Rear Delt Training That Actually Works: Build Width, Balance, and Shoulder Health
When lifters think “shoulders,” most picture overhead presses, lateral raises, and front-heavy work. But if you’re neglecting your rear delts, you’re leaving one-third of your shoulder potential untapped—and compromising both your aesthetics and performance in the process.
The rear (posterior) deltoid doesn’t just make your shoulders look complete. It plays a critical role in shoulder joint health, posture, and symmetry—both from the side and the back.
Weak rear delts lead to forward-slouching posture, poor scapular control, and that dreaded “flat” side view, even if your front and side delts are well-developed.
This article breaks down how to actually train your rear delts effectively—with strategies that go beyond the typical bent-over dumbbell fly.
Whether you’re a competitive bodybuilder, an advanced lifter, or just trying to look balanced and strong, this guide gives you everything you need.
What Do Rear Delts Actually Do?
The posterior deltoid is often misunderstood or lumped into back training. But it has very specific functions:
- ✅ Shoulder Horizontal Abduction: Pulls the arm back and outward, like in reverse fly movements.
- ✅ External Rotation Support: Helps stabilize the shoulder joint, especially during pressing and pulling.
- ✅ Postural Control: Assists in keeping the shoulders pulled back and upright.
- ✅ Scapular Balance: Balances the stronger front delts to prevent internal rotation dominance.
Bottom line: Rear delts are essential for a healthy, powerful upper body—and crucial for achieving a “3D” look from every angle.
The Best Rear Delt Exercises (Ranked by Effectiveness)
Let’s break down the top rear delt movements, why they work, and how to program them for maximum hypertrophy and control.
🔹 1. Reverse Pec Deck (Rear Delt Fly Machine)
Why it works: The machine locks your body into place and allows for pure isolation of the rear delts without momentum. Perfect for high-rep work.
How to do it:
- Set the seat so your arms are in line with your shoulders.
- Grab the handles with a neutral grip.
- Keep your chest glued to the pad, lead with the elbows, and squeeze at the peak.
📌 Sets/Reps: 3–4 sets of 15–20
📌 Pro Tip: Hold the contraction at the back for 1–2 seconds for extra time under tension.
🔹 2. Cable Rear Delt Cross / Rear Delt Fly
Why it works: Cables offer constant tension, unlike dumbbells, and allow for a greater range of motion and stronger peak contraction.
How to do it:
- Set two cables at upper-chest height.
- Cross your hands and pull the handles out and back in an arc.
- Keep your elbows high and wide, and squeeze your shoulder blades lightly—without retracting too much.
📌 Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12–15
📌 Pro Tip: Use lighter weights and pause at the peak to emphasize the squeeze.
🔹 3. Bent-Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly
Why it works: A classic bodybuilding staple, this move lets you train with dumbbells while focusing on the rear delts through a horizontal plane.
How to do it:
- Hinge forward with a flat back and slight bend in the knees.
- With dumbbells hanging under your chest, raise them out to your sides while keeping a soft bend in the elbows.
- Avoid shrugging or letting the traps take over.
📌 Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12–15
📌 Pro Tip: Pretend you’re “hugging a barrel” — this encourages the right arc and reduces trap dominance.
🔹 4. Face Pull (Rope + High Anchor)
Why it works: This is not just a rear delt exercise—it’s a shoulder health builder. It targets the rear delts, traps, and rotator cuff all at once.
How to do it:
- Attach a rope to a high pulley.
- Pull the rope toward your face, elbows flared out, and thumbs pointing behind you.
- Focus on separating the rope at the end to fully engage the rear delts.
📌 Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 15–20
📌 Pro Tip: Light weight, strict form, and a strong peak contraction is the name of the game here.
🔹 5. Chest-Supported Rear Delt Row (Wide Elbow Position)
Why it works: This lets you train the rear delts with heavier loads than flyes, while minimizing momentum and spinal stress.
How to do it:
- Lie chest-down on an incline bench.
- Grab dumbbells or a barbell with a wide grip, elbows flared.
- Row the weight toward your upper chest, keeping elbows perpendicular to your torso.
📌 Sets/Reps: 3–4 sets of 10–12
📌 Pro Tip: Think “rear delt row,” not “trap row” — elbows out, not tucked in.
Rear Delt Training Volume & Frequency: How Often Should You Train Them?
Rear delts are small but highly fatigue-resistant, meaning they can handle—and often need—more volume and frequency to grow.
✔️ Frequency:
- Train rear delts 2–4 times per week.
- Ideal to add them on pull days, shoulder days, or as part of upper-body sessions.
✔️ Volume:
- 12–20 total sets per week is ideal for hypertrophy.
- Break this into 3–4 movements rotated across different sessions.
✔️ Reps:
- Stick to the 12–20 rep range with lighter weights and strict form.
- Rear delts respond better to time under tension than brute load.
Pro Tips for Rear Delt Growth (Technique That Actually Works)
Even the best exercise won’t deliver results if your technique is off. Rear delts are small, and they’re easily overshadowed by traps or rhomboids. Here’s how to maximize activation:
- ✅ Elbows lead the movement, not the hands.
- ✅ Control the eccentric: Lower the weight slowly (2–3 seconds).
- ✅ Pause at peak contraction for 1 second.
- ✅ Keep your traps relaxed. Don’t shrug.
- ✅ Avoid swinging — cheat reps do nothing for rear delts.
📌 Pro Tip: Add rear delt isolation as the first or last lift of your workout for extra focus—especially on back or shoulder days.
Sample Rear Delt Focus Session (Add-On)
Here’s a plug-and-play mini-session you can tack on after your push or pull workout, 2–3x per week.
Rear Delt Add-On Workout:
- Reverse Pec Deck – 4 sets x 15–20
- Cable Rear Delt Fly (Cross or Neutral) – 3 sets x 15
- Face Pull (Rope) – 3 sets x 20
- (Optional) Rear Delt Row (Chest Supported) – 2–3 sets x 10–12
Time: 15–20 minutes
Focus: High-rep, strict control, peak contraction.
Common Rear Delt Mistakes (Don’t Sabotage Your Gains)
Avoid these rear delt killers:
❌ Letting traps dominate
If your shoulders are shrugging during rear delt work, your traps are stealing the tension.
❌ Training them only with rows
Standard rows primarily target lats and mid-back. Rear delts need horizontal abduction, not scapular retraction.
❌ Neglecting volume and frequency
Once a week won’t cut it. Rear delts thrive on frequent stimulus and accumulated tension.
❌ Going too heavy
Rear delts are not power muscles. Go lighter, slower, and more controlled to truly overload them.
Final Word: Rear Delts Finish the Physique
Flat from the side. Narrow from the back. Imbalanced in the mirror.
That’s what happens when rear delts are ignored.
But when you train them with volume, isolation, and intention, they transform your upper body. The side view becomes rounder. The back shot gets more depth. Your posture improves. Your compound lifts feel more stable.
Remember: the best physiques aren’t just about the “mirror muscles.” They’re balanced, complete, and functional.
So train your rear delts like any other major muscle:
- With focus
- With frequency
- With smart programming
Rear delts might be small — but they make a big difference.
🔗 Related Articles:
- Complete Shoulder Training Guide
- Best Shoulder Exercises Ranked
- How to Grow Side Delts
- Fixing Common Shoulder Training Mistakes
- Pull Day Workout for Back + Rear Delts
