The Ultimate Rear Delt Workout: Targeting Your Shoulders from Every Angle

The Ultimate Rear Delt Workout: Targeting Your Shoulders from Every Angle

Shoulders are often neglected when it comes to strength training, yet they play a crucial role in our everyday movements. Ignoring them can result in poor posture and limited mobility. One of the most effective ways to build stronger, defined shoulders is by incorporating a rear delt workout into your routine.

In this article, we’ll be discussing the ultimate rear delt workout that targets your shoulders from every angle. You’ll learn the benefits of targeting the rear delts, which exercises to include for a killer rear delt workout, and how to incorporate them into your routine.

Why Should You Target Your Rear Delts?

The rear delts, or posterior deltoids, are the muscles located at the back of your shoulders that help with external rotation and shoulder extension. While most people focus on the front and middle delts, targeting your rear delts is just as important for overall shoulder strength and balance.

Incorporating exercises that target your rear delts can help improve your posture, prevent shoulder injuries, and even help relieve shoulder pain. Plus, having well-defined rear delt muscles can give your shoulders a more defined and complete look.

Exercises for the Perfect Rear Delt Workout

Now that you know why it’s important to target your rear delts let’s dive into some of the most effective exercises to include in your workout.

1. Rear Delt Flyes

One of the most popular exercises for targeting your rear delts is the rear delt fly. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab a pair of dumbbells. Bend your knees slightly, hinge forward at the hips and lean forward with a straight back. Then, raise the dumbbells out to the side, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your arms straight. Slowly lower the weights back down and repeat for reps.

2. Face Pulls

Face pulls are excellent for targeting your rear delts, upper back, and rotator cuff muscles. To perform face pulls, attach a rope handle to a cable machine and set it to chest height. Grab the rope with both hands and pull it towards your face while keeping your elbows high. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, hold for a second, and then lower the rope back down.

3. Overhead Press

The overhead press is a classic exercise that targets all three deltoids, including your rear delts. To perform this exercise, grab a barbell or pair of dumbbells and raise them up to shoulder height. Then, push the weight upwards until your arms are straight. Slowly lower the weight back down to shoulder height and repeat for reps.

4. Inverted Rows

Inverted rows are an excellent exercise for targeting your upper back, which includes your rear delts. To perform the inverted row, set up a barbell on a Smith machine or use a suspension trainer to hang from the ceiling. Then, pull yourself up towards the bar or handles by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold at the top for a second, then lower back down for reps.

Incorporating the Rear Delt Workout into Your Routine

To get the most out of your rear delt workout, it’s important to incorporate a variety of exercises that target your rear delts from different angles. We recommend performing each exercise for 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps, with a 60-90 second rest between sets.

You can perform your rear delt workout as a standalone routine or as part of your upper body workout. It’s important to give your muscles enough time to recover before your next workout, so we suggest performing this workout once a week.

In conclusion, targeting your rear delts is crucial for overall shoulder strength and balance. By incorporating the exercises mentioned above into your workout routine, you’ll be well on your way to stronger, more defined shoulders. Remember to keep proper form, vary your exercises, and give your muscles enough time to recover for optimal results.