How To Do

1. Find a cable system with two pulleys close to each other. Set the cable pulleys roughly level with your ears. Attach a single handle to each pulley or you can grip the cable itself. Choose the appropriate weight. 
2. Stand between the two pulleys. Grab the left pulley with your right hand, and the right pulley in your left hand. Your arms should be crossed.
3. Step a few feet back to create tension in the cables.
4. Stand with your feet in a split stance or shoulder width apart. Keep your posture upright and shoulders relaxed. 
5. Take a deep breath in and engage your core. Bend your elbows slightly, then pull your arms back behind your body as far as possible. Keep the arms roughly in line with your shoulders. Focus on flexing the rear delts. 
6. Slowly let your arms extend forward and cross each other to stretch the posterior delts. 
7. Pause briefly at the top position, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
8. Lower the cables back to the starting position while taking a breath out.
9. Repeat steps five to eight for the planned number of reps.

Tips From Expert

• Make sure to warm up — Beginners should remember to do at least two warm-up sets to prepare the shoulders for the workout. Aim for between 10–12 reps with light resistance. 
• Bend the elbows — Bending the elbows can maximize rear delt activation if done correctly as it increases the range of motion.
• Keep your mind engaged — Perform the reps slowly, focusing on the stretch and contractions. This helps ensure symmetrical movement and rear delt development.
• Avoid flying low — Avoid pulling too far downward as it may overly engage the latissimus dorsi muscles.
• Don’t shrug — Keep the shoulders down and relaxed to avoid too much involvement from other back muscles.

Optimal Sets and Reps

Certain exercises are more suitable for specific sets and rep ranges. Use the chart provided below when programming the cable crossover reverse fly.

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The cable crossover reverse fly offers unique rear delt training benefits while activating the upper traps and erector spinae muscles. Its versatility and appeal often influence individual programming strategies. 

Whether you want better shoulder aesthetics, more strength, or improved posture, the cable crossover reverse fly is a good option. 

To strengthen and build the rear delts, several training splits can be used effectively:

• Push/Pull — The cable crossover reverse fly is commonly incorporated after heavy presses and pulling exercises. If your rear delts are lagging, put them at the front of your workouts. 
• Shoulder — Deltoid-focused workouts provide the best opportunity for optimal rear delt stimulus. That’s because there’s little to no overlap from exercises that emphasize the front and medial delts. Therefore you can attack the posterior delts with full strength.  
• Finisher — If you end a workout with the cable crossover reverse fly, ensure you’re training with the same intensity. It shouldn’t be a “cool down” or treated as an afterthought.

The optimal weight, sets, reps, and rest times depend on your training goals. Use your one repetition maximum (1RM) to work out the correct training intensity. This is the maximum weight you can lift for one repetition.

For hypertrophy or muscle-building, use 60%–80% of your 1RM. For strength and power training, aim for 80%–100% of your 1RM. At the higher intensities, aim to rest for two to three minutes between sets. 

When training for endurance, train at 40%–60% of your 1RM. A rest period of 45–90 seconds for hypertrophy and endurance training is sufficient.

The cable crossover reverse fly can be performed with attachments or without. Ensure you squeeze your shoulder blades at the top of the movement for maximum rear delt development.