The rear deltoids are a small muscle group located on the back of the shoulder. Though often overshadowed by the larger muscles in the chest and arms, the rear deltoids play an important role in shoulder stability and movement.
There are a variety of exercises that can target the rear deltoids, but not all are created equal. In this article, we’ll share 12 best exercise for rear deltoids.
What exercises work the rear delts
There are a few different exercises that work the rear delts.
- Dumbbell Reverse Fly
- Dumbbell Face Pull
- Dumbbell Upright Row
- Thumbs Down Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Cable Reverse Fly
- Cable Face Pull
- Cable Upright Row
- Cable Wide Grip Row to Face
- Band Tear Apart
- Band Face Pull
- Band Reverse Fly
- Bodyweight Reverse Flye
Dumbbell Reverse Fly
Dumbbell reverse fly is a great exercise for targeting the muscles in the back of the shoulder. Here’s how to do it:
• Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing inward.
• Bend forward at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, and then let your arms hang down so that the weights are hanging behind you.
• From this position, raise your arms out to the sides and up until they’re level with your shoulders. Be sure to keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
• Reverse the motion, lowering your arms back down behind you before returning to the starting position.
Dumbbell Face Pull
• Start by sitting on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs.
• Bend forward at the waist and bring the dumbbells up to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
• From here, extend your arms out to the sides and then back behind you, maintaining the position of your elbows close to your body. Return to the starting position and repeat for Reps.
Dumbbell Upright Row
• Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
• Bend your knees slightly and bend forward at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
• From this position, raise the weights straight up along your sides until they reach shoulder level. Be sure to keep your elbows above the level of your wrists throughout the movement.
• Lower the weights back down to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Thumbs Down Dumbbell Lateral Raise
• Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs and your thumbs pointing down.
• Bend your knees slightly and bend forward at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
• From this position, raise the weights out to the sides until they’re level with your shoulders. Be sure to keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
• Lower the weights back down to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Cable Reverse Fly
• Attach a D-handle to the low pulley of a cable machine and stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
• Grab the handle with your right hand and step forward with your left leg, placing your left hand on your left thigh for support.
• Lean forward from the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor and then bring the handle up to shoulder level, keeping your elbow close to your side. Return to the starting position and repeat for reps before switching sides.
Cable Face Pull
• Attach a rope handle to the high pulley of a cable machine and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Grasp the rope with your palms facing each other and step forward with your left leg, placing your left hand on your left thigh for support.
• Lean back until your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the floor and then bring the rope toward your face, maintaining the position of your palms facing each other. Return to the starting position and repeat for reps before switching sides.
Cable Upright Row
• Attach a straight bar to the low pulley of a cable machine and stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
• Grasp the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and let it hang in front of you at arm’s length.
• Bend your knees slightly and bend forward at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. From this position, raise the bar straight up along your body until it reaches chin level. Be sure to keep your elbows above the level of your wrists throughout the movement. Lower the bar back down to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Cable Wide Grip Row to Face
• Attach a straight bar to the low pulley of a cable machine and stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
• Grasp the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and let it hang in front of you at arm’s length.
• Bend your knees slightly and bend forward at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. From this position, row the bar up to your chest, leading with your elbows. As you row the bar up, twist your wrists so that your palms end up facing your face. Return to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Band Tear Apart
• Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a mini resistance band wrapped around your palms, hands shoulder-width apart.
• Keeping your arms straight, raise your hands out to the sides until they’re at shoulder level.
• From here, tear the band apart by moving your hands away from each other. Return to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Band Face Pull
• Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and a resistance band wrapped around a sturdy object in front of you, hands shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees slightly and lean forward from the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. From this position, row the band up to your chest, leading with your elbows. As you row the band up, twist your wrists so that your palms end up facing your face. Return to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Band Reverse Fly
• Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and a resistance band wrapped around a sturdy object behind you, hands shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees slightly and lean forward from the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. From this position, raise your arms out to the sides and up until they’re level with your shoulders. Be sure to keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
• Reverse the motion, lowering your arms back down behind you before returning to the starting position.
Bodyweight Reverse Flye
• Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and your arms hanging down at your sides.
• Bend forward at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, and then let your arms hang down so that your palms are facing behind you.
• From this position, raise your arms out to the sides and up until they’re level with your shoulders. Be sure to keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
• Reverse the motion, lowering your arms back down behind you before returning to the starting position.
How can I train my rear deltoids at home?
There are a few exercises you can do at home to target your rear deltoids.
One exercise you can do is the bent-over fly. To do this exercise, start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in. Bend forward at the hips until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. From here, raise your arms out to the sides and up until they are level with your back. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Another exercise you can do is the standing reverse fly. Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. From here, raise your arms out to the sides and up until they are level with your shoulders. Return to the starting position and repeat.
You can also do shoulder presses to target your rear deltoids. To do this exercise, start by holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with your palms facing in. Press the weights up overhead and then lower them back down to shoulder level. Repeat for reps.
How do you do rear delt without a machine?
To do rear delt without a machine, you will need to use a resistance band. Attach the resistance band to a doorknob or other sturdy object. Stand with your back to the door, holding the band in both hands. Bend your elbows and bring your hands up to shoulder level. From here, squeeze your shoulder blades together and raise your arms out to the sides. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Do shrugs work rear delts?
There is some debate over whether shrugs actually work the rear deltoids, or whether they primarily target the trapezius muscles. However, many experts believe that shrugs can be an effective exercise for targeting the rear deltoids when done correctly.
To properly target the rear deltoids with shrugs, it is important to keep the shoulders down and back throughout the entire movement. This will ensure that the rear deltoids are activated, rather than the trapezius muscles. It is also important to use a moderate weight and to focus on slow, controlled movements.
Do bent-over rows work rear delts?
When it comes to working the rear deltoids, bent-over rows are a great exercise. This exercise works the muscles in the back of the shoulder, which include the rear deltoids. By doing this exercise, you can help to build strength and definition in the rear deltoid muscles.
Bent-over rows can be done with a variety of different weights. If you are new to this exercise, start with light weights and work your way up. You can also use dumbbells or a barbell for this exercise. Be sure to use proper form when doing this exercise, as using the bad form can lead to injury.
Overall, bent-over rows are a great exercise for working the rear deltoids. If you are looking to build strength and definition in these muscles, this is a great exercise to add to your workout routine.
How many times a week should you work rear delts?
Most experts recommend working with them two to three times per week. This will ensure that you are hitting them frequently enough to see results, but not so often that you are overtraining them.
When it comes to the actual exercises that you should be doing, there are a few that stand out as being particularly effective for rear deltoid development. These include dumbbell flyes, Dumbbell rear delt raises, and face pulls.
