Exercise
Lever Seated Reverse Fly
The Lever Seated Reverse Fly is a machine-based isolation exercise that targets the rear shoulders and upper back.
Lever Seated Reverse Fly
The Lever Seated Reverse Fly is designed to strengthen the rear delts while supporting the muscles of the upper back. By using a guided lever machine, the movement follows a fixed path, allowing you to focus fully on controlled shoulder extension without relying heavily on stabilizing muscles.
This exercise emphasizes pulling the arms outward and back, which helps counterbalance pressing movements and forward-dominant posture. The seated position and chest support reduce momentum and limit lower-body involvement, making it easier to isolate the rear shoulders and improve mind–muscle connection.
Because of its controlled resistance and stable setup, the Lever Seated Reverse Fly is well suited for hypertrophy-focused shoulder training, posture improvement, and injury prevention. It fits effectively at the end of upper-body or shoulder workouts and is especially valuable for lifters looking to build balanced shoulder development and long-term shoulder health.
How to Perform the Lever Seated Reverse Fly
- Adjust the machine seat height so that the handles align with your mid-chest and your feet are flat on the floor.
- Sit on the machine with your chest against the pad and grasp the handles with a neutral grip, palms facing each other.
- Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and pull your shoulder blades down and back to establish a strong starting position.
- Take a deep breath in and brace your core to stabilize your torso against the pad.
- Exhale as you pull the handles backward and to the sides by squeezing your shoulder blades together, keeping your wrists neutral throughout the movement.
- At the end range of motion, your arms should be nearly parallel to the floor with elbows slightly bent, not locked.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief moment, focusing on the tension across your upper back and rear deltoids.
- Inhale as you slowly return to the starting position with controlled movement, maintaining tension in your upper back.
Important information
- Keep your chest firmly pressed against the pad throughout the entire exercise to isolate the rear deltoids and prevent using momentum.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders during the movement; focus on keeping them down and away from your ears.
- Adjust the resistance to allow for proper form—too heavy a weight will cause you to use your trapezius muscles instead of targeting the rear deltoids.
- If you feel stress in your neck or lower back, reduce the weight and reassess your positioning on the machine.
FAQ - Lever Seated Reverse Fly
The Lever Seated Reverse Fly primarily targets the rear deltoids (posterior shoulder muscles) while also engaging the middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids, and rotator cuff muscles. This makes it an excellent exercise for complete posterior chain development and balanced shoulder aesthetics.
For optimal results, perform Lever Seated Reverse Flies 1-2 times per week as part of your shoulder or pull-day training. Most lifters respond well to 3-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions, adjusting the weight to ensure the last few reps of each set are challenging.
The most common mistakes include using excessive weight leading to momentum swinging, failing to fully retract the shoulder blades at peak contraction, and allowing the wrists to bend during the movement. Focus on controlled movement with a brief pause at full contraction for maximum muscle activation.
Increase difficulty by implementing slower eccentric (lowering) phases of 3-4 seconds, incorporating drop sets, or using rest-pause techniques. You can also try unilateral (one-arm) variations to address muscle imbalances and increase the mind-muscle connection.
When performed correctly, this exercise can actually benefit those with certain shoulder issues by strengthening the posterior shoulder muscles that often help improve posture and balance. However, start with light weight and consult a healthcare professional if you have existing injuries or chronic shoulder pain.
Lever Seated Reverse Fly
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