You may not be able to see them in the mirror, but it's just as important to work the muscles on the backside of your body (aka your posterior chain) as it is to train the ones on the front. The reverse fly targets the posterior and lateral deltoids, traps, and lats, a study in the Journal of Human Kinetics suggests. To ensure the five-minute arm workout exercise is effective, hinge forward as far as comfortable; alternatively, perform the movement with your chest supported by a bench.
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, a soft bend in your knees, and a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, your palms facing toward one another. Engage your core by bracing as if someone is about to punch you in the stomach.
- Hinge forward from your hips to lower your chest until it's roughly parallel to the floor. Gaze down at the floor. Allow your arms to hang directly below your shoulders.
- Keep your back flat, core engaged, and elbows softly bent. On an exhale, raise the dumbbells out to the sides until they're roughly aligned with your ribcage. Imagine squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- On an inhale, slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. That's one rep.
Do 8 reps in Round 1. Each round after, take away 2 reps.
