# Reverse Fly With Cables At 45 Degrees And Reverse Grip - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/el/exercise/9867/cable-45-degrees-reverse-grip-reverse-fly/ - Media ID: 9867 - Primary muscle: Ώμοι - Body part: Ώμοι - Equipment: Λαβή Καλωδίου - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/9867/cable-45-degrees-reverse-grip-reverse-fly.mp4 ## Description The reverse fly with cables at 45 degrees and reverse grip is a standing cable exercise performed between the two high pulleys of a dual cable station. You take each handle with the opposite hand so that the cables cross in front of your chest, hold them with a reverse grip (palms facing up), and sweep your arms down and out to the sides until they stop at about a 45-degree angle below shoulder height. The cables cross and uncross during each rep, keeping constant tension on the back of the shoulders and the muscles between the shoulder blades from the first to the last centimeter of the range of motion. The reverse grip is what makes this variation special. Turning the palms up slightly externally rotates the shoulders and changes the pulling path compared to the classic reverse fly, encouraging the posterior deltoids and the small external rotators to participate along with the rhomboids and the middle trapezius. And because you stand upright instead of bent over, there is no lower back fatigue to manage — the upper back does the work without the spine becoming the limiting factor. This exercise is ideal for those who want targeted work for the back of the shoulders and the upper back, but struggle to "feel" the posterior deltoids in the classic bent-over dumbbell raises. Those with a sedentary lifestyle and rounded shoulders get a very useful pulling and opening pattern, while anyone seeking balanced shoulder development can add it after vertical or horizontal presses. It is also easier to load progressively than most exercises for the posterior deltoids, since the weight stack allows small increases and constant tension precisely where the bodyweight or dumbbell variations are weakest. Here, setup matters more than in most fly variations. The pulleys must be at the highest position, the handles must be taken cross-body, and you need to stand far enough forward that the cables pull slightly up and behind you at the start. If you stand too close, the cables slacken and the tension disappears; if you stand too far back, the starting position becomes awkward. Getting the cable angle right ensures that the resistance pulls your arms up and forward — which is exactly the direction your posterior deltoids need to fight against. The execution is a wide, shallow arc, not a row. Your elbows stay almost straight with just a slight bend, and your hands travel down and outward, away from each other, until your arms form a wide V. The temptation is to bend the elbows and pull the handles inward, which turns the exercise into a press-down and shifts the load to the triceps and lats. Keep the arc wide, pause for a moment with your shoulder blades pulled together, and let the cables bring your arms back up in a controlled manner. Expect to use much less weight than you think the stack demands. The posterior deltoids are small muscles and the crossed cable setup eliminates momentum, so a light, smooth set with a visible squeeze beats a heavy pull every time. Two to four sets of twelve to twenty reps near the end of a shoulder or upper back workout work well for most people. ## Οδηγίες 1. Set both pulleys of the dual cable machine to the highest position and attach one handle to each side. 2. Stand in the center between the two weight stacks, with your feet about hip-width apart, and reach up to take the left handle with your right hand and the right handle with your left hand, so that the cables cross in front of your chest. 3. Hold the handles with a reverse grip, palms facing up and slightly outward, and take a small step forward so that the cables pull upward behind your shoulders with tension already applied. 4. Keep a slight bend in both elbows and hold it steady, with your chest up, your core engaged, and a slight forward lean from the hips. 5. Exhale and pull both handles down and out to the sides in a wide arc, with the cables uncrossing as your arms descend. 6. Finish with your arms wide open at about a 45-degree angle below your shoulders, hands at the level of your lower chest, and squeeze your shoulder blades together for a moment. 7. Inhale and let the cables slowly raise your arms back up along the same arc, until your hands return to the crossed starting position at about head height. 8. Keep the elbow bend constant from start to finish, so that the shoulders and upper back do the work, not the triceps. 9. Complete all reps of the set and then return the handles, releasing them one at a time instead of letting the weight stack pull you off balance. ## Συμβουλές & Κόλπα - If your shoulders roll forward at the bottom of the range, you have gone past 45 degrees; stop the arc earlier and hold the squeeze with your chest up, instead of chasing depth. - Elbows that bend and straighten during the pull mean the triceps and lats are taking over. Lock your elbow angle before the first rep and check it again at the end of the set. - Standing too close to the machine slackens the cables at the top of each rep. Take one small step forward until you feel tension before your arms even move. - Because the cables cross, the resistance tries to pull your hands inward and upward. Fight against it by thinking of pushing your pinkies down and out, rather than pulling the handles towards you. - Use a grip without thumbs or a looser reverse grip if your forearms fatigue before your posterior deltoids; squeezing the handles tightly engages the biceps and forearms unnecessarily. - A slight forward lean from the hips is fine, but if your torso swings to start each rep, reduce the weight until the movement comes only from the shoulders. - The posterior deltoids respond better to time under tension than to load, so pause for a full second at the widest point instead of bouncing through the reps. - Keep your neck relaxed and look at a fixed point on the machine; lifting your chin usually means the weight is too heavy for your position. - If one side feels weaker, this is one of the few exercises for the posterior deltoids where you can easily notice it, precisely because the cables cross. Slow down the lower half of the range on the lagging side to balance them out. ## Συχνές Ερωτήσεις ### Which muscles does the reverse fly with cables at 45 degrees and reverse grip work? The primary movers are the posterior deltoids, while the rhomboids and middle trapezius pull the shoulder blades together. The rotator cuff muscles assist, since the reverse grip and the downward arc keep the shoulders externally rotated. ### Why does the reverse grip matter in this exercise? Holding the handles with palms up slightly externally rotates the shoulders, which shifts the emphasis to the posterior deltoids and external rotators compared to a neutral or pronated grip. It also makes the cables pull in front of the body in a smoother arc. ### Why do I take each handle with the opposite hand? The crossed-arm setup is what creates the reverse fly path: as you pull down and out, the cables uncross and the resistance pulls up and inward, against your posterior deltoids. With a same-side grip, the exercise would turn into a classic crossover and the muscle work would change entirely. ### How high should I set the pulleys? Set both pulleys at or near the highest point of the machine. Starting with the cables above shoulder height allows your arms to travel through the entire 45-degree arc, while tension remains constant. ### Is this exercise suitable for beginners? Yes, as long as the weight is light and the arc stays wide. Beginners often benefit because the standing position removes strain from the lower back and the cables guide the path of motion, but the crossed cable setup takes a few reps to feel natural. ### Why do I feel it more in my triceps and less in my posterior deltoids? This happens when your elbows bend and straighten during the pull, turning the fly into a press-down. Freeze your elbow bend at about 10 to 20 degrees before the first rep and keep it exactly the same throughout the set. ### What can I use if my gym only has one adjustable cable pulley? Work one side at a time with a single handle and the opposite-side grip, standing sideways to the machine. A resistance band anchored overhead and behind you is another option, although the tension curve will differ from the cable version. ### How heavy should I go in this exercise? Start with much less weight than you expect — often 5 to 15 pounds (2 to 7 kg) per side — and aim for 12 to 20 controlled reps. The crossed cables eliminate momentum, so heavy weights usually lead to torso swing and elbows pulling inward before the posterior deltoids get anything out of the set. ### Is it safe for my shoulders if I have a history of impingement? The reverse grip and wide arc are generally shoulder-friendly, as they avoid forcing the arms across the body under load, but comfort varies from person to person. Keep the range of motion pain-free, stay well below the intensity of strain at head height, and consult a qualified professional if the position causes a pinching sensation.