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Dumbbell Rear Delt Row animation

How to do the Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

ShouldersDeltsDumbbellIntermediate

The dumbbell rear delt row is one of the most direct ways to build the often-neglected posterior deltoid, which is critical for shoulder balance and long-term joint health. Master this movement and you will not only see wider, rounder shoulders from every angle but also protect yourself from the chronic impingement that plagues pressing-heavy programs.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Deltoids
Secondary
TrapeziusTriceps

Step-by-step

  1. Hinge at the hips to roughly 45 degrees, letting the dumbbells hang straight down from your shoulders with a neutral grip.
  2. Initiate the pull by driving your elbows out wide to the sides, keeping them flared at or above shoulder height throughout the rep.
  3. Squeeze the rear delts hard at the top by pulling the dumbbells back and slightly outward, not just straight up.
  4. Lower the dumbbells under control over two to three seconds, resisting the urge to let gravity do the work.

Common mistakes

  • Turning it into a shrug by elevating the traps — consciously depress your shoulders before every rep and keep them down throughout the set.
  • Pulling with the elbows too low and close to the body, which shifts load to the lats — flare your elbows to at least 70 to 80 degrees from your torso to isolate the rear delts.
  • Using dumbbells too heavy and relying on momentum — drop the weight until you can feel the rear delt contract and release on every single rep with zero body swing.

Pro tip — At the top of each rep, externally rotate your wrists slightly so your thumbs point toward the ceiling — this small rotation maximally shortens the rear delt fiber and dramatically increases the quality of the contraction without adding any load.

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

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