How to do the Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise
ShouldersDeltsDumbbellIntermediate
The dumbbell incline rear lateral raise isolates the posterior deltoids with surgical precision, removing the cheating momentum that standing variations invite. Build thick, rounded rear delts and your entire shoulder will look complete from every angle.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Deltoids
Secondary
TrapeziusTriceps
Step-by-step
- Set a bench to 30 to 45 degrees, lie chest-down with your chest firmly against the pad and feet planted on the floor for stability
- Let the dumbbells hang directly below your shoulders with a neutral grip and a slight bend locked into your elbows
- Drive both dumbbells out and up in a wide arc, leading with your elbows and squeezing the rear delts hard at the top
- Lower the weights under full control over two to three seconds, resisting gravity rather than letting the dumbbells drop
Common mistakes
- Shrugging the traps to assist the lift, which steals the work from the rear delts — consciously depress your shoulder blades before each rep and keep them down throughout
- Using dumbbells that are too heavy and reducing the movement to a short, jerky pull — drop the weight and own the full arc with a controlled tempo
- Letting the chest lift off the pad to generate momentum — keep your torso pinned to the bench for the entire set to eliminate body English
Pro tip — At the top of each rep, externally rotate your wrists so your thumbs point slightly toward the floor — this small adjustment maximally activates the posterior delt fibers and prevents the traps from dominating the contraction.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
More Shoulders exercises
Want this built into a full plan?2fit4u turns moves like this into your personalized weekly program — free to start.
Build my free plan →