It is so important to work rear delts (deltoids), because they, like back muscles, often get overlooked for muscles that we can see. Our biceps are easy to spot, our pecs are fun to work, and everyone can agree about putting more ab work on the program. The best rear delt exercises can supplement all of those movements!
But rear delts? We have to go out of our way to prioritize them. Pushups, dumbbell presses and bench presses work anterior delts more than rear delts. If we push more than we pull, we can create an imbalance that sets shoulders up for injury, or at least, decreased performance.
Rear delts are crucial to work, though, because they are an essential part of the upper body and play a important role in shoulder mobility and stability. Neglecting the rear deltoids can lead to muscle imbalances and potential injuries.
Incorporating rear deltoid exercises into your workout routine can help improve posture and prevent shoulder injuries. In this article, we will discuss some of the best exercises that target the rear deltoid muscles.
These exercises can be done with or without equipment and should be incorporate by all, from beginners to advanced lifters. By including these exercises in your routine, you can ensure that your rear deltoids are getting the attention they deserve, leading to a stronger and healthier upper body.
Need a balanced program, which includes rear delts, and other often neglected muscle groups? Check out my training programs which you can jump into now.
Understanding Rear Delt Muscles
The rear deltoids, or posterior deltoids, are one of the three muscle groups that make up the deltoids, or shoulders. The rear deltoids are located on the back of the shoulder and are responsible for shoulder extension and external rotation. In other words, they move the arm backwards and rotate the arm out.
Importance of Rear Delt Exercises
Rear delts are highly involved in most upper body pulling, which is an essential movement for various daily activities such as pulling a door, carrying a backpack, or even throwing a ball.
Neglecting the rear delts can lead to muscle imbalances, which can cause shoulder pain and increase the risk of injuries. Including rear delt exercises in your workout routine is essential for maintaining good posture, reducing the risk of injuries, and improving your overall athletic performance.
Benefits of Rear Delt Exercises
Strengthening the rear delts can improve your posture, reduce the risk of injuries, and increase performance in other exercises such as the bench press, overhead press, and pull-ups.
Incorporating rear delt exercises into your workout routine can help you achieve a well-rounded and balanced physique. It can also enhance your overall athletic performance and
Improved Posture
Rear delt exercises can help improve your posture by strengthening the muscles that support your shoulder blades. When these muscles are weak, your shoulders can round forward, leading to a hunched posture. By strengthening the rear deltoids, you can help pull your shoulders back and improve your posture.
Reduced Risk of Shoulder Injuries
Strong rear deltoids can help reduce the risk of shoulder injuries. When the rear deltoids are weak, the front of the shoulder can become overworked, leading to imbalances and potential injuries. By strengthening the rear deltoids, you can help balance out your shoulder muscles and reduce the risk of injuries.
Enhanced Athletic Performance
Rear delt exercises can also enhance athletic performance. The posterior deltoid is involved in many movements that are important for sports, such as throwing and pulling. By strengthening this muscle, you can improve your performance in these activities.
In the picture below, I am setting up for a long archery shot. You can see the importance of rear delts in the ability to draw the bow and hold while I aim.
Balanced Physique
Finally, rear delt exercises can help create a balanced physique. Many people focus on the front of their bodies, neglecting the back. By including rear delt exercises in your workout routine, you can help create a balanced physique and avoid muscle imbalances.
Equipment Needed for Rear Delt Exercises
Rear delt exercises are important to do well and not haphazardly. Because of this, you won’t be piling on the weight or trying to go heavier heavier, every day. For this reason, you can use no equipment, light dumbbells, and cable and resistance bands.
Rear Delt Exercises with Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are a versatile and affordable option for rear delt exercises. They come in many resistance levels and can be used for a variety of exercises, including face pulls and reverse flyes. Resistance bands are also portable, making them a great option for those who want to exercise at home or on the go. Take those babies on that vacation and get some rear delt work in on the beach or in the hotel!
Rear Delt Exercises Dumbbells
Dumbbells are another popular option for rear delt exercises. They allow for a greater range of motion and can be used for a variety of exercises, including bent-over lateral raises and reverse flyes. Dumbbells obviously come in various weights, making them a great option for all fitness levels.
Cable Machines for Rear Delt Work
Cable machines are usually big and expensive, so they are more often in public gyms than home or garage gyms. Cables allow for a wide range of exercises, including face pulls and cable reverse flyes. They provide constant resistance throughout the movement, making them an effective option for targeting the rear delts.
Ancore Training System
The Ancore training system is a home cable system that is lightweight, portable, and costs a fraction of the cost of a weight plate cable system. I honestly can’t even explain how the Ancore works, but I know it works.
I have one, and I love it so much. I attach my Ancore to my squat rack, but they can be wall mounted, or mounted to anything you can get creative with. It’s a great option for pulling exercises, including rear delt exercises.
Rear Delt Fly Machine
The rear delt fly machine is a specialized piece of equipment designed specifically for targeting the rear delts. It provides a controlled movement and allows for a greater range of motion than other equipment. There are a few variations of these. They are less common in gyms because they take up a big footprint for a very small precise movement. If you can find them, however, I encourage you to try them.
Overall, there are a variety of equipment options available for rear delt exercises. It is important to choose equipment that is suitable for your fitness level and goals.
Best Rear Delt Exercises
Here are a few exercises to put into your routine to incorporate rear delts.
All of the following videos are of me demonstrating, and posted on my YouTube channel.
Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly
The dumbbell rear delt fly is a classic exercise that targets the rear delts, upper back, and traps. To perform this exercise:
- stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length in front of your thighs
- bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back flat like a tabletop and your core engaged
- lift the dumbbells out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement
- lower the weights back down to the starting position and repeat for as many reps as you’d like
Seated Rear Delt Machine
The seated rear delt machine is a great option for those who prefer using machines over free weights. To perform this exercise:
- sit at the machine with your chest against the pad and your arms extended out in front of you
- grasp the handles and pull them back towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement
- in a controlled manner, return the handles back to the starting position and repeat for your desired number of reps
Bent Over Reverse Fly (Rear Delt Raise)
The bent over reverse fly, or rear delt raise, targets the rear delts and upper back. To perform this exercise:
- stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length in front of your thighs
- bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back flat and your core engaged
- lift the dumbbells out to the sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent and squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement
- lower the weights back down to the starting position and repeat for as many reps as you’d like
Bent Over Rear Delt Row
The bent over rear delt row is very similar to the bent over reverse fly, except you’ll bend at the elbow, like you are a puppet. Your elbow will extend toward the ceiling, but not your forearm. To perform the rear delt row:
- stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length in front of your thighs
- bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back flat and your core engaged
- lift the dumbbells out to the sides, with your palms facing behind you
- Bend at the elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement
- lower the weights back down to the starting position and repeat for as many reps as you’d like
Reverse Pec Deck Fly
The reverse pec deck fly is a machine-based exercise that targets the rear delts and upper back. To perform this exercise:
- sit at the machine with your chest against the pad and your arms extended out to the sides
- grasp the handles and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you bring your arms back towards your chest
- slowly return the rope back to the starting position and repeat for your desired number of reps
Y
The Y is a fantastic exercise that can be done with or without weight. If you do use weight, use a very light weight, like 1-3 pounds to begin. You can do this by holding a hinge position yourself, or using a bench to stabilize you. To perform the Y:
- hinge at the hips with back neutral and straight
- extend arms with palms facing behind you
- bend at the elbows as if you are elbowing the ceiling
- rotate your arms up into a “touchdown” position
- extend your arms into a “Y shape
- bend at the elbows, rotate arms, and straight elbows to return to the start position
Face Pull
Face pulls are an excellent exercise for targeting the rear delts, upper back, and rotator cuff muscles. These instructions are for a cable face pull, but you can do this with a securely fastened band too. To perform face pulls:
- with arms extended, step away from the cable so there is constant tension (the plates aren’t resting on the weight stack)
- stand in a secure stance. I prefer staggered feet
- stand with your shoulders over your hips and not leaning way backwards
- with elbows out to your sides, bend at the elbows to pull your hands toward your face
- think about squeezing the back of your shoulders
- extend your shoulders to your start position and repeat for as many reps as you’d like
Band Pullaparts
Band pullaparts are a great rear delt exercise that you can do anywhere with a band. These are so good for optimal posture. To perform this exercise:
- stand tall
- extend your arms in front of you, gripping a light band
- keep elbows straight but not locked as you press your arms straight around your side
- I prefer palms down but you can experiment with different hand positions
- squeeze your shoulders behind you as you make a big wide sweep with your arms
- press until the band touches your chest
- control the return to your start position and repeat
Example Rear Delt and Shoulder Workout
Here is a sample shoulder session that includes all angles of the shoulder:
A1. standing dumbbell overhead press, 3×10, as a warm up
A2. Y, 2×10
B. barbell press, 5×8, progressively heavier. Rest in between!
C1. bent over rear delt raise, 4×10
C2. band pullaparts, 4×10
D1. facepull, 3×15
D2. bent over rear delt row, 3×15
Safety Tips for Rear Delt Exercises
When performing rear delt exercises, it is important to keep safety in mind to avoid injury. Shoulders aren’t delicate, but you want to be smart when working them. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind:
- Always warm up properly before beginning any exercise routine. This will increase blood flow to the muscles and prevent injury. It also helps performance.
- Start with lighter weights and gradually increase the weight as your strength improves.
- Keep your movements slow and controlled. Jerky or fast movements can put unnecessary strain on your muscles and increase the risk of injury.
- Use good form when performing exercises. Sloppy form can put unnecessary strain on your muscles and increase the risk of injury. If you are unsure of the proper form, seek guidance from a certified personal trainer. Or ask me!
- Listen to your body. If you experience pain or discomfort during an exercise, stop immediately and consult with a doctor or physical therapist.
By following these safety tips, you can help to prevent injury and get the most out of your rear delt exercises.
Common Mistakes While Doing Rear Delt Exercises
When performing rear delt exercises, it’s important to ensure proper form to avoid injury and maximize results. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Using Too Much Weight
One of the most common mistakes people make when doing rear delt exercises is using weights that are too heavy. This can put unnecessary strain on the shoulders and lead to injury. Choose a weight that you can do well with good form.
Poor Posture
Another mistake people make is having poor posture during rear delt exercises. This can put additional strain on the neck and upper back, leading to discomfort and pain. It’s important to maintain proper posture throughout the exercise, keeping the chest up and shoulders back.
Not Isolating the Rear Delts
Many people make the mistake of not isolating the rear deltoids during exercises. Instead, they end up using their traps and other muscles to compensate. To properly target the rear delts, it’s important to focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together and keeping the elbows slightly bent.
Neglecting the Warm-Up
Lastly, some people neglect to include a proper warm-up when doing rear delt exercises. This can increase the risk of injury and decreased performance. It’s important to perform a few warm-up exercises before starting and to stretch the muscles afterwards to prevent injury and promote recovery.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that you’re getting the most out of your rear delt exercises and avoid any unnecessary injuries or discomfort.
Progress Tracking for Rear Delt Exercises
Tracking progress is important any time you are training. This is easy to do when we are talking about powerlifting, or increasing the weights on specific exercises such as the squat or deadlift. Rear delt progress can be a bit harder to see, so here are some ways to track the progress of rear delt exercises:
- Increasing reps as you increase your muscle endurance
- Increasing the weight when you can do 10+ with impeccable form
- Measurements
- Fit of your clothing. If you don’t want to measure, just notice that your shirts, dresses and coats might be a bit snugger around your shoulders. Yay! This is good!
Train Your Rear Delts to See For Yourself
Overall, understanding the importance of rear delt work can make your training and your strength much better. Find and practice the best rear delt exercises to see this progress for yourself! If you have questions, remember you can always email me, or contact me about working together.
Best of luck with your training!
Related Reading:
Best exercise machines for lower back strength
About the author
Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.
