# Cable 45 Degrees Reverse Grip Reverse Fly

- Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/9867/cable-45-degrees-reverse-grip-reverse-fly/
- Media ID: 9867
- Primary muscle: Shoulders
- Body part: Shoulders
- Equipment: Cable Handle
- Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/9867/cable-45-degrees-reverse-grip-reverse-fly.mp4

## Description

The Cable 45 Degrees Reverse Grip Reverse Fly is a standing cable movement performed between two high pulleys of a dual cable station. You take each handle with the opposite hand so the cables cross in front of you, hold them with a reversed (palms-up) grip, and sweep your arms down and out to the sides until they finish at roughly a 45-degree angle below shoulder height. The cables cross and uncross through the rep, which keeps tension on the rear of the shoulders and the muscles between the shoulder blades from the first inch to the last.

The reversed grip is what makes this variation interesting. Turning the palms up slightly externally rotates the shoulders and changes the pull path compared to a standard reverse fly, encouraging the rear delts and the small external rotators to contribute alongside the rhomboids and mid traps. Because you are standing rather than bent over, there is no lower back fatigue to manage, so the upper back does the work without your spine becoming the limiting factor.

This exercise suits lifters who want direct work for the back of the shoulders and upper back but struggle to feel bent-over dumbbell rear delt raises. Desk-bound lifters with rounded shoulders get a useful pulling and opening pattern, and anyone chasing balanced shoulder development can slot it in after vertical or horizontal pressing. It is also easier to load progressively than many rear delt options, since the cable stack allows small jumps and constant tension at the point where bodyweight or dumbbell versions are weakest.

Setup matters here more than in most fly variations. The pulleys need to be at the top setting, 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; too far back, and the start position becomes awkward. Getting the cable angle right ensures the resistance pulls your arms up and forward, which is exactly the direction your rear delts have to fight.

Execution is a wide, shallow arc, not a row. Your elbows stay almost straight with only a soft 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 drag the handles in, which turns it into a press-down and shifts work to the triceps and lats. Keep the sweep wide, pause briefly with the shoulder blades pulled together, and let the cables walk your arms back up under control.

Expect to use far less weight than the stack suggests you should. Rear delts 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 session works well for most people.

## Instructions

1. Set both pulleys of a dual cable machine to the highest position and attach a single handle to each side.
2. Stand centered between the two stacks, 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 the cables cross in front of your chest.
3. Hold the handles with a reverse grip, palms facing up and slightly outward, and step forward a short distance so the cables pull upward behind your shoulders with tension already on.
4. Keep a soft bend in both elbows and hold them fixed, chest tall, abs braced, with a slight forward lean from the hips.
5. Exhale and pull both handles down and out to the sides in a wide arc, uncrossing the cables as your arms descend.
6. Finish with your arms out wide at roughly a 45-degree angle below your shoulders, hands level with your lower chest, and squeeze your shoulder blades together for a beat.
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 near head height.
8. Keep the elbow bend constant from start to finish so the shoulders and upper back do the moving, not the triceps.
9. Complete all reps on one set, then re-rack the handles by releasing one at a time rather than letting the weight stack pull you off balance.

## Tips & Tricks

- If your shoulders roll forward at the bottom, you went past 45 degrees; stop the arc earlier and hold the squeeze with your chest up instead of chasing depth.
- Bent elbows that straighten as you pull means the triceps and lats are taking over. Lock in the elbow angle before the first rep and check it again at the end of the set.
- Standing too close to the machine lets the cables go slack at the top of each rep. Take one small step forward until tension is present before your arms even move.
- Because the cables cross, the resistance tries to pull your hands inward and upward. Fight that by thinking of pushing your pinkies down and out rather than pulling the handles toward you.
- Use a thumb-less or loosened reverse grip if your forearms tire before your rear delts do; squeezing the handles hard recruits the biceps and forearms unnecessarily.
- A slight forward lean from the hips is fine, but if your torso swings to start each rep, drop the weight until the movement comes from the shoulders alone.
- The rear delts respond to time under tension better than load, so pause for a full second at the widest point rather than bouncing through the reps.
- Keep your neck relaxed and look at a fixed point on the machine; craning your chin up usually means the weight is too heavy for the position.
- If one side feels weaker, this is one of the few rear delt exercises where you can spot it easily because the cables cross. Slow down the bottom half on the lagging side to even things out.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Which muscles does the Cable 45 Degrees Reverse Grip Reverse Fly work?

The rear shoulders are the prime movers, with the rhomboids and mid traps pulling the shoulder blades together. The rotator cuff muscles assist because the reversed grip and the downward arc keep the shoulders externally rotated.

### Why does the reverse grip matter in this exercise?

Holding the handles palms-up externally rotates the shoulders slightly, which shifts emphasis toward the rear delts and external rotators compared to a neutral or pronated grip. It also keeps the cables pulling across the front of your 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 rear delts. Same-side grips would turn it into a standard crossover and change the muscle work entirely.

### How high should the pulleys be set?

Set both pulleys at or near the top of the machine. Starting with the cables above shoulder height lets your arms travel down through the full 45-degree arc while tension stays constant.

### Is this exercise suitable for beginners?

Yes, as long as the weight is light and the arc stays wide. Beginners often benefit from it because the standing position removes lower back strain and the cables guide the path, but the crossed-cable setup takes a few reps to feel natural.

### Why do my triceps feel this instead of my rear delts?

That happens when your elbows bend and straighten during the pull, turning the fly into a press-down. Freeze the elbow bend at roughly 10 to 20 degrees before the first rep and keep it identical throughout the set.

### What can I use if my gym has only one adjustable cable pulley?

Work one side at a time with a single handle and the opposite-hand grip, standing sideways to the machine. A resistance band anchored overhead behind you is another option, though the tension curve will differ from the cable version.

### How heavy should I go on this movement?

Start far lighter than you expect, often 5 to 15 pounds per side, and aim for 12 to 20 controlled reps. The crossed cables remove momentum, so heavy weights usually cause torso swing and elbow pull-in before the rear delts get anything from 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 because they avoid forcing the arms across the body under load, but comfort varies between individuals. Keep the range pain-free, stay well below head-height strain, and check with a qualified professional if the position causes pinching.