Developing a muscular pair of shoulders is not only beneficial for bodybuilders and physique competitors, it is also important for injury prevention and aiding and supporting heavier compound lifts, such as bent-over rows and repetitive pulling exercises such as rowing. Include reverse cable fly exercises into your weekly shoulder training routine to develop your posterior deltoids.
Deltoids
The deltoid muscle consists of three major heads -- anterior, lateral and posterior. The anterior deltoid is the front deltoid used during most pressing exercises. The lateral deltoid is used when your arms are extended out to the sides during such movements as rowing. Finally, the posterior or rear deltoid is often the most neglected of the three deltoid heads; it is involved in movements that require extension of the arms backward, such as during rowing or reverse fly movements.
Reverse Cable Fly
Perform the reverse cable fly using twin pulley cables positioned at about shoulder height. Facing the machine, grasp a stirrup cable attachment in each hand. Take a step back away from the machine to make the cable tight; stand with one foot in front of the other. Pull your arms out to the sides, maintaining a horizontal path at shoulder height and keeping your elbows pointed outward and your arms slightly bent throughout the movement. Using slow and controlled movements, return your arms to the starting position and repeat eight to 12 times for two or three sets.
Supine Reverse Cable Fly
Position a bench in the center of a cable pulley machine. Use stirrup cable attachments on both sides of the high pulley cable machine. Grasp the left handle with your right hand and the right handle with your left hand. Lie on the bench and cross your arm above your upper chest with your elbows slightly bent. Pull your arms down to your sides until your elbows are at shoulder height. Keep your upper arms perpendicular to your torso and your elbows slightly bent while pulling your arms down to your sides. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for eight to 12 repetitions for two to three sets.
Low Pulley Bent-over Lateral Raise
Use the stirrup cable attachments on each end of the low pulley cable machine and stand with your feet spread and knees slightly bent in the center of the machine. Grasp the left handle with your right hand and the right handle with your left hand, so that the cables are crossing each other. Bend forward at the waist and keep your back straight and your arms hanging down. Raise your arms out to the sides until your hands are slightly above shoulder height. Return to the starting position and repeat for eight to 12 repetitions for two to three sets.
References
- ExRx.net: Cable Supine Reverse Fly
- "Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier; 2001
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