Rear delts: moves, progressions and balance

Set up. Lie face down on the floor or on an incline bench with your arms overhead in a Y shape, thumbs pointing up.

1. Lift your arms a little way off the floor or bench.
2. Hold for a moment.
3. Lower slowly.

Form cues

• Keep the neck long.
• Draw the shoulder blades down as you lift.
• Small, slow lifts are enough.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the chest high so the back takes over.
• Shrugging.

Set up. Lie face down on the floor or an incline bench with your arms straight out to the sides in a T, thumbs pointing up.

1. Lift your arms by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
2. Hold briefly at the top.
3. Lower slowly.

Form cues

• Keep the arms straight.
• Keep the head down.
• Move slowly.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the head and chest.
• Shrugging toward the ears.

Set up. Anchor a light band at elbow height. Stand side-on with the band in the far hand, elbow bent at a right angle and tucked against your side.

1. Rotate your forearm outward, keeping the elbow at your side.
2. Pause at the end of a comfortable range.
3. Return slowly.
4. Switch sides after the set.

Form cues

• Keep the elbow pinned.
• Use a light band.
• Move slowly both ways.

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbow drift out.
• Rotating the torso.

Set up. Anchor a band at about face height. Hold the ends with both hands and step back until there is light tension with straight arms.

1. Pull the band toward your face, spreading your hands apart.
2. Finish with your hands beside your ears and elbows high.
3. Return under control.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows high.
• Stand tall.
• Pause at the back.

Common mistakes

• Pulling to the chest with low elbows.
• Leaning back.

Set up. Set a rope on a cable at about face height. Grip the rope ends with palms facing down or in, and step back until the arms are straight.

1. Pull the rope toward your face, separating the ends.
2. Finish with your hands beside your ears and your elbows high.
3. Return under control to straight arms.

Form cues

• Lead with the hands pulling apart.
• Keep the elbows high.
• Stand tall without leaning back.

Common mistakes

• Pulling to the chest with low elbows, which makes it a row.
• Leaning back to move heavy weight.

Set up. Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back, or sit and lean forward over your thighs, holding a dumbbell in each hand under your chest.

1. With a slight bend in the elbows, raise the dumbbells out to the sides.
2. Squeeze the back of your shoulders at the top.
3. Lower slowly to the start.

Form cues

• Keep the torso still.
• Think of moving the arms out wide, not back.
• Use light weights.

Common mistakes

• Squeezing the shoulder blades so the upper back takes over.
• Swinging the weights up.

Set up. Sit facing the pec deck pad with the handles set to the rear position. Grip them with straight or slightly bent arms in front of you.

1. Open your arms out to the sides in a wide arc.
2. Squeeze the back of your shoulders.
3. Return under control.

Form cues

• Keep your chest on the pad.
• Keep the arms long.
• Move at the shoulder, not the elbow.

Common mistakes

• Pulling the shoulder blades hard together so the upper back takes over.
• Using momentum.

Set up. Set a cable at about shoulder height. Stand side-on and hold the handle with the far hand, arm reaching across your body.

1. Pull the arm out and back in a wide arc, keeping it nearly straight.
2. Stop when the arm is in line with your shoulders.
3. Return under control.
4. Switch sides after the set.

Form cues

• Keep the torso still.
• Lead with the hand, arm long.
• Use a light weight.

Common mistakes

• Twisting the torso.
• Bending the elbow so it becomes a row.

Set up. Set a cable at elbow height. Stand side-on with the handle in the hand farther from the machine, elbow bent at a right angle and tucked against your side.

1. Rotate your forearm outward, away from your stomach, keeping the elbow at your side.
2. Pause at the end of a comfortable range.
3. Return slowly.
4. Switch sides after the set.

Form cues

• Keep the elbow pinned to your side.
• Use a light weight.
• Move slowly.

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbow drift away from the body.
• Twisting the torso to finish.

Set up. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip a little wider than your shoulders. Hinge at the hips with soft knees until your torso is well inclined and the bar hangs below your shoulders.

1. Brace your stomach and keep your back flat.
2. Pull the bar toward your lower ribs, driving your elbows back.
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.
4. Lower the bar under control to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your torso angle fixed.
• Lead with the elbows.
• Keep your neck in line with your back.

Common mistakes

• Standing up more with every rep to heave the weight.
• Rounding the lower back.

Set up. Sit at the cable row with your feet on the platform and knees slightly bent. Grip the handle and sit tall with your arms straight.

1. Pull the handle toward your stomach, driving your elbows back.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
3. Let the handle move forward under control until your arms are straight and you feel a stretch across the upper back.

Form cues

• Keep your torso upright and still.
• Keep your shoulders down.
• Pull to the belly button area.

Common mistakes

• Rocking back and forth to move the weight.
• Shrugging the shoulders up to the ears.

Set up. Place one knee and the same hand on a flat bench, back flat and parallel to the floor. Hold a dumbbell in the other hand with the arm hanging straight.

1. Pull the dumbbell up toward your hip, keeping the elbow close to your side.
2. Squeeze the shoulder blade back at the top.
3. Lower the dumbbell under control to a full stretch.
4. Finish the set and switch sides.

Form cues

• Keep your hips and shoulders square to the floor.
• Pull toward the hip, not the chest.
• Keep your neck neutral.

Common mistakes

• Twisting the torso to lift the weight.
• Using only a short range at the top.

Set up. Straddle a barbell anchored in a landmine or T-bar base, attach a close handle and hinge forward with soft knees and a flat back.

1. Hold the handle with straight arms.
2. Pull it toward your chest, driving the elbows back.
3. Squeeze your upper back at the top.
4. Lower under control to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your torso angle steady.
• Brace your stomach.
• Keep your chest up.

Common mistakes

• Standing up as you pull.
• Rounding the lower back under the load.

Set up. Adjust the machine so your chest rests on the pad and you can reach the handles with straight arms. Plant your feet.

1. Pull the handles back, driving your elbows past your body.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
3. Return under control to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your chest on the pad.
• Keep your shoulders down.
• Pause briefly at the back.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the chest off the pad to move the weight.
• Cutting the stretch short at the front.

Set up. Set up as for a barbell row with the bar on the floor, torso nearly parallel to the floor, back flat and hands just outside shoulder width.

1. Brace and pull the bar explosively from the floor to your lower chest.
2. Touch the body briefly with the elbows driven back.
3. Lower the bar back to the floor under control.
4. Reset your back before the next rep.

Form cues

• Each rep starts dead from the floor.
• Keep the torso flat and still.
• Pull fast, lower controlled.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the torso to start each rep.
• Dropping the bar and losing position.

Set up. Set a bar in a rack at about waist height. Lie underneath, grip it a little wider than your shoulders and hold your body straight with your heels on the floor.

1. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
2. Pull your chest up to the bar, driving the elbows back.
3. Lower under control to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your body in one straight line.
• Bend your knees to make it easier.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top.

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips sag.
• Leading with the chin instead of the chest.

Set up. Adjust the seat so you reach the handles above and in front of you with straight arms. Sit tall with your chest against the pad if there is one.

1. Pull the handles down and back toward your sides.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together.
3. Return under control to straight arms.

Form cues

• Drive with the elbows.
• Keep the shoulders away from the ears.
• Keep the torso still.

Common mistakes

• Jerking the handles with the body.
• Shortening the range at the top.

Set up. Lie face down on the machine's angled pad with your feet on the platform. Grip the handles with straight arms.

1. Lift the weight off its rest and pull the handles toward your chest.
2. Squeeze your upper back at the top.
3. Lower under control to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your chest on the pad.
• Lead with the elbows.
• Keep your neck relaxed.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the chest off the pad.
• Shrugging toward the ears.

Set up. Set the Smith bar at about knee height. Grip it a little wider than your shoulders, unhook it and hinge forward with soft knees and a flat back.

1. Pull the bar toward your lower ribs.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
3. Lower to straight arms under control.
4. Rotate the bar back onto the hooks after the set.

Form cues

• Keep your torso angle fixed.
• Brace your stomach.
• Pull with the elbows.

Common mistakes

• Standing up with each rep.
• Rounding the back.