12 Rear Delt Dumbbell Exercises to Build Shoulders of a God

Written by Kiel DiGiovanni | Co-founder

Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute

FACT CHECKED

July 17, 2021

The posterior deltoids or rear delts don’t get enough love in most people’s workout routines. We’re here to change that with the 12 best rear delt dumbbell exercises to put on size and gain strength. Using dumbbells to work the rear delts allows you to really target the muscle in various body positions and hand positions that would be impossible to do with a barbell. Read on if you want to increase your shoulder strength, improve your posture, reduce risk of shoulder injury and look better all around.

what is the rear delt

Shoulder Anatomy

Before we get into the dumbbell exercises for the rear delts we should cover the other deltoid muscles. The shoulder is comprised of three main muscles:

Anterior Deltoid or Front Delt: Located on the front of your shoulder and upper arm this muscle enables the shoulder to rotate inwards. Exercises like front raises and pushups rely on the anterior deltoid.

Medial/lateral Deltoid or Side Delt: Found on the side of your upper arm, this muscle helps us to abduct our arms in exercises such as lateral raises.

Posterior Deltoid or Rear Delt: Located at the back of the shoulder and upper arm it enables us to laterally rotate and extend our arms. Rear delts help to keep an upright posture so that you're not hunched over and are also activated in movements like reverse flys where the arms are moving behind the body.

What is the rear delt?

The posterior deltoid A.K.A the rear delt is the rear muscle of the three headed deltoid muscle. The deltoid muscle is triangular shaped getting its name from the location posterior or back and the Greek letter delta, as it’s shaped like triangle. It lies over the glenohumeral joint creating the rounded curve of the shoulder. The origin of the rear delt is at the inferior border of the scapula and spine with insertion in the deltoid tuberosity of the lateral humerus.

Function of the rear delt

The main function of the rear delt is the action of moving the shoulder in horizontal abduction where the shoulder is internally rotated or shoulder extension when extending the arms behind the hips. It is also responsible for external rotation of the shoulder. The rear delts are involved in many pulling exercises and it acts as a stabilizer during pressing movements like the overhead press.

How Do You Hit Rear Delts With Dumbbells?

The best way to target the rear delts with dumbbells frequently include exercises where you will be hinging forward at the hips if standing or bending over if sitting. Other body positions that will target the rear delts with dumbbells can be lying on your side while externally rotating at the shoulder or lying face down then externally rotating the shoulder or bringing your arms up and away from your body. You will see these body positions displayed in the 12 best posterior deltoid dumbbell exercises below.

Benefits of Dumbbell Rear Delt Exercises

Performing rear delt exercises with dumbbells have a number of benefits such as gaining strength and muscle mass and improving bone density in the shoulder.

Here's a look at a few other benefits to doing rear delt exercises:

Better Posture: We spend so much of our time these days either sitting for too long staring at screens with our heads down looking at our phones or hunched over at our desk working(playing) on the computer. By strengthening the rear delts your shoulders will tighten up your upper back and help to straighten up your posture.

Stronger Shoulders: Stronger rear delts enhance the power of your shoulders in general giving you more stability and power when performing compound lifts such as overhead press, deadlift or bench press. Strong rear delts can also boost bodyweight exercises such as dips and pushups.

Reduce Risk of Shoulder Injury: Working the rear delts will help to strengthen your shoulders and add muscle therefore lowering the risking of rotator cuff injuries. Many rear delt exercises, especially with dumbbells, also require lighter weights so if you perform them with proper form then you don’t have to worry so much about injury due to pushing heavy loads.

Improved Looks: Training the rear delts can have positive effects on the overall look of your upper body. Filling out your shirt and straightening your upper back and posture can create a look of confidence.

12 Best Dumbbell Rear Delt Exercises

The key to doing rear delt dumbbell exercises is to really focus on contracting the muscle and squeezing the shouler blades together. The following dumbbell rear deltoid exercises will isolate the muscle so there’s no need to use very heavy weights. You should work with a weight that you will exhaust the muscle but not compromise form where you can injure yourself. You should lift the weights slowly and with purpose!

Let’s get into the 12 best posterior deltoid dumbbell exercises…

1. Side Lying Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

Lie on your side on a bench while bracing yourself with your inactive arm on the ground
Start by holding the dumbbell with an overhand grip with your arm bent 90 degrees at the elbow so that your upper arm is parallel to the floor
Raise your arm up by contracting your rear delt, keeping the dumbbell in a vertical position until your elbow is pointing towards the ceiling
Slowly return to starting position
Repeat for 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Note: Form is everything in exercises like this so start with a lighter dumbbell.

2. Dumbbell Incline Y Raise

If you're a fan of the Y raise, you may also like the standing IYT raise, as seen in these dumbbell arm exercises, filled with isolation moves not only for the shoulders but also biceps and triceps. You've got to love fully defined arm muscles to complement your rear delts!

Set up bench at a 45-degree incline
Lie down on the bench face first with your knees slightly bent and the balls of your feet on the ground.
Hold the weights with an overhand grip with your arms hanging straight under your shoulders
Raise the weight up and out keeping your arms straight until they are fully extended
Slowly lower to starting position
Repeat for 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps

3. Dumbbell Incline T Raise

Set up a bench on an incline of 30-45 degrees, get into position face down with feet on the floor behind you, knees bent
Grab dumbbells with an underhand grip, letting them hang directly under your shoulders
Contract your shoulder blades bringing your arms out to the sides keeping your arms straight until they are parallel with the floor
Slowly return to starting position
Repeat 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps

4. Seated Dumbbell Rear Fly

Sit on the end of a bench with your feet hip width on the ground in front of you
Hold dumbbells with neutral grip and lean forward keeping your back flat in a hip hinged position
Lower weights down towards the ground, keeping your elbows slightly bent, lift up and out to the side until your elbows are aligned with your shoulders
Slowly lower to starting position
Repeat 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps

5. Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise with Head Support

Set up bench on an incline
Grab dumbbells using a neutral grip
Hinge at the hips and bend forward placing your forehead on the bench
Start with dumbbells hanging under you with elbows slightly bent
Lift weights up laterally by contracting your rear delts
Slowly return to starting position
Repeat 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps

6. Incline Dumbbell Reverse Fly with Wrist Rotation

Set up bench with an incline of 45 degrees
Lie down face first, holding dumbbells with an overhand grip
Lift weights out to the sides keeping your elbows slightly bent while rotating your writs so that you end up holding the dumbbells with a neutral grip at shoulder height
Slowly lower to starting position
Repeat 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps

7. Dumbbell Rear Delt Pulls

rear delt dumbbell row

Standing with your feet hip width apart
Hold dumbbells with a neutral grip at your sides
Contract your shoulders and squeeze your rear delts while lifting the weights straight up bending your elbows until the weights are above your hips
Slowly lower to starting position
Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps

8. Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row

rear delt dumbbell workout

Hold a dumbbell with your left hand with a neutral grip
Stand to the side of a bench then place your right knee on the bench under your hips bracing yourself with your right hand under your shoulder
Keeping a neutral spine and core engaged. Start with the dumbbell towards the floor with your scapula retracted.
Pull the weight up, bending your elbow until the weight reaches your side
Slowly lower to starting position
Switch sides
Repeat 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps

Note: You can use a heavier weight with this exercise. Use a mirror to make sure you aren’t rotating your torso during the movement.

9. Dumbbell Bent Over Rear Delt Fly

Stand with feet hip width apart
Hold dumbbells with a neutral grip the hinge at the hips bending forward until your torso is almost parallel with the floor
Keeping a neutral spine and elbows slightly bent, engage your rear delts to raise the weights up to shoulder height
Slowly return to starting position
Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps

10. Dumbbell Bent Over Alternating Rear Delt Fly

what is the best rear delt exercise

Stand with feet hip width apart
Hold dumbbells with a neutral grip the hinge at the hips bending forward until your torso is almost parallel with the floor
Keeping a neutral spine and elbows slightly bent, engage your rear delt to raise the dumbbell up to shoulder height
Slowly return to starting position repeat with other arm, alternating sides
Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps

11. Single Arm Dumbbell Reverse Fly with Support

Set up a bench at almost a 90-degree incline
Stand behind the bench with feet hip width apart holding a dumbbell with a overhand grip
Hinge at the hips and reach up to brace yourself on the bench with your inactive arm
With your elbow slightly bent and the weight under your chest, contract your rear delt to raise the weight up and out to your side until your elbow is level with your shoulder
Slowly return to starting position
Switch sides
Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps

Related Exercises:

12. Dumbbell Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Row

Sit on the end of a bench with feet hip width apart
Hold dumbbells with an overhand grip then bend forward keeping your back straight
Starting with your arms straight and weights behind your legs retract your shoulder blades lifting the weight straight up while bending at the elbows until the weights reach just past your knees
Slowly lower to starting position
Repeat 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps

How can I hit my rear delts at home?

You can target your rear delts at home with bodyweight exercises or using items found in every household like a towel. You will want to keep in mind the function of the rear delts so that you can target them without equipment. Take a look below for three bodyweight rear delt exercises.

3 Bodyweight Rear Delt Exercises

Crab Bridge

Get into reverse plank position facing up with feet stacked under your hips and arms under your shoulders palms to the floor pointing forward
Engage your core, keeping your back straight and hips up
Hold the position for 30 seconds
Repeat 10 reps
Repeat for 2-3 sets of 10 reps

Forearm Plank Up & Downs

Get into plank position on your forearms
Drop your shoulders slowly
Contract rear delts and shoulder blades bringing you back to plank position
Repeat for 2-3 sets of 15 reps

Reverse Iron Cross

Lie down on your back with your arms stretched out to the sides and knees bent with your feet on the floor
Push into the ground with your forearms while contracting your rear delts bringing your torso off the ground
Slowly lower back to starting position
Repeat 2-3 sets of 10 reps

Rear Delt Release with Massage

Trigger point therapy or myofascial release can help to alleviate pain or tightness in the rear delt muscle. All you need is a massage ball or another type of semi-hard ball to massage out the trigger points causing your pain. By targeting the trigger points, you can release some tension and pain stored in the muscle.

How to:

Stand with your back to the wall
Place a massage ball behind your upper back on your rear delt just next to your armpit
Lean into the ball, moving in small circles for 30-60 seconds
Repeat 2-3 times

Note: This self-massage can also be performed lying down on the floor in the same manner.

Posterior Deltoid Stretch

It’s important to stretch your deltoids to reduce risk of injury and to lower the chances of experiencing shoulder pain or rear delt pain. Stretching your muscles will help to improve blood flow and circulation to the muscle tissue keeping them loose and flexible You should stretch all your deltoids evenly but for this article’s sake here are a few stretches for the rear delts.

Crossover Arm Stretch: Stand up straight then relax your shoulders. Reach one arm across your chest and hold it at the upper arm with your other hand. Gently pull across your chest as far as comfortable. Hold this for 30 seconds. Switch Sides. Repeat 2-3 times

Sleeper Stretch: Lie down on your side and with your lower arm bent at the elbow at 90 degrees with your forearm perpendicular to your body. Using your other arm gently push your arm down as far as comfortable. Hold the position for up to 30 seconds. Switch Sides. Repeat 2-3 times.

Lying Down Horizontal Abduction Stretch: Lie down face first on a bench or bed with one arm hanging off to the side. Begin with your arm hanging straight down then raise it to the side until reaching eye level. Switch sides. Repeat 2-3 sets of 10 reps.

What causes posterior deltoid pain?

The most common cause of rear delt pain is overuse, muscle strain, accident or tendons issues. People lifting heavy items or athletes where there are repetitive movements of the shoulder.

Symptoms of Posterior Deltoid Pain

Symptoms of rear delt pain can present in a number of ways but usually is felt when lifting the arm. This pain or tenderness can be the result of muscle strain or tears. Muscle strain severity is on a scale with three grades. Deltoid pain can be categorized in the following ways:

Grade 1: A mild strain that is characterized by pain, muscle tightness and minimal swelling. Range of motion isn’t affected too much at this point.

Grade 2: Limited range of motion, more intense pain and swelling is present. Lifting your arm will cause pain especially doing pushing movements such as overhead press or bench press.

Grade 3: A muscle tear that usually inhibits movement due to serious pain, swelling or muscle gap.

REAR DELT FAQS

Are Dumbbell Rows Good For Rear Delts?

Yes, dumbbell rows are a great exercise to strengthen the rear delts. Dumbbell rows are great because you can focus on lifting with one arm at a time while keeping your body supported with your other arm.

What Is The Fastest Way To Build Rear Delts?

The fastest way to build your rear delts is to do isolation exercises that specially target them. While it’s true that pulling exercises like lat pull downs and seated rows hit the rear delts, it has been proven with EMG data that more isolated movements like reverse fly on the pec deck recruit and activate the rear delts at a much greater rate.

Do Rear Delts Make You Look Bigger?

Yes, strong muscular rear delts will make you look bigger. Having large, wide shoulders can make your upper frame bigger. Large rear delts will add to the coveted inverted triangle look that many people are after when weight training. Built rear delts will also improve the symmetry to your upper body providing the balance between your chest and upper back.

Are Rear Delts Back Or Shoulders?

Although the rear delts are located on the posterior or backside of your body they are considered a shoulder muscle. The rear delts make up one third of the deltoids, the triangular shaped muscle that covers the shoulder. In many pulling movements the rear delts are engaged so when you do back exercises like pull-ups or lat pulldowns your rear delts will be worked.

Is The Posterior Deltoid Important?

Yes, the posterior deltoid is extremely important to keep your shoulders healthy and in good working condition. Rear delts have become increasingly important as society spends more and more time hunched over in front of a computer or looking down at phones. This hunching can lead to serious posture problems, shoulder and back issues and increases risk of injury. Strengthening the rear delts can help to counterbalance these problems.

Do Push Ups Work Rear Delts?

Pushups are one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do but unfortunately they don’t work the rear delts. The anterior deltoid or front delts get worked the most while doing pushups.

Do Pull Ups Hit Rear Delts?

Yes, pull-ups hit the rear delts along with a number of other muscles in your back, arms and shoulders. Many of the major muscle groups in the upper body are recruited to perform pull-ups properly. If you want to increase the load on the rear delts and work them more while doing pull-ups then you should opt for wide grip pull-ups. Wide grip pull-ups put more emphasis on the deltoids in general compared with regular grip.

rear delt stretches

FINAL NOTE

Isolating your rear delts with dumbbells is one of the best ways to build your rear delts fast. Try to focus on incorporating some rear delt specific exercises into your training routine. The benefits of training the rear delts can't be overstated, so go grab yourself a few dumbbells and get to work!

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