Seated rear delt raise
- Sit at the end of a bench and lean forward until your torso is near your thighs, holding dumbbells with palms facing each other.
- Raise the dumbbells out to your sides in a wide arc, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, until they are level with your shoulders.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position under control.
Tips
- Lean your torso far enough forward that it is close to parallel with the floor, so the rear delts are positioned to do the work as you raise the dumbbells out to the sides.
- Keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows throughout the movement rather than letting the angle change as you raise and lower the dumbbells.
- Lower the dumbbells at a controlled pace so the weight does not simply drop back to the starting position.
Common mistakes
- Sitting upright or only slightly leaning forward instead of bringing the torso close to the thighs, which changes the direction of the raise and takes the rear delts out of the primary working position.
- Bending the elbows more as the dumbbells rise, effectively turning the movement into a row rather than a lateral raise.
- Using momentum to swing the dumbbells upward rather than lifting them in a controlled arc, so the top of the movement is reached without a deliberate muscular effort.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
