Rear Delt Exercises: 18 Proven Moves for Strong Shoulders

The best rear delt exercises move your upper arm backward and outward against resistance. Reverse pec deck flyes, cable rear delt flyes, chest supported raises, bent over flyes, and wide elbow rows are useful options.

But there is an important detail that many exercise lists miss: not every drill that works the back of the shoulder is a true rear delt isolation exercise.

A face pull also uses the upper back and rotator cuff. External rotation work mainly targets the rotator cuff. A low trap raise is mainly a trap exercise.

That distinction helps you build a cleaner, more useful shoulder program.

This article is for general information and education. It does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

I am not a dermatologist or a doctor, and this content does not replace professional medical advice. What I share comes from real life experience, extensive research, and consultation with healthcare providers. Always consult qualified medical professionals for diagnosis and treatment of any health condition.

For broader strength guidance, visit the NextFitLife Fitness Hub and Benefits of Exercise Guide.

Rear Delt Exercises: Quick Answer

If your goal is to build the back of your shoulders, start with one direct fly movement and one pulling movement.

A simple combination is:

• Reverse pec deck
• Cable rear delt fly
• Chest supported wide elbow row
• Face pull as optional accessory work

You do not need 18 exercises in one workout.

The longer list below gives you options for different equipment, goals, and training environments.

What Is the Rear Delt?

The rear delt is the posterior part of the deltoid muscle that covers the shoulder.

The deltoid has three main portions:

• Anterior deltoid at the front
• Middle deltoid at the side
• Posterior deltoid at the back

The posterior deltoid helps move the upper arm backward and outward.

It contributes to horizontal abduction, shoulder extension, and some external rotation movements.

That is why reverse flyes and wide elbow pulling movements train it well.

Rear Delts Are Not the Same as Your Upper Back

This is where exercise advice gets messy.

When you pull your shoulder blades together, your trapezius and rhomboids work.

When your upper arm moves backward, the rear delt contributes.

Those things often happen during the same exercise, but they are not identical.

A row can train the rear delts while still being mainly a back exercise.

A reverse fly usually makes the rear delt a more direct target because the elbow angle stays more fixed and the upper arm moves outward.

What Does the Research Say?

A small EMG study comparing reverse pec deck flyes, seated rows, and inclined lat pull downs found greater posterior deltoid activation during the reverse pec deck.

A later systematic review of deltoid activation found high posterior deltoid activation across several pulling movements, including pull ups and suspension rows.

These findings are useful, but there is a catch.

EMG tells us about electrical activity during an exercise. It does not prove that one exercise will create more muscle growth over months of training.

So use activation research to guide exercise choice, not to create a fake ranking where number one is guaranteed to grow twice as much as number two.

1. Reverse Pec Deck

The reverse pec deck is one of the simplest ways to train the rear delts directly.

Your chest stays supported while the arms move outward and backward.

How to Do It

1. Adjust the seat so the handles are near shoulder level.
2. Keep your chest against the pad.
3. Keep a small bend in your elbows.
4. Move your arms outward and backward.
5. Stop before you need to twist or shrug.
6. Return slowly.

Use enough load to challenge the rear delts without turning the movement into a full body swing.

2. Cable Rear Delt Fly

The cable rear delt fly gives you tension through a large part of the movement.

Stand between two cables or use opposite pulleys.

Keep the elbow angle almost fixed while the arms move outward.

If you keep bending the elbows as you pull, the exercise becomes more like a row.

3. Single Arm Cable Rear Delt Fly

A single cable lets you train one side at a time.

This can make it easier to focus on the shoulder rather than letting both shoulder blades dominate the movement.

Stand far enough from the machine to keep tension on the cable from the start.

Move the arm across and away from the body with control.

4. Chest Supported Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

Lie chest down on an incline bench and let the dumbbells hang below you.

Raise the arms outward with a soft elbow bend.

The bench removes much of the body swing that can ruin standing dumbbell flyes.

This makes it one of my preferred dumbbell choices when the goal is direct rear delt work.

For more dumbbell variations, see Rear Delt Exercises With Dumbbells.

5. Bent Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly

Hinge at the hips, keep your spine controlled, and let the dumbbells hang beneath the shoulders.

Raise the arms outward rather than pulling the dumbbells toward your waist.

Use less weight than you think you need.

If your torso rocks with every repetition, the load is too heavy for useful isolation work.

6. Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Raise

Sit near the edge of a bench and lean forward.

Let the dumbbells hang under your legs, then raise them outward.

The seated position reduces lower body movement and works well when you do not have an incline bench.

7. Head Supported Rear Delt Raise

This simple variation is useful when your lower back gets tired before your shoulders.

Hinge forward and lightly support your forehead against the top of an incline bench or another stable pad.

Then perform a controlled rear delt raise.

The support helps remove body movement without changing the basic shoulder action.

8. Wide Elbow Chest Supported Row

A row becomes more rear delt focused when the elbows travel farther away from the torso.

Use a chest supported bench and pull the dumbbells or handles toward the upper chest rather than the hips.

The rear delts work hard, but so do the upper back muscles.

This is why I call it a rear delt biased row rather than an isolation exercise.

9. Wide Grip Cable Row

Sit tall and use a wider grip or rope setup.

Let the elbows travel outward instead of keeping them tight to your ribs.

Pull toward the upper torso.

If you row toward the waist with tucked elbows, the movement shifts toward the lats.

10. Rear Delt Barbell Row

Hinge forward and use a wider than normal grip.

Pull the bar toward the upper chest with the elbows flared.

This allows heavier loading than a reverse fly, but it also uses more upper back muscle.

Keep the torso steady rather than jerking the bar upward.

11. Incline Bench Rear Delt Row

Lie chest down on an incline bench with dumbbells in your hands.

Pull the elbows outward toward shoulder height.

This removes momentum and helps you focus on the upper arm path.

The movement sits between a row and a reverse fly.

12. Suspension Trainer Inverted Row

Suspension rows train the back, biceps, and rear delts together.

A systematic review found strong posterior deltoid activation in suspension row variations.

Make the exercise easier by standing more upright.

Make it harder by moving your feet farther forward and placing your body closer to horizontal.

13. Pull Up

A pull up is not a rear delt isolation movement.

Still, the posterior deltoid contributes during pulling.

The systematic review of deltoid activation found high posterior deltoid activity during pull up variations.

That matters for programming because someone already doing a lot of pulling may need less direct rear delt volume than someone whose routine is mostly pressing.

14. Face Pull

The face pull is useful, but it is commonly oversold.

Pull a rope toward the face while the elbows move outward and the shoulders rotate.

This trains the rear delts, upper back, and external rotators together.

It is a mixed shoulder exercise rather than a pure rear delt isolation movement.

That is not a problem.

It just means you should know what you are training.

15. Band Face Pull

A resistance band gives you a simple home version.

Anchor the band securely around face height.

Pull toward the face while keeping your rib cage controlled.

Do not lean far backward just to make a heavy band move.

16. Band Pull Apart

The band pull apart is easy to perform at home.

Hold a band in front of you with straight or softly bent arms.

Pull your hands apart until the arms move out toward the sides.

Choose a band light enough to let your shoulders move smoothly.

This works well as accessory training, but do not mistake hundreds of easy pull aparts for progressive resistance.

17. Rear Delt Machine Fly With Neutral Grip

Some reverse fly machines offer several grip choices.

A neutral grip can feel more comfortable for many lifters and has shown strong posterior deltoid activation in small EMG research.

The important part is still the arm path.

Keep the movement controlled and avoid turning the end of the rep into a hard shoulder blade squeeze.

18. One Arm Bent Over Rear Delt Raise

A unilateral dumbbell raise works well when one side feels harder to control.

Support your free hand on a bench or rack, hinge forward, and raise the working arm outward.

The support lets you focus on the shoulder rather than balance.

Use the same range and tempo on both sides.

What About External Rotation Exercises?

This deserves its own section because the old article treated external rotation as a direct rear delt exercise.

The rear delt can assist with external rotation, but the rotator cuff muscles are major players.

Side lying external rotations, band external rotations, and cable external rotations are excellent exercises when rotator cuff strength is your goal.

I would not count them as your main rear delt building work.

What About Y Raises and Low Trap Raises?

Y raises are useful shoulder exercises.

They are especially good at involving the lower trapezius and other scapular muscles.

They are not the first exercise I would choose if the specific goal is larger rear delts.

That is another reason exercise labels matter.

Which Rear Delt Exercise Is Best for Each Goal?

A Simple Two Day Rear Delt Workout

You do not need a separate rear delt day.

Add a small amount of direct work to two upper body sessions.

Day 1

Day 2

Those rep ranges are examples rather than rules.

The goal is to use enough resistance that the final repetitions are challenging while technique stays controlled.

How Many Rear Delt Sets Do You Need?

There is no scientifically proven rear delt number that everyone must use.

The 2026 ACSM resistance training update recommends higher weekly volume when muscle growth is the goal, with around 10 weekly sets per muscle group used as a practical reference point.

But your rows and other pulling exercises already give the rear delts some work.

This means you may not need 10 additional isolation sets.

A practical approach is to start with several direct rear delt sets spread across two sessions, then add volume only if:

• Your technique stays good
• Your shoulders recover well
• Your performance is improving
• You still need more rear delt development

More sets are useful only when you can recover from them.

Do Rear Delts Need 8 to 12 Reps?

No.

The old version of this article treated 8 to 12 repetitions as the special muscle building range.

That is too rigid.

Muscle can grow across a wider range of loads when sets are challenging enough and weekly training is appropriate.

Rear delt flyes often feel better with moderate or higher reps because the long lever makes heavy dumbbells difficult to control.

Rows can usually be loaded heavier.

Match the rep range to the movement instead of forcing every exercise into the same box.

Do You Need to Train to Failure?

No.

The 2026 ACSM guidance found that training to momentary muscle failure is not required for the average healthy adult to make progress.

You should still work hard.

Stopping every set when it feels easy will not create much reason to adapt.

Use controlled challenging sets and add load or repetitions as your strength improves.

Rear Delt Exercises at Home

You can train rear delts without a machine.

Simple Home Session

1. Bent over dumbbell rear delt raise
2. One arm supported rear delt raise
3. Band pull apart
4. Band face pull

If you only have dumbbells, see Rear Delt Exercises With Dumbbells for more variations.

How Often Should You Train Rear Delts?

For most people, two upper body sessions each week are enough opportunities to train them.

The 2026 ACSM guidance recommends training all major muscle groups at least twice per week as a practical baseline.

Frequency is not magic by itself.

If you split the same useful weekly work across two sessions instead of one, you may simply find the sets easier to perform well.

Do Rows Train the Rear Delts Enough?

Sometimes they provide plenty of indirect work.

The answer depends on how you row.

A wide elbow row toward the upper chest asks more from the posterior deltoid than a lat focused row with the elbows tucked toward the waist.

If your program already contains plenty of wide rows and pull ups, start with modest isolation volume.

If your routine is mostly chest pressing and lat pulldowns, direct reverse fly work makes more sense.

Do Rear Delt Exercises Fix Poor Posture?

No single exercise fixes posture.

Rear delt and upper back strength can support your ability to control the shoulders, but posture also depends on habits, mobility, comfort, anatomy, fatigue, and the task you are doing.

Do not expect a reverse fly to permanently pull your shoulders into one “perfect” position.

Train for strength and movement capacity rather than chasing a rigid posture.

Do Rear Delt Exercises Prevent Shoulder Injuries?

This claim also needs caution.

Strong shoulders are useful, but there is no evidence that doing face pulls or reverse flyes guarantees protection from shoulder injury.

Shoulder health depends on training load, strength, technique, sport demands, previous injuries, and many other factors.

If a face pull feels good and fits your program, use it.

Do not treat it like injury insurance.

8 Rear Delt Training Mistakes

1. Using Too Much Weight

If your torso swings and traps shrug on every rep, reduce the load.

2. Turning Every Fly Into a Row

Keep the elbow angle relatively fixed during direct fly movements.

3. Squeezing the Shoulder Blades Too Hard

Some scapular movement is normal, but do not turn a rear delt fly into a shrug and upper back squeeze.

4. Assuming Face Pulls Are Pure Rear Delt Work

They also train external rotation and upper back muscles.

5. Counting Rotator Cuff Work as Rear Delt Isolation

External rotation drills have a different primary purpose.

6. Doing Too Many Similar Exercises

Three reverse fly variations in the same session usually add less value than one well progressed variation.

7. Changing Exercises Constantly

Keep key movements long enough to improve technique and loading.

8. Training Through Sharp Shoulder Pain

Muscle fatigue is expected. Sharp joint pain is not.

When Shoulder Pain Needs Attention

Stop the exercise and seek professional assessment if you have:

• Sudden severe shoulder pain
• A clear injury or fall
• Loss of strength after an injury
• Persistent night pain
• Visible deformity
• Repeated instability or dislocation
• Numbness or tingling into the arm
• Pain that keeps getting worse

Exercise selection should change when pain changes the problem.

Conclusion

The best rear delt exercises are not 18 movements squeezed into one session.

Choose one direct reverse fly variation and one useful pulling movement, train them consistently, and increase resistance or repetitions as you improve.

Start with the reverse pec deck and cable rear delt fly this week. Add a wide elbow row if your program needs more pulling work, then let steady progression do the rest.

References and Sources

1. American College of Sports Medicine. Resistance Training Guidelines Update. 2026.
   https://acsm.org/resistance-training-guidelines-update-2026/
2. American College of Sports Medicine. Resistance Training Position Stand Infographic. 2026.
   https://www.acsm.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Resistance-Training-Position-Stand-infographic.pdf
3. Botton CE, et al. Analysis of Anterior, Middle and Posterior Deltoid Activation During Single and Multijoint Exercises.
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24947920/
4. Activation of the Three Deltoid Muscle Portions During Common Strengthening Exercises: A Systematic Review.
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39593452/
5. American Council on Exercise. Shoulder Exercise Research and Training Resources.
   https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/blog/
6. National Library of Medicine. Deltoid Muscle Anatomy and Function Resources.
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/

Internal Links + Hub

• NextFitLife Fitness Hub for strength, cardio, mobility, and workout guidance.
• Benefits of Exercise for the wider benefits of regular physical activity.
• Rear Delt Dumbbell Exercises for dumbbell focused posterior shoulder training.
• Rear Delt Exercises With Dumbbells for home and gym dumbbell variations.
• Hamstring Exercises for lower body strength, hip hinge work, and posterior chain training.
• How to Stay Fit for building a repeatable weekly fitness routine.
• Healthy and Active Lifestyle for exercise, food, sleep, and recovery habits.
• Physical Fitness and Mental Health for the broader mental and physical benefits of regular movement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best rear delt exercises?

Reverse pec deck flyes, cable rear delt flyes, chest supported rear delt raises, bent over dumbbell flyes, and wide elbow rows are practical choices. A face pull can also be useful but trains the upper back and rotator cuff at the same time.

What does the rear delt do?

The posterior deltoid helps move the upper arm backward and outward. It contributes to horizontal abduction, shoulder extension, and some external rotation movements.

Is the reverse pec deck good for rear delts?

Yes. A small EMG study found greater posterior deltoid activation during the reverse pec deck than during seated rows or inclined lat pull downs.

Do rows train rear delts?

Yes. Rows can train the rear delts, especially when the elbows travel outward and the pull finishes higher on the torso. Rows also involve the traps, rhomboids, lats, and other muscles.

Are face pulls a rear delt exercise?

Face pulls train the rear delts, but they are not pure rear delt isolation. They also involve the upper back and shoulder external rotators.

Are external rotations good for rear delts?

The rear delt can assist external rotation, but external rotation drills mainly train the rotator cuff. Use reverse flyes or rear delt biased rows when posterior deltoid growth is the main goal.

How many rear delt exercises do I need?

Most workouts need only one or two rear delt focused exercises. Choose movements you can progress consistently rather than adding many similar fly variations.

How many sets should I do for rear delts?

There is no single perfect number. Start with a recoverable amount of direct work across your weekly upper body sessions and remember that rows and pull ups already provide some rear delt training.

How often should I train rear delts?

Two upper body sessions per week provide enough opportunities for most people. Frequency should still fit your total training volume and recovery.

Do rear delts need high reps?

No single rep range is required. Fly movements often work well with moderate or higher repetitions because lighter loads are easier to control, while rear delt biased rows can usually use heavier resistance.

Can I train rear delts at home?

Yes. Dumbbell rear raises, supported one arm raises, band pull aparts, and band face pulls all work well at home.

Do rear delt exercises fix posture?

No single exercise fixes posture. Rear delt and upper back training can improve strength and movement control, but posture also depends on habits, mobility, anatomy, comfort, and the task you are doing.

Do face pulls prevent shoulder injuries?

Face pulls can be useful strengthening exercises, but there is no good evidence that doing them guarantees protection from shoulder injury.

What should I do if rear delt exercises hurt my shoulder?

Stop the painful exercise and reduce the load or change the movement. Persistent pain, weakness after injury, instability, numbness, or worsening symptoms should be assessed by a qualified healthcare professional.