper trapezius M. trapezius, pars descendens | Stabiliser | Carries your shoulder girdle while your shoulders stay down |
| Forearms Mm. antebrachii | Stabiliser | Hold your grip on the band for the whole set |
| Core M. rectus abdominis, mm. obliqui | Stabiliser | Keeps your upper body tall so only your arms and shoulder blades work |
The rear deltoid takes your upper arm back and out to the side. The middle and lower trapezius and the rhomboid major draw your shoulder blades together and keep them down, while the infraspinatus rotates your upper arm outwards. Your forearms hold the grip and your core keeps you upright.
Explained in full
Andreas shows how many times he folds the band and demonstrates both grips, talks through where your shoulders and shoulder blades sit, and explains why he keeps the movement slightly dynamic. · 2:54
Seeing it done right is not the same as doing it right
Video, cues and variations take you a long way. What they cannot give you is an outside eye at the moment the movement isn't quite there yet. That is what training with me is for — in the studio or in a workshop.
See the workshopsNew exercise pages are added all the time — the newsletter keeps you posted.
Sources
Fukunaga T, Fedge C, Tyler TF, Mullaney M, Schmitt B, Orishimo KF, McHugh MP, Nicholas SJ. (2022). Band Pull-Apart Exercise: Effects of Movement Direction and Hand Position on Shoulder Muscle Activity. Int J Sports Phys Ther 17(3):400–408. DOI: 10.26603/001c.33026 — The only paper found that measures this exact exercise: ten healthy men (36 ± 12 years) pull a band apart in different movement directions and hand positions, with recordings from rear deltoid, upper, middle and lower trapezius and infraspinatus. The basis for listing middle and lower trapezius and infraspinatus as synergists and upper trapezius as a stabiliser. Hand position changed muscle activity — though which hand position favours which muscle comes out opposite between this paper and Schoenfeld 2013 for the rear deltoid. The page therefore says only that there are two hand positions and that Andreas uses both. Ten men, no women, training status not reported; there is no measurement of its own for people aged 40 to 60 training two to four hours a week. The rhomboids were not recorded here. (Evidence type: EMG)
Schoenfeld B, Sonmez RGT, Kolber MJ, Contreras B, Harris R, Ozen S. (2013). Effect of hand position on EMG activity of the posterior shoulder musculature during a horizontal abduction exercise. J Strength Cond Res 27(10):2644–2649. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318281e1e9 — Measures 19 resistance-trained men (23.2 ± 4.3 years) on a reverse fly machine, comparing a neutral thumbs-up grip with a turned-over grip. The neutral grip came out higher for rear deltoid and infraspinatus, though for the deltoid with a confidence interval starting close to zero. The basis for giving both hand positions equal standing on the page rather than recommending one. A machine rather than a band, young trained men, no women. (Evidence type: EMG)
Reinold MM, Wilk KE, Fleisig GS, Zheng N, Barrentine SW, Chmielewski T, Cody RC, Jameson GG, Andrews JR. (2004). Electromyographic analysis of the rotator cuff and deltoid musculature during common shoulder external rotation exercises. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 34(7):385–394. DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2004.34.7.385 — Measures rotator cuff and deltoid activity in ten healthy people using fine-wire electrodes, the most precise method available, across common external rotation and horizontal abduction exercises. In prone horizontal abduction the rear deltoid came out highest of all the muscles recorded. The basis for listing the rear deltoid as the prime mover. What was measured is the prone dumbbell version rather than the standing band version; age and sex are not reported in the abstract. (Evidence type: EMG mit Drahtelektroden)
Berckmans KR, Castelein B, Borms D, Parlevliet T, Cools AM. (2021). Rehabilitation Exercises for Dysfunction of the Scapula: Exploration of Muscle Activity Using Fine-Wire EMG. Am J Sports Med 49(10):2729–2736. DOI: 10.1177/03635465211025002 — Measures rhomboid major activity in 26 healthy people using fine-wire electrodes during shoulder blade exercises that draw the blades together. The rhomboid is clearly involved. The basis for having it in the table at all — surface electrodes cannot record it cleanly because the trapezius lies over it. The exercises measured were side-lying and prone, not pulling a band apart while standing. (Evidence type: EMG mit Drahtelektroden)
Castelein B, Cools A, Parlevliet T, Cagnie B. (2016). Modifying the shoulder joint position during shrugging and retraction exercises alters the activation of the medial scapular muscles. Man Ther 21:250–255. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2015.09.005 — Measures in 26 people how arm position changes the recruitment of the muscles near the shoulder blade during retraction. Rhomboid and middle and lower trapezius work together, and arm position shifts their shares. The basis for treating arm height and shoulder position as part of the execution rather than as detail. What was tested was shrugging and retraction in other arm positions, not pulling a band apart at shoulder height. (Evidence type: EMG mit Oberflächen- und Drahtelektroden)
Lopes JSS, Machado AF, Micheletti JK, de Almeida AC, Cavina AP, Pastre CM. (2019). Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis. SAGE Open Med 7:2050312119831116. DOI: 10.1177/2050312119831116 — Pools eight studies comparing training with elastic resistance against training with weights. For the upper limb there was no difference in strength development between the two. The basis for presenting the band version on this page as an equal alternative to the dumbbell and cable ones. Eight studies with mixed groups, not shoulder-specific and not focused on people aged 40 to 60; and an absent difference is not itself proof of equivalence. (Evidence type: Meta-analysis)
A note on context: EMG studies show which muscles an exercise recruits — that is a good reason to pick it, but it does not replace adjusting things to the person in front of you. See a doctor for persistent or severe pain.