Description
A weight training exercise targeting the deltoids and upper back muscles. The exerciser stands leaning forward, supporting their head, and raises the dumbbells laterally.
How to Do Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise (support head)
- 1Setup
Sit on a bench or stand, leaning forward from your hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. Place your forehead on a padded surface or the edge of a bench for support, allowing your arms to hang straight down with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- 2Setup
Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and keep your core engaged, ensuring your back remains straight and not rounded.
- 3
Exhale as you slowly raise the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, leading with your elbows, until your arms are parallel to the floor or slightly above. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- 4
Hold briefly at the top, feeling the contraction in your rear deltoids, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position with control. Avoid letting gravity drop the weights.
Tips
- Focus on the mind-muscle connection by consciously squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement to maximize rear deltoid activation.
- Keep the movement controlled throughout; avoid using momentum to lift the weights, which shifts tension away from the target muscles.
- Ensure your elbows remain slightly bent but fixed throughout the entire range of motion to protect your elbow joints and maintain proper form.
- Initiate the movement by thinking of pushing your elbows out and up, rather than just lifting the dumbbells, which helps engage the rear deltoids more effectively.
Common Mistakes
- ×Using too much weight often leads to compensation from the trapezius or swinging the body; reduce the weight to maintain strict form and isolate the rear deltoids.
- ×Allowing your back to round compromises spinal safety and reduces rear deltoid engagement; keep your spine neutral and core tight throughout the exercise.
- ×Shrugging your shoulders during the lift transfers tension to the upper traps instead of the rear deltoids; keep your shoulders depressed and away from your ears.
Variations
Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise
Sculpt powerful, balanced shoulders with the Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise. This isolation exercise specifically targets your posterior deltoids, enhancing
Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise
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Dumbbell Lying One Arm Rear Lateral Raise
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Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise
Perform dumbbell incline rear lateral raises to build strong, sculpted rear deltoids.
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