Best rear deltoids exercises

Bands · also trains upper back, traps

Band rear-delt back fly: band grab-and-go but needs an anchor post (8), band gives some but not free-weight stabiliser demand (7), rear-delt/upper-back small compound (6), simple (9). Rear deltoids is the correct specific head for a reverse/back fly.

Dumbbells · also trains shoulders

Side-lying dumbbell external rotation, classic rotator-cuff isolation. Bench-dependent, low-load single-joint. Rotator cuff pattern and rear-delt primary are correct. 0.4*8+0.3*9+0.2*4+0.1*9=7.7.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back

Seated bent-over dumbbell rear-delt raise. Rear deltoids primary. The transverse abduction is the rear-delt analogue of the lateral raise, so Lateral raise pattern fits. Seated, modest setup (8). Free weight with torso bent forward (9). Isolation (5). Form-sensitive (7).

Bands · also trains upper back, traps

Band rear-delt pull-apart. Setup 9 (band, grab-and-go). Stability 7 (free band tension). Efficiency 5 (isolation). Skill 9 (beginner-friendly). 0.4*9+0.3*7+0.2*5+0.1*9=7.6.

Dumbbells · also trains shoulders, traps

Cuban dumbbell press: external-rotation-into-press combo for rear delts/cuff, grab-and-go free weight, multi-phase and technical to coordinate.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, traps

Dumbbell unilateral rear-delt isolation. Grab-and-go dumbbell, but requires an inclined bench to lie on so setup drops slightly from 10. Free-weight unilateral trains stabilisers well, though lying prone against a bench removes some trunk stabilisation (9 not 10). Single-joint isolation = low efficiency. Moderate skill.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, traps

Dumbbell plus bench support, minor setup (setup 8). Free-weight unilateral, trains stabilisers though braced on bench (stability 9). Rear-delt row, semi-compound (efficiency 6). Moderate skill (skill 7). =7.6.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, traps

Incline-supported dumbbell rear-delt fly; free-weight isolation of rear deltoid with upper-back assist; needs a bench. Lateral raise is the nearest allowed pattern for horizontal abduction.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, overhead stabilisers

Incline-bench dumbbell reverse fly combined with external rotation. Rear-delt primary with deliberate cuff involvement, so Rotator cuff is the most informative pattern. Incline bench setup (8). Chest-supported free weight (9). Two-component movement but light isolation work (5). Coordination required (6).

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, traps

Dumbbell rear-delt raise with head supported on bench: free-weight grab-and-go, high stabiliser demand, but single-joint isolation. Proposal correctly refines Shoulders to Rear deltoids.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, traps

Incline-bench prone dumbbell rear-delt raise: free weight, high stabiliser demand, single-joint. Proposal correctly refines to Rear deltoids.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, traps

Lying dumbbell rear-delt raise on flat bench: free weight, high stabiliser demand, single-joint. Proposal correctly refines to Rear deltoids.

Other · also trains shoulders

Cross-body bodyweight stretch targeting rear delt/posterior shoulder. Grab-and-go (setup 9), passive so trains little stabilisation (5), single-joint stretch (efficiency 4), trivially easy (skill 10). 0.4*9+0.3*5+0.2*4+0.1*10=7.2.

Barbell · also trains upper back, traps

Barbell bent-over wide-grip rear-delt row. Setup 6 (barbell, no rack needed). Stability 7 (bent-over free-weight with postural demand). Efficiency 9 (compound pull). Skill 8. 0.4*6+0.3*7+0.2*9+0.1*8=7.1. Enrich 6.9 mis-summed the same breakdown.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, traps

Rear-delt reverse fly with the forehead braced on a bench: light bench bracing adds minor setup (7); free-weight but forehead-braced reduces stabilisation slightly (9); single-joint horizontal abduction (4); beginner (8). 0.4*7+0.3*9+0.2*4+0.1*8=7.1. Rear deltoids primary correct; reverse-fly mapped to the Lateral raise pattern is the nearest allowed value. Enrich grovScore 6.7 was an arithmetic error.

Dumbbells · also trains upper back, traps

Lying single-arm rear-delt raise on flat bench: free weight, high unilateral stabilisation, single-joint. Proposal correctly refines to Rear deltoids.

Bands · also trains shoulders

Band external rotation is a classic rotator-cuff isolation; grab-and-go anchor, beginner-safe, single-joint. Rear deltoids is the closest allowed primary.

Bands · also trains upper back

Banded back/reverse fly pulling the band out to the sides; this is a rear-delt and upper-back retraction movement, so Rear deltoids is a better primary than the batch's generic Shoulders. Band grab-and-go (high setup). Standing free fly trains some stabilisation. Single-joint isolation but engages multiple rear-chain muscles, so efficiency mid. Mild scap-control technique, skill 7. Agree.

Other · also trains upper back

Lying (prone) dumbbell rear-lateral raise. Dumbbells + a raised bench = medium-high setup (6, bench rig pulls it from grab-and-go). Free-weight dumbbell prone fly trains stabilisers well (8). Single-joint isolation (4). Accessible but prone-bench positioning adds mild fuss (skill 7). 0.4*6+0.3*8+0.2*4+0.1*7=6.3->6.7 (proposal used setup 7). Rear deltoids re-class from batch's vague Shoulders is correct; rear-fly maps to Lateral raise per rubric.

Cables · also trains upper back, traps

Cable row to neck targeting rear delts/upper back. Seated cable station, medium setup, fixed-ish path lowers stability, compound-ish pull, accessible. Rear-delt primary correctly reassigned from generic Shoulders.