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Dumbbell Lying Rear Delt Row animation

How to do the Dumbbell Lying Rear Delt Row

BackBack & LatsDumbbellIntermediate

The dumbbell lying rear delt row is a precision movement that isolates the often-neglected posterior deltoids and upper back stabilizers, building the thickness and balance that separates serious physiques from average ones. Performed chest-down on a bench, it removes momentum and forces pure muscular effort from exactly the muscles that need it most.

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Muscles worked

Primary
LatsMid-back
Secondary
BicepsRear deltsForearms

Step-by-step

  1. Set a flat bench to a low incline or keep it flat, lie face down with a dumbbell in each hand hanging straight below your shoulders.
  2. Initiate the pull by driving your elbows wide and high, leading with the rear delts rather than your hands.
  3. Squeeze hard at the top with your elbows above the level of your back and your shoulder blades pinched together.
  4. Lower the dumbbells under full control over two to three seconds, resisting gravity all the way back to the start position.

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the traps to complete the rep — keep your shoulders depressed throughout the entire movement to keep tension on the rear delts where it belongs.
  • Using dumbbells that are too heavy and turning it into a cheating row — select a weight light enough to feel a distinct contraction in the rear delt at the top of every rep.
  • Letting the elbows drop too low and turning it into a standard row — flare the elbows out to roughly 90 degrees from the torso to target the posterior deltoid specifically.

Pro tip — At the top of each rep, externally rotate your wrists slightly so your thumbs point toward the ceiling — this small adjustment maximizes posterior deltoid fiber recruitment and takes the biceps almost completely out of the movement.

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 Back exercises

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