The 10 Best Rear Delt Exercises For Mass

The Rear Deltoids are undoubtedly the most neglected of the three heads which make up the shoulder muscles.

But why?

Well, since we can’t see them and there is not always enough focus in this muscle group, they’re often “forgotten”. But sometimes, people just think they’re too insignificant to train…

And another reason is that many assume the rear delts get worked plenty during back training and shoulder presses. And they definitely do… but not nearly as much as these exercises target the anterior and lateral shoulder heads.

Research shows that a focus on rear deltoid specific exercises is more effective than compound movements like the shoulder press, push-up, etc. (1)

So if you want a muscle to be fully developed and functional, training it directly is highly recommended. So, we’ve compiled some effective rear delt exercises and now there’s no excuse for you to skip them on shoulder day!

Rear Deltoid Function

The rear or posterior deltoids are involved in transverse extension (Internal rotation of shoulders) and transverse abduction (External rotation of shoulders). The rear delts are the main shoulder hyper-extensor and the muscle originates from the scapula and inserts into the humerus.

Exercises which require external rotation (Hyperextension) of the shoulders are the most beneficial for stimulating the rear deltoids.

And we’ve listed exercises which maximize this function.

The Best Rear Deltoid Exercises

These exercises isolate the rear deltoids very effectively because they are specific to the head of the muscle.

We’ll show you a variety to achieve maximum muscle activation with exercise instructions and tips.

“You have to target the shoulder with more than one exercise, and you have to be aware which area of the deltoid each exercise is targeting,” said Samantha Sweeney, M.S., and lead researcher for the Clinical Exercise Physiology program at the University of Wisconsin—LaCrosse.

1. Dumbbell Seated Rear Lateral Raise

One study by Ace research showed the seated rear delt raise to be among the most effective exercises based on EMG (Electromyography) testing. (2)

John P. Porcari, Ph.D., head of the Clinical Exercise Physiology program at the University of Wisconsin—LaCrosse, favors the seated lateral raise compared to other exercises,

“I like the seated rear lateral raise just because it’s easier”.

How to do the exercise:

1. Sit on the edge of a bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Keep your back straight and bend over slightly.
3. With an overhand grip and elbows slightly bent, raise both dumbbells up until you feel your rear deltoids engaged.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

2. 45-Degree Dumbbell Incline Row

The previously mentioned Ace study concluded that the 45-degree incline is on par with the seated rear delt raise for activating the posterior deltoids.

This variation will allow you to use more weight during the exercise which is excellent for overloading the muscles. And muscle overload = growth!

How to do the exercise:

1. Adjust the bench to a 45-degree angle.
2. Lie chest down on the bench with the balls of your feet on the floor and let your arms hang down. Hold the dumbbells with a neutral grip and keep your back straight.
3. Drive your elbows up and back like you would a row and contract your rear deltoids.
4. Drop arms back down slowly.

3. Standing Cable Reverse Fly

Cables are a great tool for keeping tension on the target muscle group and they allow you to move through a more natural range of movement than machines do. Standing during an exercise is also beneficial because you work core stabilizer muscles.

How to do the exercise:

1. Attach a single grip to each cable pulley at shoulder level or you can just grip the cable itself.
2. Grab the left handle with your right hand and the right handle with your left hand but remain between both pulleys.
3. Place one foot forward for balance.
4. With elbows bent, pull the ends of the cables away from each other so they cross and perform a reverse fly. Keep your arms shoulder level during the exercise.
5. Bring both cables back until they meet in the center of your body.

4. Reverse Pec Dec Fly

This exercise is performed on the Pec Dec machine but the movement is reversed. This movement requires less stabilization and the movement is performed in a fixed motion.

You can generally use heavier weight with these types of exercises as well which is very beneficial for muscle hypertrophy.

How to do the exercise:

1. Set the levers as close to the machine as possible so you have to reach straight in front of you to grip the handles.
2. Sit facing the weight stack and grab both handles with elbows bent.
3. Pull the levers back and engage your rear delts while keeping your back straight.
4. Return your arms back to in front of you but avoid touching the weight to the rest of the stack.

Related: Best Pec Deck Alternatives

5. Cable Rope Face Pull

Face pulls are a great movement for working the upper posterior chain of muscles in general. It works the traps, rhomboids, and rear delts.

So, a lot of people love to use this exercise because it’s also a great accessory movement which helps improve your bigger lifts.

How to do the exercise:

1. Set the rope attachment to chest level on the cable pulley.
2. Place one foot in front of you for balance.
3. Grip both sides of the rope handle so your knuckles are facing the ceiling and lower your elbows so that they’re halfway between parallel to the floor and your torso.
4. Pull the rope toward your face and squeeze your rear delts.

6. Dumbbell Bent-Over Reverse Fly

This variation is the same as the seated reverse fly but you’re standing in a bent-over position. Now, it’s important to make sure you’re not using a lot of momentum for this exercise unless the weight is really heavy.

But we recommend using a weight you can handle comfortably without compromising good form.

How to do the exercise:

1. While holding a dumbbell in each hand, bend your torso over while keeping your back straight and bend your knees slightly.
2. Bend your elbows and raise both dumbbells up and outward until your arms are parallel to the floor while engaging your rear delts. Use an overhand grip and keep the dumbbells in a neutral position.
3. Bring both dumbbells back down until they nearly touch.

7. Wide-Grip Inverted Row (Smith Machine)

Ok, so you’ll need a little upper body strength for this one but not as much as a bodyweight pull-up requires. This exercise is different and it’s also called the Australian pull-up but it’ll torch your rear delts. Plus, your rhomboids (Upper back) will get worked along with your traps and biceps.

You’ll just need a Smith machine to do this exercise and no weight is required except for your own.

How to do the exercise:

1. Set up the Smith machine bar so that it’s high enough for you to hang from beneath without touching your back to the floor.
2. Get underneath the bar and grip it with hands wider than shoulder-width. Your feet should be straight out with your heels touching the floor.
3. Pull yourself up to the bar.
4. Slowly lower your body back down until arms are extended.

8. Single-Arm Cable Reverse Fly

Unilateral (Affecting one side) training is beneficial for bringing up imbalances, improving core stabilization, injury prevention, and it has functional carryover to real-life activities. (3)

So, every effective training program should include unilateral movements.

And the single-arm cable reverse fly is an excellent exercise choice for training the rear delts.

How to do the exercise:

1. Set the cable pulley to shoulder level on one side of the machine and attach a single grip.
2. Stand so your left side is facing the cable pulley and grab the handle with your right hand.
3. Take a step to the right, bend your elbow and do a reverse fly.
4. Complete the desired number of reps and then face your right side to the pulley and perform the exercise using your left arm.
5. Alternate both sides to complete one set.

9. Barbell Bent-Over Rear Delt Row

The barbell row is arguably the best overall back exercise because it works every upper posterior chain muscle. But, the barbell rear delt row is a variation which focuses on the rear delts performing the exercise rather than back.

However, the back will still be engaged due to the nature of the movement.

How to do the exercise:

1. Use an overhand grip with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart.
2. Bend your torso over while maintaining a straight back and keep your knees slightly bent.
3. Use your rear delts to pull the barbell up toward your sternum or lower ribcage area. Hold for 2 seconds.
4. Lower the barbell so arms are almost fully extended.

10. Resistance Band Face Pull

Bands are a fantastic tool because tension is constantly placed on the target muscle.

And they make a great variation for the face pull which effectively works the upper posterior chain muscles as explained previously.

How to do the exercise:

1. Wrap the band around a bar or pole at upper chest level.
2. Grip the band with both hands so your thumbs are pointed directly at your face and stand with feet next to each other hip-width apart.
3. Lower your elbows but not too low where they’re pointed at the ground.
4. Pull the band toward mid-face as far as you can, using your rear delts.
5. Extend your arms back toward the bar but don’t lock out your elbows.

Exercise Tips:

• Always warm up with a few sets prior to heavy training. Two sets of 30 and 50-60% of your one-rep max in a pyramid sequence is recommended to warm up the muscles and prevent injury.
• Make sure to keep your elbows bent during each exercise. This allows for increased activation and engagement of the rear deltoids through a fuller range of movement.
• Never tip dumbbells forward or internally rotate your shoulders. This will eventually cause shoulder impingement issues.
• Never point your elbows outward during an exercise as this is also dangerous for the shoulders. Always make sure to tuck them in or down slightly.
• Keep progressing with the weight as long as you maintain good form. Muscles will only grow with progressive overload.
• Avoid cheating your reps. A little momentum is ok, as long as you’re still allowing the muscle to do most of the work.

Example Rear Delt Workout

It’s hard to devise a workout that’ll work for everyone because there are a few factors to consider; like training frequency, and experience.

But, here’s an effective rear delt workout you should try…

Dumbbell seated rear delt raise

• 3 sets x 10 reps (30-second rest in between sets)

Wide-grip inverted row

• 3 sets x AMRAP (As many reps as possible)/(45-second rest)

Cable rope face pulls

• 2 sets x 12 reps (30-second rest)

Final Words

The rear delts should get as much attention as the other two heads (Lateral and medial) which make up the deltoid muscles.

They’ll add dimension and mass to your frame but not without proper training and the right exercises. These specially chosen movements are perfect for your shoulder routine… so make sure to include them.

And for your training reference, each head of the shoulder requires its own specific training. We’ve learned that there’s no one best exercise for effective shoulder training.

But, it’s no secret the rear delts get ignored and so we hope you’ll divert your attention toward them a little more now!

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