Reverse Cable Fly vs Barbell Shrug

Which one fits your Shoulder workout plan?

Contents

Planfit users log Reverse Cable Fly more often — 1,771 sessions vs 683. Compare Shoulder form, muscles worked, and when to use each.

Compare the benefits of Reverse Cable Fly and Barbell Shrug and pick the one that fits your Shoulder workout.

Reverse Cable Fly vs Barbell Shrug: Which Do Planfit Users Choose?

Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Reverse Cable Fly more often — 1,771 sessions compared to 683 for Barbell Shrug.

What most people do isn't always what fits you. Reverse Cable Fly and Barbell Shrug differ in the muscles they work, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.

How Reverse Cable Fly and Barbell Shrug Differ

What differsReverse Cable FlyBarbell Shrug
Muscles workedrear delts and trapstraps
Equipmenta machinea barbell
Difficulty5 of 55 of 5
Sessions logged by Planfit users1,771 sessions683 sessions

Related comparisons

Not sure whether Reverse Cable Fly or Barbell Shrug fits your goal? Get a personalized plan

How to Do Reverse Cable Fly

Reverse Cable Fly demo video

Reverse Cable Fly Muscles Worked: Shoulder

Form

  1. 1. Pull the grip to bring your arms beside your body.
  2. 2. Slowly return to the starting position.

Coach's Tips

  1. If you excessively fold your wings, the trapezius muscle will be used instead of the rear shoulder, so please be careful.

For a full Reverse Cable Fly guide with alternatives and benefits, see the Reverse Cable Fly exercise guide.

Want to learn more about Reverse Cable Fly?Exercise Guide

How to Do Barbell Shrug

Barbell Shrug demo video

Barbell Shrug Muscles Worked: Shoulder

Form

  1. 1. Please shrug your shoulders and lift the barbell.
  2. 2. Slowly return to the starting position.

Coach's Tips

  1. 1. When lowering the barbell, it should be done slowly rather than just dropping it.
  2. 2. Please make sure that the neck does not protrude excessively forward.

For a full Barbell Shrug guide with alternatives and benefits, see the Barbell Shrug exercise guide.

Want to learn more about Barbell Shrug?Exercise Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Shoulder, Reverse Cable Fly or Barbell Shrug?

Planfit users log Reverse Cable Fly more often — 1,771 sessions against 683 for Barbell Shrug. Both train Shoulder, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.

Do Reverse Cable Fly and Barbell Shrug work the same muscles?

Not quite. Reverse Cable Fly loads rear delts and traps, and Barbell Shrug loads traps.

What equipment do Reverse Cable Fly and Barbell Shrug need?

Reverse Cable Fly needs a machine, and Barbell Shrug needs a barbell.

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