TETSU

Band Y-Raise vs Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support)

The Band Y-Raise and the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) both train the delts as their primary muscle. The Band Y-Raise uses a band while the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) uses a dumbbell. Here is how they compare and when to pick each.

Head to head

Side-by-side comparison

Band Y-RaiseDumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support)
Primary muscledeltsdelts
Body partshouldersshoulders
Supporting musclestraps and rhomboidstrapezius and rhomboids
Equipmentbanddumbbell
Steps in our guide56
Setup

How each one starts

Band Y-Raise — first steps

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band in front of your thighs with your palms facing inwards.
  2. Keep your arms straight and lift them up and out to the sides, forming a 'Y' shape with your body.

Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) — first steps

  1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing inwards.

Full step-by-step guides are linked below.

Decision

Which should you choose?

The Band Y-Raise gives accommodating resistance that peaks at the top of the range. The Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) works each side independently and demands more stabilizer control. If your gym has both options, neither is a wrong choice: pick the one that feels strongest through a full range, and swap after 6 to 8 weeks to keep the delts adapting.

Guides

Full form guides

Answers

Common questions

Is the Band Y-Raise better than the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support)?

Neither is universally better — both train the delts as the primary mover. The Band Y-Raise gives accommodating resistance that peaks at the top of the range, while the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) works each side independently and demands more stabilizer control. Choose based on your equipment and which movement you can progress consistently.

Can I do both the Band Y-Raise and the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) in the same program?

Yes, but usually not in the same session — they overlap heavily on the delts. A common setup is one as your main movement and the other on a second training day, or alternating them block by block.

Do the Band Y-Raise and the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) work the same muscles?

The primary muscle is the same: the delts. Supporting muscles differ slightly — traps and rhomboids for the Band Y-Raise versus trapezius and rhomboids for the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support).

Track it in Tetsu

Tetsu tracks both movements separately, keeps your PRs per exercise, and tells you which one is actually progressing. Free to start.