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Male model ex_O24WCW

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Shoulders · Dumbbell

One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly

intermediatestrengthOne side at a time

One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly is an intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the delts (shoulders), with the upper back assisting. It needs a dumbbell. A typical prescription is 3 sets of 10-15 reps per side, and it burns about 5.5 calories per minute.

Target
Delts
Body part
Shoulders
Equipment
Dumbbell
Category
Strength
Mechanic
Isolation
Force
Push
Sets × reps
3 × 10-15
Calories / min
≈ 5.5 kcal

Primary muscles

  • Shoulders · Posterior Deltoids

Secondary muscles

  • Upper Back · Trapezius, Rhomboids

How to do One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly

  1. Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip. Bend at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight and almost parallel to the floor, and extend your free hand to hold on a bench.
  2. Allow the dumbbell to hang straight down from your shoulder, with your arm fully extended towards the floor.
  3. Raise the dumbbell out to the side until your arm is parallel to the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.
  4. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position with control. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.

Form tips

  • Use a controlled motion to lift and lower the dumbbell, avoiding momentum.
  • Focus on using your shoulder muscles to lift the weight rather than swinging your arm.
  • Keep a slight bend in your elbow throughout the exercise to reduce strain on your joints.

One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly alternatives

Reverse Machine Fly (Variation 2) exercise demonstration

Reverse Machine Fly (Variation 2)

Delts · beginner
Reverse Machine Fly exercise demonstration

Reverse Machine Fly

Delts · beginner
Cable Single Arm Reverse Fly exercise demonstration

Cable Single Arm Reverse Fly

Delts · beginner
Band Reverse Fly exercise demonstration

Band Reverse Fly

Delts · beginner

More delts exercises

Dumbbell One Arm Low Fly exercise demonstration

Dumbbell One Arm Low Fly

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Cable One Arm Front Raise exercise demonstration

Cable One Arm Front Raise

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Dumbbell One Arm Front Raise exercise demonstration

Dumbbell One Arm Front Raise

Delts · intermediate
Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise exercise demonstration

Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise

Delts · intermediate
Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise exercise demonstration

Dumbbell Incline One Arm Lateral Raise

Delts · intermediate
Cable Reverse Fly on Crossover exercise demonstration

Cable Reverse Fly on Crossover

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Dumbbell Lying One Arm Rear Lateral Raise exercise demonstration

Dumbbell Lying One Arm Rear Lateral Raise

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Cable Bent Over One Arm Lateral Raise exercise demonstration

Cable Bent Over One Arm Lateral Raise

Delts · beginner

One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly FAQ

What muscles does One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly work?

One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly mainly works the delts in the shoulders (Posterior Deltoids). The upper back work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly?

You need a dumbbell.

How many sets and reps of One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly should I do?

Start with 3 sets of 10-15 reps per side. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly good for beginners?

It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler shoulders exercises.

How many calories does One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly burn?

About 5.5 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 4.5. Ten minutes of work is roughly 55 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly?

Other exercises for the delts include Reverse Machine Fly (Variation 2), Reverse Machine Fly, Cable Single Arm Reverse Fly and Band Reverse Fly.

For developers

Use One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

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# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_O24WCW" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "ex_O24WCW",
  "name": "One Arm Reverse Dumbbell Fly",
  "model": "male",
  "target": "Delts",
  "equipment": "Dumbbell",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_O24WCW/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_O24WCW/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}