All Exercises

Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise

Sculpt powerful, balanced shoulders with the Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise. This isolation exercise specifically targets your posterior deltoids, enhancing

Intermediate
Isolation
Push
1 min per set2 min rest

Description

Dumbbell rear lateral raise is a great exercise to target your rear deltoids and improve your shoulder mobility.

How to Do Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise

  1. 1
    Setup

    Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip. Hinge forward at your hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, allowing the dumbbells to hang straight down.

  2. 2
    Setup

    Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and ensure your palms face each other. Keep your back straight and core engaged throughout the movement.

  3. 3

    Exhale and, leading with your elbows, raise the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, focusing on contracting your posterior deltoids.

  4. 4

    Continue raising until your arms are parallel to the floor or slightly above, with the dumbbells at shoulder height.

  5. 5

    Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position with control, resisting gravity.

Tips

  • Focus on initiating the movement with your rear deltoids, not your traps or momentum, to maximize target muscle activation.
  • Keep a slight, consistent bend in your elbows throughout the movement to protect your joints and maintain continuous tension on the target muscles.
  • Avoid shrugging your shoulders; keep them depressed and retracted to ensure proper isolation of the posterior deltoids.
  • Utilize lighter weights to ensure strict form and allow for a greater mind-muscle connection with your rear deltoids.

Common Mistakes

  • ×Using too much momentum by swinging the weights reduces rear delt activation; instead, use lighter weights and focus on a slow, controlled raise and lower.
  • ×Shrugging the shoulders allows your traps to take over, diminishing rear delt engagement; keep your shoulders down and back throughout the exercise.
  • ×Rounding the back can lead to lower back strain; maintain a flat back and engaged core by properly hinging at the hips.

Variations

Related Exercises

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