You should be in a deadlift position, but with the bar behind you, rather than in front of you. Here is a quick but effective circuit workout to get your posterior delts firing! From here, move your arms out wide in a circular motion until they are both in front of you/above your head. The shoulder press can be done standing or seated. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides. To offset any weakness in the backs of your shoulders — and develop those enviable shoulder caps — Openfit fitness expert Cody Braun recommends following a program with a 2:1 ratio of pulling to pushing exercises. Your rear delts are already getting a heckuva workout on back day. If you're doing back and shoulders on consecutive days in the gym, you're probably not giving your rear delts enough rest between workouts. This rear deltoid workout routine maximizes posterior delt growth by making it a priority. Here are 8 ways to grow your rear delts. Let’s go! Your other arm can be on your hip or behind your back. Practice locking a slight bend in your elbows and holding it there. You just don't want to work them in the exact same manner, so choice of equipment and rep target become important. © 2020 Bodybuilding.com. A fantastic double-duty exercise if you are doing back and shoulders on the same day as part of an upper-body split or full-body workout. If nothing else, you can get plenty of ideas from BodySpace users and the many articles on Bodybuilding.com. To achieve balanced muscle development, enhanced performance, and fuller looking shoulders, you need to target all three muscles. Brace your feet to stabilize your body. (Interested in buying your own barbell, check out this guide). Make sure you maintain a neutral spine and a braced core whilst pulling the barbell up to just below your chest. You also need to pick the right rep range. Hold for a second here and then return to having your arms by your sides behind you with your shoulders pulled back … If you’ve read a few of my exercise articles, you’ll know that I love a single-sided exercise for building balanced strength and size through your left and right sides of the body. Also consider making slight adjustments to your existing exercises. Keeping your arms straight, bend through the knees and hinge through the hips whilst maintaining a neutral spine. You should already have a ‘shoulder day’. Multijoint exercises recruit a number of secondary, assistance muscles. 1) The Military Press. Think face-down snow angel! Lying one-arm lateral raises are effective rear delt exercise with a dumbbell that you can try. They are great for both muscular endurance and hypertrophy. Another alternative is to take a pre-exhaust-like approach and do a single-joint rear-delt move first, before the multijoint pressing move. They will show you the right technique to ensure you get the best out of these exercises. Stand in front of the barbell and grab it with both hands, palms facing backwards. Size matters. Here are a few pointers to help you build the size and strength through your posterior deltoids that they deserve! Incline bench rear deltoid raise; All exercises listed above target the posterior deltoid directly. Dumbbell exercises provide an easy and effective way of targeting every major muscle groups in your body. Learning new movements can instill a novel stimulus and jump-start growth. If you did bent-over lateral raises with dumbbells first, try standing cable reverse flyes or high pulls on the cable. Much lighter resistance is required as Dumbbell Bent-over Row. To work the target musculature in a slightly different manner, pick a weight that you can do for 10-12 reps instead. This helps to build the strength needed to lift objects in front of you, says Openfit fitness expert Cody Braun. This one is a bit of a no-brainer – you need to be changing things up! Follow this tempo: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds at the top, 4 seconds down and 1 second at the bottom. I will also be including an example workout, and some take away tips for training this muscle! © 2016–2020 TheWorkoutDigest.com - All Rights Reserved TheWorkoutDigest.com is designed for informational purposes only & DOES NOT provide medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. I am, personally, a big fan of supersets! The dumbbell rear delt fly, also known as the dumbbell reverse fly, is an exercise that increases deltoid muscle definition and strength. Do tell in the comments section below! Ready for an intervention? Try to keep your forehead in contact with the bench or floor. Squeeze for a second and release back to starting position. Take the dumbbells, sit on the edge of the bench, and tilt the body forward. In addition to exercise choice and equipment, you can create variety through rep ranges, intensity-boosting techniques, volume ranges, and rest periods. Single Arm Bent Over Cable Rear Delt Fly, Take Away Training Tips for Rear Deltoids, Tip 1: Hit Your Posterior Delts Twice Over Your Weekly Split, Tip 2: Change Things Up with New Rear Delt Movements & Volumes, Tip 3: Incorporate Advanced Training Techniques into Your Rear Delt Workouts, 6 Killer EZ Curl Bar Exercises for Bigger Arms, 6 Side Deltoid (Lateral Deltoid) Exercises You Should Be Doing, 8 Plyo Box Exercises You Should Be Adding to Your Workout, 7 Best Weight Bench Exercises For Abs (Flat Bench Ab Workout), 6 Medicine Ball Partner Exercises for a Full Body Workout, Why Planks Hurt Your Back (& Easy Ways to Fix It), Why Can’t I Do Pull-Ups? Now you've got no excuses. Pro tip: Don’t let the cable pull you back, you control the cable – it doesn’t control you. Your rear deltoids play a large role in maintaining your posture. The direction how to practice it is shown here: Hold an appropriate dumbbell weight and let begin with the squatting position. The position of your body should remain the same with only your arms moving. This is one of those items top-level bodybuilders know about but few less-experienced bodybuilders understand because oftentimes they're so preoccupied with segmenting workouts purely by body part. But the ones contained in this article are the most effective! Any and all words on TheWorkoutDigest.com are not represented by CrossFit, Inc. Sitemap | Earnings Disclaimer | Terms & Privacy Policy, Dumbbell Rear Delt Flye - The Proper Lift - BPI Sports, MuscleDog.com Presents: Seated Arnold Press, Lying Dumbbell Rear-Delt Row (Bigger Shoulders Series- Week 3: Workout 5), Build Your Rear Delts with this Secret Barbell Movement, Barbell Rear Delt Row - Shoulder Exercise - Bodybuilding.com, How To Do A SINGLE ARM BENT OVER BARBELL REAR DELT RAISE | Exercise Demonstration Video and Guide, KG Bent Over Single Arm Cable Rear Delt Fly. He has been lifting weights & writing about fitness for over 5 years. And those big front caps are likely pulling your shoulders forward, which is perfect if you want to have bad posture and walk like a caveman. You may see people working on their delts at the gym mostly creating momentum and taking away tension from the muscle. Stand side on to the cable, holding the handle with your palm facing you. As long as you work enough rest days in and pay attention not to train back and shoulders on consecutive days, this approach can work because the rear delt isn't a particularly large head. As you complete the lift, try to keep your chest pressed against the pad to reduce momentum. Rather than duplicating the rear-delt exercises you do in each of your workouts, the better approach would be to vary them. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to beginning any diet or exercise program or taking any dietary supplement. The posterior bundle of deltoid muscles is difficult to isolate. Set up a bar on a rack at hand height if you’re standing up straight with your hands by your sides. Both variations will effectively target the front delt. The best rear deltoid exercises need to be done with a large (12-15) number of repetitions, do not hesitate to use very modest working weights for this. The Best Dumbbell Exercises for the Rear Deltoid | Livestrong.com Dumbbells are a great tool to help build and strengthen your shoulders — plus, they're storage-friendly. This exercise is great for conditioning your posterior deltoids. Do all repetitions on one arm before changing sides. Grab a pair of weights and start cranking out those reps. Note, for optimal shoulder health and performance, it is important to include a range of movements and equipment in your shoulder workouts. For this exercise, you need a high bench or an elevated bench as to allow for the full range of motion. Do all reps on one side before doing the other arm (and turning over of course!). As mentioned, taking your sets to muscle failure is an important aspect of building muscle size; going 1-2 sets past failure can really set you up for growth. There are many exercises that are claimed to work your rear deltoids. Sit on the edge of a bench with your knees bent at just over 90-degrees in front of you. Make sure you always warm up appropriately to get the most out of your shoulder exercises and to avoid injury! Brian Ward is a fitness writer, founder & editor of TheWorkoutDigest. Instead, it’s vital that you both choose the right rear delt exercises and perform them in a way that maximally activates the rear delts. He has been a contributor for several health and fitness publications, including WealthyGorilla.com, MuscleAndBrawn.com. To reap the benefits of this exercise, you will need to pay attention to the position. Rear delts can typically be isolated with machines, cables and dumbbells. Your palms should still be facing the ground. Keeping your elbow in contact with your side, externally rotate your arm through the shoulder joint until your fist is pointing to the ceiling. The eccentric phase is important – maintain full control of the cable. Use no attachment, you will be holding onto the balls above the clips. You'll need to start adding dedicated exercises and make strategic decisions about how to beef up your rear delts. To make it easier to follow, I have split the exercises into equipment-based categories. Should this be unavailable at your gym, you can do it with a standard bench on an incline. T he reason is that unlike dumbbell lateral raises the cable machine provides constant resistance so you don’t have to fling the weight up. But, here’s an effective rear delt workout you should try… Dumbbell seated rear delt raise. Although a bent over rear lateral raise and face pull are my top two picks and will usually be sufficient on their own, you can also incorporate a third exercise into your plan if really want to hone in on that rear deltoid and upper back area even further. Be sure to utilize low-weight dumbbells for this particular exercise. Their is many variations for shoulder press, but the most common is a barbell and dumbbell shoulder press exercise. Machine rear deltoid fly; Reverse cable crossovers; Dumbbell lying rear deltoid raise, etc. At this point, your elbows will be about 60-degrees from your body too. Pull the cables out wide until your arms are in a straight line across your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Elbow should be raised dire ctly lateral to shoulder. This is another rear-delt raise variation that reduces momentum. Place a small bend in your elbows and lock this position. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Cross the cables over one another, holding the left in your right hand and right in your left hand. Dumbbell shoulder presses will also activate the middle and rear delt. Another great time to work on your posterior deltoids is at the end of your back and biceps workout, after having done the bulk of your rowing movements. Training Tip: Like all single-joint straight-arm raises involving the delts, keeping your elbow locked with a very slight bend throughout the range of motion is critical. Changing the angle of pull on cable exercises is as easy as moving the pin, and it allows you to slightly alter the recruitment pattern among the muscle fibers. 3. Single-Joint Exercises. Have a dumbbell in each hand hanging down either side of your bench, in neutral position. Anything missing? Pro tip: Think about pulling the cables as far away from your body as possible. Nothing there? You might sacrifice a bit of strength on your presses but you'll be plenty strong to attack those rear delts right off the bat. Learning new movements can instill a novel stimulus and jump-start growth. There are multiple dumbbell exercises you can do to strengthen your shoulders like dumbbell overhead press, dumbbell front raise, side lateral raise etc. #3 – Rear Delt Dumbbell Rows. Single Arm Dumbbell External Rotations x 12 each side, Rear Delt Reverse Barbell Raise x until failure. ... Posterior deltoid or Rear deltoids: This muscle is located on the backside of the shoulder. If you've got only one or two go-to rear-delt exercises in your gym bag, it's time for a bigger bag. Bodybuilding.com℠ and BodySpace® are trademarks of Bodybuilding.com. Reverse Pec deck machine; Rear delt machine; Standing cable reverse fly; One-arm bent-over cable lateral raise; Bent-over dumbbell lateral raise; Incline bench bent-over dumbbell lateral raise; Head-supported bent-over dumbbell lateral raise; Seated bent-over lateral raise; 6. Note, this does require good shoulder mobility to be able to do, safely. To start, you're going to have to abandon the what-you-can't-see-in-the-mirror-can't-hurt-you school of training. Look back—not down, but back. Another challenging take on the traditional rear deltoid dumbbell raise, but this time with a cable machine. Feel free to substitute your favorites from the list of the best rear deltoid exercises when building your own routine. Shoulders are sensitive! A non-conventional, but very effective exercise for strengthening and conditioning your posterior deltoids. The posterior bundle of deltoid muscles is difficult to isolate People tend to place a lot of focus on their front and middle deltoids, but their rear deltoids are overlooked. It is similar to a basic row, but targets the upper back and delts more effectively. I’m about to go over seven of the best side delt exercises that will seriously increase your bulk – and overall strength – if you do them consistently. All rights reserved. The bent-over dumbbell lateral raise, which generates a bit of momentum through your lower body, is one of your best options. Seated Bent-Over Dumbbell Boost. Muscles worked: shoulder girdle, posterior, and middle deltoids Hold a pair of dumbbells, keeping your palms facing each other. Bent over dumbbell rear delt row. But because that exercise does a much better job building the front and middle delts—depending on whether you lower the bar in front of or behind your head—you need to hit your rear delts immediately after to bring them up. This fact, combined with the way in which most of us prioritize training our pecs, is the reason we have nicely built front and middle deltoids, but for the most part, disappointing rear delts. The barbell should be in a neutral position on extended arms in a straight line from your shoulders. Dumbbell shoulder workouts is a great way to stabilize delts and shoulder traps. Advanced techniques refer to techniques such as pause reps, drop sets and supersets. I prefer this seated version of the rear deltoid fly to the standing one, for a few reasons. It's important to know that many back exercises—particularly rows—actively engage the rear delts, just as chest training pulls in the front delts and triceps, back training recruits the biceps, some shoulder exercises work the upper traps, and other back exercises work the lower and middle traps. Positioning torso at 45° is not sufficient angle to target rear deltoids. So, the best deltoid exercises should include a bend over lateral raise as well. If you're still having trouble, do the movement on the pec deck machine, which better locks your elbows in the correct position. A top pick for rear delt exercises is the rear delt dumbbell row. From here, move your arms out wide in a circular motion until they are both in front of you/above your head. Incorporate New Rear-Delt Movements The Best Dumbbell Exercises for Shoulders | Livestrong.com Maintain correct posturing during the shoulders workout to keep the rear delt engaged properly. Exercise 1: Rest-Pause. Dumbbell exercises for shoulders target the inner, outer and rear deltoid muscles as well as the trapezius. Your elbows should be at a rough 45-degree angle to your sides and your shoulder blades should come together at the top of the movement. Place a small bend in your elbows and lock this position throughout the fly. Adding in a few sets of a suboptimal exercise like dumbbell reverse flies after your workout just isn’t going to cut it.. 1. This exercise will really blast your deltoids, and by performing it laying down, you can help isolate the rear head of the deltoid. Your rear deltoids are the ones you cannot see when you look in the mirror. Grab a barbell (in the center of it) and stand upright for starters, with the barbell by your side on an extended arm. Bend over and complete a set of seated bent-over lateral raises to failure (adjust the weight so that you reach failure at about 10 reps). Keeping your core engaged and spine neutral, pull the rope towards your neck/face, sending your elbows out wide. 3. Because you're able to generate a bit of momentum through your knees and hips, you can keep the set going, intensifying the burn. On movements like standing cable reverse flyes, many lifters extend their elbows as they press the handles away, but that turns the movement into a triceps exercise. Lock your arms in a straight position and lift the barbell up until your rear deltoids are fully contracted. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your hands together under your legs, palms facing each other. Don’t forget to check out the video links provided in the exercise descriptions, above. In addition to some specialized shoulder exercises, you’ll also approach each set with a specialized method of doing the reps. Means posterior deltoid exercises can be performed using classic shoulder press. Make sure you are rotating through exercises over a 4 to 6-week period and providing your rear delts with new and challenging movements and weights to keep progressing. This workout consists of 1 warm-up circuit and 1 working circuit. Stand upright, holding a barbell with a grip that is wider than shoulder width apart. 7 of the Best Rear Delt Exercises for Size and Strength. WorkoutDigest is not associated with CrossFit.com. A key thing to remember with training your shoulders in general, is that mobility is key. Immediately get off the bench and do the same exercise from the standing, bent-over position. Your rear delts—the ones you can't see in the mirror—are so underdeveloped that you'd a need a microscope to spot them. Part of the shoulder being trained: Anterior deltoid exercise. Rear deltoid exercises, for this reason, are great in assisting with the correction of rounded shoulders. Choosing a weight at which you fail on the lower side of the 8-10-rep range is a solid muscle-building option. Lie on your side with your knees bent, in a comfortable and stable position. Lying one-arm lateral raises. One option is to do a rear-delt single-joint isolation exercise before working the middle and front delts. This is one of the few exercises in bodybuilding to train the back head of the deltoid muscle. Think about how you do reverse flyes on the pec deck machine. Your palms should be facing inwards, and wrists rotated about 60-degrees from your body. The military press is one of the simplest, most basic workouts in the world. Pro tip: Exhale on the pull and inhale on the eccentric phase of the lift for maximum power. This is a powerful strength exercise that will get the back of your shoulders feeling the burn! Hold for a second and return to the starting position. The information and dumbbell exercise illustrations below are for dumbbell exercises that are grouped by main muscle groups.