For rear-delt growth

Cable Rear Delt Fly vs Rear Delt Row

For rear-delt growth, cable rear delt fly rates higher on our research criteria: more of the work on the rear delts.

Both are good choices that train the rear delts the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

Research score

Target tension

Excellent

Strong

Loaded stretch

Good

Progression

Strong

Low cost

Excellent

See the full shoulders ranking

What these mean

Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose cable rear delt fly

You want the rear delts to do the work, not other muscles
You want to train the rear delts on their own

Good reasons to choose rear delt row

You train at home
You want to train more muscles at once

Cable Rear Delt Fly

Rear Delt Row

You need

Cable station

Dumbbells, bench

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Isolation

Compound

Why they rank where they do

Cable Rear Delt Fly. Cables keep the rear delts loaded across the whole arc, with little else able to take over.

Rear Delt Row. Rowing with the elbows flared targets the rear delts, though the upper back shares the work.

Questions

Which is better for rear-delt growth, cable rear delt fly or rear delt row?

For rear-delt growth, cable rear delt fly rates higher on our research criteria: more of the work on the rear delts. Both are good choices that train the rear delts the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

Is cable rear delt fly or rear delt row easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do cable rear delt fly or rear delt row at home?

Cable rear delt fly needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Rear delt row needs dumbbells and a bench, so a home gym covers it.

Which is easier on the joints, cable rear delt fly or rear delt row?

About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.

More comparisons

Cable Rear Delt Fly Rear Delt Row All shoulders exercises

Cable Rear Delt Fly vs Rear Delt Row

For rear-delt growth, cable rear delt fly rates higher on our research criteria: more of the work on the rear delts.

Both are good choices that train the rear delts the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

What these mean

Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose cable rear delt fly

You want the rear delts to do the work, not other muscles
You want to train the rear delts on their own

Good reasons to choose rear delt row

You train at home
You want to train more muscles at once

Cable Rear Delt Fly

Rear Delt Row

You need

Cable station

Dumbbells, bench

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Isolation

Compound

Why they rank where they do

Cable Rear Delt Fly. Cables keep the rear delts loaded across the whole arc, with little else able to take over.

Rear Delt Row. Rowing with the elbows flared targets the rear delts, though the upper back shares the work.

Questions

Which is better for rear-delt growth, cable rear delt fly or rear delt row?

Is cable rear delt fly or rear delt row easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do cable rear delt fly or rear delt row at home?

Cable rear delt fly needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Rear delt row needs dumbbells and a bench, so a home gym covers it.

Which is easier on the joints, cable rear delt fly or rear delt row?

About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.