Rear Delt Raise Guide: How to Master the Rear Delt Raise

The rear delt raise, also known as the rear lateral raise and bent-over lateral raise, is a weightlifting exercise that targets your upper back muscles and shoulder muscles, particularly the posterior deltoids, or rear deltoids, on the backside of your shoulders. Rear delt raises are useful isolation exercises that can prepare you for more complex compound exercises like deadlifts, bench presses, and inverted rows.

With proper form, this rear delt exercise can also activate your triceps, rhomboids, infraspinatus muscle, and other scapular muscles around your shoulder blades. Variations of the rear delt raise use other free weights like kettlebells, barbells, or fly machines.

For the rear delt raise, begin by using a weight that you can control for 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions, making sure to master the form before moving up to heavy weights.

1. 1. Grab two dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in your knees. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips with a neutral head and neck position. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. The weight on your feet should be evenly distributed along each entire foot. Grip the floor with your feet to create a stable foot position.
2. 2. While maintaining a neutral spine, hinge your hips back. Your shins should be vertical and your upper body should be at a 30- to 45-degree angle. You should feel your legs working to support your position. Your arms should be long in front of you with a slight bend in your elbows, and your palms should face each other.
3. 3. Rotate your shoulders outward to engage your lats. Your shoulder blades should be in a neutral position. All repetitions should start from this position.
4. 4. While maintaining your alignment and a slight bend in your elbows, squeeze your posterior deltoids to initiate the upward movement.
5. 5. Lift your arms, bringing your upper arms perpendicular to your body and even with your back. As you lift the dumbbells through the range of motion, your shoulder blades should retract. Your hands should be lower than your upper arms.
6. 6. Pause at the top of the movement for 1–2 seconds.
7. 7. Slowly lower your arms until the dumbbells are back in the starting position. As you lower the dumbbells, your shoulder blades should protract. Lower the dumbbells only as far as you can maintain tension on your posterior deltoids.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

Throw on some athleisure, fire up a MasterClass Annual Membership, and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and GQ fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time.