How to Do Rear Delt Raises: Form, Benefits, and Tips
Master the dumbbell rear delt raise with our expert guide. Learn the proper technique to isolate your posterior deltoids and improve shoulder health.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip.
- Hinge at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, maintaining a slight bend in your knees and a flat back.
- Let the dumbbells hang directly beneath your shoulders with your elbows slightly unlocked.
- Raise the weights out to your sides in a wide arc until your elbows are level with your shoulders.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement for one second.
- Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position under slow, deliberate control.
- Exhale as you lift the weights and inhale as you return to the start.
Common Mistakes
- Using momentum or swinging the torso to lift the weight
- Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears, which overworks the upper traps
- Tucking the chin or looking up, straining the cervical spine
- Straightening the arms completely, putting undue stress on the elbow joint
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Rear Deltoids
Stabilizers
- Trapezius
- Rhomboids
- Lateral Deltoids
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Rear Deltoids · Strength