Man performing dumbbell rear delt raises in dumbbell only workout
by: JoshPosted on:

Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise: A Complete How-To Exercise Guide

The rear delt raise was often an overlooked exercise until postural issues and shoulder pain began popping up in our modern work environment.

Now, the rear delts are trained often and with a variety of rear delt fly variations.

One of the more common exercises used to target the rear deltoids is the bent over dumbbell rear delt raise.

Long before it was commonplace to train the rear delts to improve posture, many bodybuilders used the bent over dumbbell rear delt raise to build a symmetrical and aesthetic physique.

In this article, we’re going to discuss exactly how to perform the exercise, what muscles the exercise targets, how to add it into your workout routines, and provide a list of rear delt raise and fly variations you can look into adding to your routines.

How to Perform the Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

There are several different ways you can perform the dumbbell rear delt raise. You can perform it standing and bent over, seated and bent over, or chest supported on an incline bench. This article is going to focus on the traditional variation which is the standing bent over dumbbell rear delt raise.

  1. Begin by selecting the weight you would like to use for the exercise. Since it is a small muscle and the exercise is generally performed with higher rep ranges, it would be wise to select a lighter set of dumbbells.
  2. Hinge at your hips until your torso is nearly parallel with the ground.
  3. Keeping your hands in a neutral grip position, treat your hands as hooks as you brace your core and mentally connect to the muscles of the back of the shoulder.
  4. Leading with your rear deltoids, pull the weights up while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows until your arms reach a T with your body.
  5. Pause the contraction for anywhere between 0-3 seconds and slowly lower the weight under control to the starting hand position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repititons.

What Muscles Does the Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise Work?

The bent over rear delt raise works primarily the muscles of the back of the shoulder, otherwise known as the rear deltoids.  

To a much lesser extent and depending on much weight you use and the bend of the arm when you pull the weight, you may also indirectly target the muscles of the rhomboids and lower traps as well.

The stabilizing muscles of the body such as the core, glutes, and low back will also be indirectly targeted during the standing dumbbell variations as well.

How to Add Dumbbell Rear Delt Raises to Your Workouts

The dumbbell rear delt fly is an accessory exercise and will always be one of the final movements performed in your workouts unless it is being utilized as a warm-up exercise or a pre-fatigue exercise.

For those who perform full body workouts, you’ll likely use the rear delt raise as a finisher exercise and one of the final movements of 1-3 of your workouts throughout the week.

If you perform upper/lower workouts, you’ll use the rear delt fly during your upper workout days and it will be performed 1-3 times per week depending on the frequency you work the upper body and your goals.

People performing push/pull/legs splits will add the bent over rear delt raise to their pull workouts of the week. For this group, it may be used as a warm up exercise to engage the rear deltoids before heaving pulling or it might be viewed as a final exercise to finish off their pull workout.

And anyone performing a bro-split style workout may consider adding the rear delt fly to both their shoulder workouts and back workouts. For shoulder workouts, it may be useful to use the exercise as a finisher exercise. And during back workouts, it might be useful to use the exercise as a warm-up exercise.

Additionally, the dumbbell rear delt raise is an awesome option for those performing dumbbell only workouts to include in their workout programs.

The exercise is generally performed for 2-3 sets with higher repetitions. The rep range can vary from 10-25 repetitions depending on one’s goals and purposes for performing the exercise. Rest periods are also often kept short allowing just enough time for the burning sensation of the set to disappear (usually 30 seconds or less).

Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly Variations

Listed below are a number of rear delt raise and fly variations you can look into to find ways to train your rear deltoids. As I write more of these exercise articles, I will add the links to the appropriate pages.

Conclusion

The dumbbell bent over rear delt raise is an great exercise choice for those looking to strengthen their shoulder, improve the posture, and build a symmetrical physique.

It can be added to nearly every style of training and is generally performed with higher rep ranges.

If you have any questions about the exercise or anything else mentioned in the article, please leave me a comment in the comments section down below.