10 Best Lying Rear Delt Raise Alternatives for Rear Delt Strength

The Lying Rear Delt Raise has you face down on a flat bench, raising a dumbbell in each hand out to the sides until your arms sit level with your shoulders. The Lying One-arm Lateral Raise is the closest swap: same flat bench, same dumbbell, one arm at a time so you can catch a weaker side. Without a bench, the Dumbbell Lying On Floor Rear Delt Raise puts you face down on the floor with your arms out in front and sweeps them up and out to the sides.

Original Exercise: Lying Rear Delt Raise

Lying Rear Delt Raise
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
How to Perform Lying Rear Delt Raise
  1. While holding a dumbbell in each hand, lay with your chest down on a flat bench.
  2. Position the palms of the hands in a neutral manner (palms facing your torso) as you keep the arms extended with the elbows slightly bent. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now raise the arms to the side until your elbows are at shoulder height and your arms are roughly parallel to the floor as you exhale. Tip: Maintain your arms perpendicular to the torso while keeping them extended throughout the movement. Also, keep the contraction at the top for a second.
  4. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and then switch to the other arm.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Lying Rear Delt Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise

1. Lying One-Arm Lateral Raise

99.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. While holding a dumbbell in one hand, lay with your chest down on a flat bench. The other hand can be used to hold to the leg of the bench for stability.
  2. Position the palm of the hand that is holding the dumbbell in a neutral manner (palms facing your torso) as you keep the arm extended with the elbow slightly bent. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now raise the arm with the dumbbell to the side until your elbow is at shoulder height and your arm is roughly parallel to the floor as you exhale. Tip: Maintain your arm perpendicular to the torso while keeping your arm extended throughout the movement. Also, keep the contraction at the top for a second.
  4. Slowly lower the dumbbell to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Lying One Arm Rear Lateral Raise

2. Dumbbell Lying One Arm Rear Lateral Raise

98.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie face down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in one hand, hanging towards the floor.
  2. Keep your arm straight and lift the dumbbell out to the side, away from your body.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise

3. Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise

91.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie face down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
  2. Extend your arms straight down towards the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  3. Engaging your shoulder muscles, lift your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (with Support)

4. Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (with Support)

91.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing inwards.
  3. Lean forward and place your free hand on the bench for support.
  4. Keep your arm slightly bent and raise it out to the side until it is parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arm back down to the starting position.
Dumbbell Lying On Floor Rear Delt Raise

5. Dumbbell Lying On Floor Rear Delt Raise

86.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie face down on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
  2. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  3. Engaging your shoulder muscles, lift your arms up and out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sled Reverse Flye

6. Sled Reverse Flye

85% Match
Delts Other Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach dual handles to a sled connected by a rope or chain. Load the sled to a light weight.
  2. Face the sled, backing up until there is some tension in the line. Take both handles at arms length at about waist level. Bend the knees slightly and keep your chest and head up. This will be your starting position.
  3. Without flexing the elbow, pull the handles upward and apart, performing a reverse fly with some external rotation. Your palms should be facing forward as you do this.
  4. Return to the starting position, taking a couple steps back to take the slack out of the line.
Dumbbell Rear Fly

7. Dumbbell Rear Fly

84.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Extend your arms straight down towards the ground, palms facing each other.
  4. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lift your arms out to the sides and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
Dumbbell Reverse Fly

8. Dumbbell Reverse Fly

84.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Extend your arms straight down in front of you, palms facing each other.
  4. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
Reverse Flyes

9. Reverse Flyes

84.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. To begin, lie down on an incline bench with the chest and stomach pressing against the incline. Have the dumbbells in each hand with the palms facing each other (neutral grip).
  2. Extend the arms in front of you so that they are perpendicular to the angle of the bench. The legs should be stationary while applying pressure with the ball of your toes. This is the starting position.
  3. Maintaining the slight bend of the elbows, move the weights out and away from each other (to the side) in an arc motion while exhaling. Tip: Try to squeeze your shoulder blades together to get the best results from this exercise.
  4. The arms should be elevated until they are parallel to the floor.
  5. Feel the contraction and slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench

10. Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench

83.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell in each hand and with an incline bench in front of you.
  2. While keeping your back straight and maintaining the natural arch of your back, lean forward until your forehead touches the bench in front of you. Let the arms hang in front of you perpendicular to the ground. The palms of your hands should be facing each other and your torso should be parallel to the floor. This will be your starting position.
  3. Keeping your torso forward and stationary, and the arms straight with a slight bend at the elbows, lift the dumbbells straight to the side until both arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you lift the weights. Caution: avoid swinging the torso or bringing the arms back as opposed to the side.
  4. After a one second contraction at the top, slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat the recommended amount of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Lying Rear Delt Raise Alternative

A flat bench is not always free, and lying face down with a dumbbell in each hand can feel wobbly when your chest is doing all the balancing. The Lying Rear Delt Raise also works both arms together, which can hide a weaker side. Working one arm at a time, the way the Lying One-arm Lateral Raise does from the same flat bench, lets you feel each shoulder separately. The Dumbbell Lying One Arm Rear Lateral Raise does the same one-arm raise with the dumbbell hanging toward the floor and the arm kept straight. Moving to the floor instead, the way the Dumbbell Lying On Floor Rear Delt Raise does, takes the bench out of the setup entirely.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Take the Lying One-arm Lateral Raise when you want the nearest feel to the Lying Rear Delt Raise: same bench, same dumbbells, one arm at a time so you can catch a weaker side. If the bench is busy or you would rather work on the floor, the Dumbbell Lying On Floor Rear Delt Raise uses the same dumbbells with the floor supporting your chest instead. With an incline bench free, Reverse Flyes put your chest and stomach against the incline and move the dumbbells out to the sides in an arc. If you want your torso doing some of the holding rather than resting on a pad, the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) sits you on a bench, leaning forward with one hand braced while the other arm raises the dumbbell out alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do the Lying Rear Delt Raise at home?

Yes. A pair of dumbbells and a flat bench cover the Lying One-arm Lateral Raise and the Dumbbell Lying One Arm Rear Lateral Raise. With no bench at all, the Dumbbell Lying On Floor Rear Delt Raise has you lie face down on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand.

Which swap is easiest for a beginner?

The Dumbbell Lying On Floor Rear Delt Raise is the easiest place to start. It starts with your arms out in front on the floor and sweeps them up and out to the sides, so there is no bench to balance on while you learn the movement. The Lying One-arm Lateral Raise is a good second choice once you want more control over each side.

Which alternative works without a bench?

The Dumbbell Reverse Fly needs no bench at all: you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, then raise the dumbbells out to the sides until your arms are parallel to the ground.

What is a harder version of the Lying Rear Delt Raise?

The Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Fly (With Support) braces one hand on a bench while the other arm raises the dumbbell alone. The Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise With Head On Bench is a real step up: you stand, lean forward until your forehead touches an incline bench with your torso parallel to the floor, and lift both dumbbells to the side with nothing under your chest.

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