Fitness Volt
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Strongman
    • Powerlifting
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2025 WSM
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Muscle Groups
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Mobility & Stretching
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Supplements
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Calculators
  • More
    • Forum
    • Strength Standards
    • DIY
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Strongman
    • Powerlifting
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2025 WSM
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Muscle Groups
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Mobility & Stretching
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Supplements
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Calculators
  • More
    • Forum
    • Strength Standards
    • DIY
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Home » Exercise Guides » Shoulders

Barbell Rear Delt Raise: Sculpt Your Upper Back and Shoulders

The barbell rear delt raise is an effective shoulder exercise that also works several muscles of the upper body and helps with posture. In this guide, you'll learn how to incorporate it into your workout regime.

Written by Matthew Magnante, ACE

Last Updated on11 August, 2024 | 5:22 AM EDT

Ask Question?

The barbell rear delt raise is a unique, underrated shoulder exercise that still deserves a place in your workout routine. It works several muscles of the upper body and is a great option for really loading the muscles that make up the shoulder girdle. Although, its primary purpose is to build the posterior or rear deltoids which play an important role in the roundness of well-developed delts and maintaining good posture. 

We put together some useful information on this exercise which includes muscles worked, exercise instructions, variations, and how to include it in your training. 

Here’s a guide to the barbell rear delt raise…

Barbell Rear Delt Raise Details
Basic Information
Body Part
Shoulders
Primary Muscles
Deltoids, Infraspinatus, Rhomboids, Teres Minor, Trapezius
Secondary Muscles
Levator Scapulae, Supraspinatus
Equipment
Barbell, Weight Plates, Bench Or Incline Bench, Weightlifting Gloves
Exercise Characteristics
Exercise Type
Strength
Movement Pattern
Pull
Force Type
Concentric
Unilateral/Bilateral
Unilateral
Compound/Isolation
Isolation
Bodyweight Exercise
No
Training Parameters
Difficulty Level
Intermediate
Target Training Goals
Hypertrophy
Suitable Workout Phases
Main workout
Risk Level
Moderate
Weight Category
Light (e.g., light dumbbells, medicine balls)
Recommended Rep Ranges
GoalRep Range
Strength6-10
Hypertrophy8-12
Endurance12-20
Power3-5
Muscular endurance12-15
Stability core8-12
Flexibility mobility8-12
Similar Exercises
  • Dumbbell Curl and Press: Ultimate Move for Sculpted Arms!
  • Cable Triceps Kickbacks: Master Your Form for Stronger Arms
  • Decline Skull Crusher: Target Your Triceps for Maximum Gains
  • Standing Twisting Cable Row: Strengthen Your Back & Obliques

Muscles Worked

Check out all of the muscles involved in barbell rear delt raises. 

  • Biceps Brachii – Help to pull the weight up by flexing the elbow. 
  • Brachialis – Strong elbow flexor in the forearm and upper arm beneath the outer biceps. 
  • Brachioradialis – Forearm muscles that aid in grip strength. 
  • Deltoid posterior – Rear delts engage when the arms are behind the body. 
  • Levator Scapulae – A muscle in the back that helps elevate the scapula or shoulder blades. 
  • Trapezius Upper Fibers – Upper trap muscles lift the scapula up during the pull. 
  • Forearms – Help to maintain form grip and keep the wrists mobile. 

Exercise Instructions

The barbell rear delt raise can be an awkward movement compared to common exercises that we do on a daily basis. So, we’ve provided the step-by-step instructions to help you perform it safely and correctly. 

Note: we recommend using lighter weights at first to ensure you’re performing the exercise correctly. Then you can increase the poundages as you become more proficient with this exercise.

Get Fitter, Faster

Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!

Please wait...
You're In! Let's Crush Your Fitness Goals Together

Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way.

  1. Place the barbell on the floor and stand with your heels touching it, feet about hip or shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend down and grip the bar with your hands about hip-width apart, palms facing away from you.
  3. Stand up straight and let the barbell hang down with arms extended. Keep a good posture and you can bend your knees slightly.
  4. Use your upper rear muscles to pull your elbows up behind your back.
  5. Extend your arms and repeat. 

Here’s a video example of the barbell rear delt raise… 

3 Variations of the Barbell Rear Delt Raise

To keep things simple (because this exercise is already awkward enough), we chose three effective variations that you can do. 

Read delt reverse barbell raise

This is a must-have variation for building the rear delts. It may be even more challenging but it really hammers the rear delts like no other. Not to mention, you’ll get a little tricep action in there too. 

To do this exercise, you want to set up as if you were doing a deadlift while keeping your arms straight. You’ll then raise the bar up behind you and squeeze the rear delts. You should use an empty bar, at least at first. But even as you progress, you’ll still likely not be able to use a lot of weight. 

Here’s a great video that shows how it’s done…

Dumbbell rear delt raise

We always have to offer the dumbbell variation just because dumbbells are a must-have training tool. And you can do most exercises using dumbbells that you could with a barbell. 

Get Fitter, Faster

Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!

Please wait...
You're In! Let's Crush Your Fitness Goals Together

Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way.

Plus, using dumbbells allows for a free range of movement, different hand positions, and it requires more total body stability, coordination, core activation, and it allows you to identify a potentially weaker side which is actually very common. Go light with the dumbbells, perfect your form, feel the muscles working, and then if you decide you want to step it up, grab the next weight up. 

Cable rear delt raise

Can’t have a list of variations and not include cables. The beauty of cables is that there are a variety of attachments that you can use and there’s always tension regardless of body/arm position. 

How To Include The Barbell Rear Delt Raise In Your Workout Routine

The rear delts are often a neglected muscle group possibly due to a few reasons. Many times we leave them out because we can’t see them and we forget about them, or we think they receive enough stimulation on back day, or maybe you just don’t care to do a few extra sets for the rear delts. 

None of these are good reasons to skimp on rear delt training. In fact, because the rear delts are often underdeveloped and because they are essential to good posture, you can get away with training them a little more than other muscles. 

Of course, you don’t want to overtrain them but this isn’t likely to happen for most people. Doing more rear delt work will only benefit you both aesthetically and functionally. 

We recommend doing 3 sets of the barbell rear delt raise when you train shoulders, in addition to your other exercises. And, because the rear delts usually don’t get the attention they deserve, you may even benefit from adding in a few extra sets on back day or another training day. 

But the most important thing is that you train them directly. 

Wrapping Up

The barbell rear delt raise can take your shoulder gains to the next level. You can’t get that cannonball look without developing your rear delts and we think this is an excellent exercise for this purpose. 

So, we hope this guide was helpful and now you have enough knowledge to effectively include this movement in your shoulder training regime. 

Interested in measuring your progress? Check out our strength standards for Deadlift.


If you have any questions about this article, please feel free to contact Matthew Magnante by leaving a comment below.

Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: Follow us on Google News You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn Pinterest
Categories: Arms Exercise Guides Shoulders
Previous Post

Amanda Lawrence Smashes 575lb Deadlift Single; 550lb Double in Training

Next Post

Chris Dickerson Survives Heart Attack And COVID-19 To Celebrate 81st Birthday

Matthew Magnante, ACE

Matthew Magnante, ACE

Matthew is an ACE (American Council On Exercise) certified fitness professional who has had a passion for fitness since elementary school and continues to research and learn how to build muscle effectively through training and diet. He also loves to help others to achieve their fitness goals and spread the knowledge where needed. Matthew's other passions include learning about mindfulness, strolling through nature, traveling, and always working to improve overall.

Related

Victory Raise Guide
Exercise Guides

The Victory Raise: The Only Exercise You Need for Big, Strong, Healthy Shoulders!

Hatfield Squat
Exercise Guides

The Hatfield Squat: Combining the Benefits of Free Weights and Machine Training

One Arm Cable Chest Fly Exercise Guide
Exercise Guides

One Arm Cable Chest Fly: Target Your Chest Muscles Effectively

Hollow Roll
Exercise Guides

Transform Your Core: Master the Hollow Roll for Total Ab Strength

Wide Pushup Guide
Exercise Guides

Wide Push-Ups: Strengthen Chest, Arms, and Core Effectively

Dumbbell Jump Squat Guide
Exercise Guides

Dumbbell Squat Jump: Ignite Your Legs and Core for Strength

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

Bodybuilder Dennis Wolf Still Ripped at 46, Discusses His Health in Retirement

Stiff Hips? Do This One Daily Exercise to Unstick & Strengthen

Keone Pearson Looks Huge in Latest Physique Update 14 Weeks Before Title Defense at 2025 Mr. Olympia

Mr. Beast Challenges Brian Shaw To a Tug-of-War Against a Lion

Lee Priest Reveals His Top Barbell Exercises for a Massive Back

Jay Cutler Explains His Current Training Split at 51 Years Old

Fitness Volt

At Fitness Volt, our mission is to empower every individual on their fitness journey by providing expert advice, the latest research, and comprehensive resources. Whether you are a beginner or an elite athlete, we are here to support your goals with trustworthy and up-to-date information in strength, fitness, and nutrition. Read more.

For inquiries, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]

About Us | Careers | Contact Form

Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • WSM
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercises
  • Training
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Discussion Forum

More

  • Calculators
  • Fasting
  • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Workout Plans
  • At-Home Workouts
  • Programs
  • Supplements
  • Newsletter
  • Review Process
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Disclaimer

© Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Strongman
    • Armwrestling
    • CrossFit
    • Results
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2024 WSM
    • Arnold Classic
  • Forum
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Workout Plans
    • Muscle Groups
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Programs
    • Mastering The Deadlift
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
    • Yoga
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Supplements
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Reviews
    • Food Facts
  • Fitness Calculator
  • More
    • DIY
    • Strength Standards
    • Motivation
    • Videos

© Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.