The posterior deltoids or rear delts don’t get enough love in most individuals’s workout routines. We’re here to vary that with the 12 best rear delt dumbbell exercises to placed on size and gain strength.
Using dumbbells to work the rear delts means that you can really goal the muscle in various body positions and hand positions that will be unattainable to do with a barbell. Read on if you desire to increase your shoulder strength, improve your posture, reduce your risk of shoulder injury, and look higher throughout.
Table of Contents:
- What Is The Rear Delt?
- Shoulder Anatomy & Functions
- How Do You Hit The Rear Delt With Dumbbells?
- 12 Best Dumbbell Rear Delt Exercises
- 3 Body weight Exercises For The Posterior Deltoid
- Advantages of Shoulder Exercises
- Posterior Deltoid Stretches
- What Causes Rear Delt Pain?
- FAQs
What’s the rear delt?
The posterior deltoids A.K.A the rear deltoids are the rear muscle of the three-headed deltoid muscle. The deltoid muscle is triangular shaped, getting its name from the placement posterior or back and the Greek letter delta, because it’s shaped like a triangle.
It lies over the glenohumeral joint creating the rounded curve of the shoulder. The origin of the rear delt is on the inferior border of the scapula and it inserts in your upper arm bone.
Shoulder Anatomy
Before we get into the dumbbell exercises for the rear delts we must always cover the shoulder muscles. The shoulder is comprised of three predominant muscles:
- Anterior Deltoid: Situated on the front of your shoulder and upper arm this muscle enables the shoulder to rotate inwards. Exercises like front raises and pushups goal the front delt.
- Medial/Lateral Deltoid: Found on the side of your upper arm, the side delt helps us to abduct our arms in exercises resembling lateral raises.
- Posterior Deltoid: Situated in the back of the shoulder and upper arm, the rear delt enables us to laterally rotate and extend our arms. Rear delts help to maintain an upright posture so that you simply’re not hunched over and are also activated in movements like reverse flys where the arms are moving behind the body.
Function of the rear delt
The predominant function of the rear delt is the motion of moving the shoulder in horizontal abduction where the shoulder is internally rotated or shoulder extension when extending the arms behind the hips.
Additionally it is answerable for external rotation of the shoulder. The rear delts are involved in lots of pulling exercises and it acts as a stabilizer during pressing movements just like the overhead press.
How Do You Hit The Rear Delts?
The perfect strategy to goal the rear delts with dumbbells continuously include exercises where you will likely be hinging forward on the hips if standing or bending over if sitting.
Other body positions that may goal the rear delts with dumbbells will be lying in your side while externally rotating on the shoulder or lying face down then externally rotating the shoulder or bringing your arms up and away out of your body. You will note these body positions displayed within the 12 exercises below.
12 Best Dumbbell Rear Delt Exercises
The important thing to doing these dumbbell rear delt exercises is to actually concentrate on contracting the muscle and squeezing the shoulder blades together. The next dumbbell rear deltoid exercises will isolate the muscle so there’s no need to make use of very heavy weights.
You must work with a weight that you’ll exhaust the muscle but not compromise form where you may injure yourself. You must lift the weights slowly and with purpose!
Let’s get into the 12 best rear delt dumbbell exercises.
1. Side Lying Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise:
When performing all exercises, but shoulder movements, specifically, form is all the pieces, so start with a lighter dumbbell. Also, when you’re figuring out at home and haven’t got a bench, get creative! Push two chairs together, for instance, and also you’re good to go.
The way to do the Side Lying Dumbbell Raise:
- Lie in your side on a bench while bracing yourself together with your inactive arm on the bottom
- Start by holding the dumbbell with an overhand grip together with your arm bent 90 degrees on the elbow in order that your upper arm is parallel to the ground
- Raise your arm up by contracting your rear delt, keeping the dumbbell in a vertical position until your elbow is pointing towards the ceiling
- Slowly return to starting position
- Repeat for 3 sets of 8-12 reps
2. Dumbbell Incline Y Raise:
In case you’re a fan of the Y raise, chances are you’ll also just like the standing IYT raise, as seen in these dumbbell arm exercises, stuffed with isolation moves not just for the shoulders but additionally biceps and triceps. You have to like fully defined arm muscles to enhance your rear delts!
The way to do the Dumbbell Incline Y Raise:
- Arrange bench at a 45-degree incline
- Lie down on the bench face first together with your knees barely bent and the balls of your feet on the bottom.
- Hold the weights with an overhand grip together with your arms hanging straight under your shoulders
- Raise the burden up and out keeping your arms straight until they’re fully prolonged
- Slowly lower to starting position
- Repeat for 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps
3. Dumbbell Incline T Raise:
We won’t forget the opposite portion of the IYT raise. Prepare to feel the backs of your shoulders burn!
The way to do the Dumbbell Incline T Raise:
- Arrange a bench on an incline of 30-45 degrees, get into position face down with feet on the ground behind you, knees bent
- Grab dumbbells with an underhand grip, letting them hang directly under your shoulders with arms prolonged
- Contract your shoulder blades bringing your arms out to the edges keeping your arms straight until they’re parallel with the ground
- Slowly return to starting position
- Repeat 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps
4. Seated Dumbbell Rear Fly:
Slow and regular movements are crucial for the seated dumbbell rear fly. Also, take into accout, that for a lot of these exercises, this one included, lifting too heavy places you at high risk of injury.
The way to do the Seated Dumbbell Rear Fly:
- Sit on the top of a bench together with your feet hip width on the bottom in front of you
- Hold dumbbells with neutral grip and lean forward keeping your back flat in a hip hinged position
- Lower weights down toward the bottom, keeping your elbows barely bent, lift up and out to the side until your elbows are aligned together with your shoulders
- Slowly lower to starting position
- Repeat 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
5. Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise with Head Support:
Any head support will work, but be sure it isn’t an overly hard surface (ouch!) and that it lets you keep your spine neutral when performing this exercise.
The way to do the Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise With Head Support:
- Arrange bench on an incline
- Grab dumbbells using a neutral grip
- Hinge on the hips and bend forward placing your brow on the bench
- Start with dumbbells hanging under you with elbows barely bent
- Lift weights up laterally by contracting your rear delts
- Slowly return to starting position
- Repeat 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps
6. Incline Dumbbell Reverse Fly with Wrist Rotation:
Wrist rotation within the incline dumbbell reverse fly lets you activate your rear belts. And as an added bonus, you are also going to work your lateral shoulders during this movement. Since your lateral delts play an enormous role in bolder shoulders, that is one effective exercise!
The way to do the Incline Dumbbell Reverse Fly With Wrist Rotation:
- Arrange bench with an incline of 45 degrees
- Lie down face first, holding dumbbells with an overhand grip
- Lift weights out to the edges keeping your elbows barely bent while rotating your writs so that you simply find yourself holding the dumbbells with a neutral grip at shoulder height
- Slowly lower to starting position
- Repeat 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
7. Dumbbell Rear Delt Pulls:
Deal with mind-muscle reference to this exercise to make sure your rear dents are activated and dealing hard throughout the pulling motion.
The way to do Dumbbell Rear Delt Pulls:
- Standing together with your feet hip width apart
- Hold dumbbells with a neutral grip at your sides
- Contract your shoulders and squeeze your rear delts while lifting the weights straight up bending your elbows until the weights are above your hips
- Slowly lower to starting position
- Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
8. Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row:
You need to use a heavier weight with this exercise for those desirous to lift heavy. Just be sure to make use of a mirror to make sure you aren’t rotating your torso through the movement.
The way to do Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Rows:
- Hold a dumbbell together with your left hand with a neutral grip
- Stand to the side of a bench then place your right knee on the bench under your hips bracing yourself together with your right hand under your shoulder
- Keeping a neutral spine and core engaged. Start with the dumbbell towards the ground together with your scapula retracted.
- Pull the burden up, bending your elbow until the burden reaches your side
- Slowly lower to starting position
- Switch sides
- Repeat 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps
9. Dumbbell Bent Over Rear Delt Fly:
When performing the rear delt fly, concentrate on keeping your spine neutral and your torso parallel to the ground. Crawl through this exercise in order that the remaining of your back doesn’t begin to take over.
The way to do the Dumbbell Bent Over Rear Delt Fly:
- Stand with feet hip width apart
- Hold dumbbells with a neutral grip the hinge on the hips bending forward until your torso is sort of parallel with the ground
- Keeping a neutral spine and elbows barely bent, engage your rear delts to lift the weights as much as shoulder height
- Slowly return to starting position
- Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
10. Dumbbell Bent Over Alternating Rear Delt Fly:
Trying to make a tough move even harder? Turn it right into a unilateral exercise, performing the rear delt fly movement one side at a time.
The way to do the Dumbbell Bent Over Alternating Rear Delt Fly:
- Stand with feet hip width apart
- Hold dumbbells with a neutral grip the hinge on the hips bending forward until your torso is sort of parallel with the ground
- Keeping a neutral spine and elbows barely bent, engage your rear delt to lift the dumbbell as much as shoulder height
- Slowly return to starting position repeat with other arm, alternating sides
- Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
11. Single Arm Dumbbell Reverse Fly with Support:
Any support will work here, but just be sure it’s sturdy and won’t topple over on you. Performing unilateral exercises ensures your rear delt is doing all of the work, great for muscle hypertrophy.
The way to do the Single Arm Dumbbell Reverse Fly With Support:
- Arrange an incline bench at almost a 90-degree incline
- Stand behind the bench with feet hip width apart holding a dumbbell with a overhand grip
- Hinge on the hips and reach as much as brace yourself on the bench together with your inactive arm
- Together with your elbow barely bent and the burden under your chest, contract your rear delt to lift the burden up and out to your side until your elbow is level together with your shoulder
- Slowly return to starting position
- Switch sides
- Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
12. Dumbbell Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Row:
When performing exercises like this one, as you retract your shoulder blades, imagine pinching a pencil between your shoulder blades to actually show you how to concentrate on the movement. Small adjustments like shoulder retraction could make all of the difference in your lifts!
The way to do the Dumbbell Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Row:
- Sit on the top of a bench with feet hip width apart
- Hold dumbbells with an overhand grip then bend forward keeping your back straight
- Starting together with your arms straight and weights behind your legs retract your shoulder blades lifting the burden straight up while bending on the elbows until the weights reach just past your knees
- Slowly lower to starting position
- Repeat 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps
3 Body weight Rear Delt Exercises
You can too goal your rear delts at home with body weight exercises or using items present in every household like a towel. It would be best to take into accout the function of the rear delts so that you could goal them without equipment.
Have a look below for 3 body weight posterior shoulder exercises.
1) Crab Bridge:
In case you find this exercise hard to do, chances are you’ll must work in your shoulder mobility first.
How To:
- Get into reverse plank position facing up with feet stacked under your hips and arms under your shoulders palms to the ground pointing forward
- Engage your core, keeping your back straight and hips up
- Hold the position for 30 seconds
- Repeat 10 reps
- Repeat for 2-3 sets of 10 reps
2) Forearm Plank Up & Downs:
Not only of your shoulders get a workout, but so does your core.
How To:
- Get into plank position in your forearms
- Drop your shoulders slowly
- Contract rear delts and shoulder blades bringing you back to plank position
- Repeat for 2-3 sets of 15 reps
3) Reverse Iron Cross:
Your shoulders will feel the burn with this body weight exercise. The perfect part? You’ll be able to just about do it anywhere where you could have enough space to lie down.
How To:
- Lie down in your back together with your arms stretched out to the edges and knees bent together with your feet on the ground
- Push into the bottom together with your forearms while contracting your rear delts bringing your torso off the bottom
- Slowly lower back to starting position
- Repeat 2-3 sets of 10 reps
Advantages of Performing Rear Delt Exercises
Performing rear delt exercises with dumbbells has a lot of advantages resembling gaining strength and muscle mass and improving bone density within the shoulder.
Here’s a have a look at just a few other advantages of doing posterior shoulder exercises:
- Higher Posture: We spend a lot of our time lately either sitting for too long observing screens with our heads down taking a look at our phones or hunched over at our desk working (playing) on the pc. By strengthening your posterior shoulders, you’ll tighten up your upper back and help to straighten up your posture.
- Stronger Shoulders: Stronger rear delts enhance the facility of your shoulders on the whole providing you with more stability and power when performing compound lifts resembling overhead press, deadlift or bench press. Strong rear delts also can boost body weight exercises resembling dips and pushups.
- Reduce Risk of Shoulder Injury: Working the rear delts will help to strengthen your shoulders and add muscle subsequently lowering the risking of rotator cuff injuries. Many exercises to your posterior shoulder, especially with dumbbells, also require lighter weights so when you perform them with proper form then you definately don’t should worry a lot about injury attributable to pushing heavy loads.
- Improved Looks: Training your posterior delts can have positive effects on the general look of your upper body. Filling out your shirt and straightening your upper back and posture can create a glance of confidence.
Why You Should Do A Rear Delt Stretch
Just because the above exercises are crucial, it’s also vital to stretch your deltoids to scale back risk of injury and to lower the possibilities of experiencing shoulder pain or rear delt pain. Stretching your muscles will help to enhance blood flow and circulation to the muscle tissue keeping them loose and versatile
You must stretch all of your deltoids evenly but for this text’s sake listed here are just a few stretches for the rear delts.
How To Perform A Posterior Deltoid Stretch
Searching for just a few great stretches to your posterior shoulder muscle? You have come to the appropriate place!
1) Crossover Arm Stretch:
Get up straight then loosen up your shoulders. Reach one arm across your chest and hold it on the upper arm together with your other hand. Gently pull across your chest so far as comfortable. Hold this for 30 seconds. Switch Sides. Repeat 2-3 times
2) Sleeper Stretch:
Lie down in your side and together with your lower arm bent on the elbow at 90 degrees together with your forearm perpendicular to your body. Using your other arm gently push your arm down so far as comfortable. Hold the position for as much as 30 seconds. Switch Sides. Repeat 2-3 times.
3) Lying Down Horizontal Abduction Stretch:
Lie down face first on a bench or bed with one arm hanging off to the side. Begin together with your arm hanging straight down then raise it to the side until reaching eye level. Switch sides. Repeat 2-3 sets of 10 reps.
Rear Delt Release with Massage
Trigger point therapy or myofascial release will help to alleviate pain or tightness in the posterior shoulder muscle. All you would like is a massage ball or one other variety of semi-hard ball to massage out the trigger points causing your pain. By targeting the trigger points, you may release some tension and pain stored within the muscle.
Note: This self-massage can be performed lying down on the ground in the identical manner.
The way to:
- Stand together with your back to the wall
- Place a massage ball behind your upper back in your rear delt just next to your armpit
- Lean into the ball, moving in small circles for 30-60 seconds
- Repeat 2-3 times
Searching for more information on alleviating stress within the neck and shoulders? Try our article: The way to Release Neck and Shoulder Tension!
What causes posterior deltoid pain?
Essentially the most common reason for rear delt pain is overuse, muscle strain, accident or tendons issues. People lifting heavy items or athletes where there are repetitive movements of the shoulder.
Symptoms of Posterior Deltoid Pain
Symptoms of posterior shoulder muscle pain can present in a lot of ways but normally is felt when lifting the arm. This pain or tenderness will be the results of muscle strain or tears. Muscle strain severity is on a scale with three grades. Deltoid pain will be categorized in the next ways:
- Grade 1: A light strain that’s characterised by pain, muscle tightness and minimal swelling. Range of motion isn’t affected an excessive amount of at this point.
- Grade 2: Limited range of motion, more intense pain and swelling is present. Lifting your arm will cause pain especially doing pushing movements resembling overhead press or bench press.
- Grade 3: A muscle tear that typically inhibits movement attributable to serious pain, swelling or muscle gap.
REAR DELT FAQS
Any remaining questions regarding exercises to your rear belts? Let’s answer them here!
Are Dumbbell Rows Good For Rear Delts?
Yes, dumbbell rows are a terrific exercise to strengthen the rear delts. Dumbbell rows are great because you may concentrate on lifting with one arm at a time while keeping your body supported together with your other arm.
What Is The Fastest Way To Construct Rear Delts?
The fastest strategy to construct your rear delts is to do isolation exercises that specially goal them. While it’s true that pulling exercises like lat pull downs and seated rows hit the rear delts, it has been proven with EMG data that more isolated movements like reverse fly on the pec deck recruit and activate the rear delts at a much greater rate.
Do Rear Delts Make You Look Larger?
Yes, strong muscular rear delts will make you look greater. Having large, wide shoulders could make your upper frame greater. Large rear delts will add to the coveted inverted triangle look that many individuals are after when weight training. Built rear delts will even improve the symmetry to your upper body providing the balance between your chest and upper back.
Are Rear Delts Back Or Shoulders?
Although the rear delts are positioned on the posterior or backside of your body they’re considered a shoulder muscle. The rear delts make up one third of the deltoids, the triangular shaped muscle that covers the shoulder. In lots of pulling movements the rear delts are engaged so whenever you do back exercises like pull-ups or lat pulldowns your rear delts will likely be worked.
How can I hit my rear delts at home?
You need to use body weight exercises or home items, like a towel, to focus on your rear delts.
Is The Posterior Deltoid Essential?
Yes, the posterior deltoid is amazingly vital to maintain your shoulders healthy and in good working condition. Rear delts have change into increasingly vital as society spends increasingly more time hunched over in front of a pc or looking down at phones. This hunching can result in serious posture problems, shoulder and back issues and increases risk of injury. Strengthening the rear delts will help to counterbalance these problems.
Do Push Ups Work Rear Delts?
Pushups are among the best body weight exercises you may do but unfortunately they don’t work the rear delts. The anterior deltoid or front delts get worked essentially the most while doing pushups.
Do Pull Ups Hit Rear Delts?
Yes, pull-ups hit the rear delts together with a lot of other muscles in your back, arms and shoulders. Lots of the foremost muscle groups within the upper body are recruited to perform pull-ups properly. If you desire to increase the load on the rear delts and work them more while doing pull-ups then it’s best to go for wide grip pull-ups. Wide grip pull-ups put more emphasis on the deltoids on the whole compared with regular grip.
Rear Delt Dumbbell Exercises: Final Takeaways
Isolating your posterior delts with dumbbells is among the best ways to construct your rear delts fast. Attempt to concentrate on incorporating some rear delt specific exercises into your training routine.
The advantages of coaching the rear delts cannot be overstated, so go grab yourself just a few dumbbells and get to work. We promise, your shoulders will appreciate it!
