Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

Setup

1. 01Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and stand with feet hip width apart.
2. 02Hinge at the hips until the torso is close to parallel with the floor.
3. 03Let the dumbbells hang under the shoulders with palms facing each other.
4. 04Set a flat back and a slight bend in both elbows.

Execution

1. 01Raise both dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc.
2. 02Lead with the elbows until the upper arms are level with the torso.
3. 03Squeeze the rear delts briefly at the top.
4. 04Lower under control back under the shoulders.

Checkpoints

• -Torso angle stays fixed for the whole set.
• -Elbows stay slightly bent and lead the movement.
• -The shoulder blades move naturally without a hard pinch at the top.
• -The weights stay in line with the shoulders, not drifting toward the hips.

Common mistakes

• -Standing up out of the hinge to swing the weights.
• -Using heavy dumbbells that turn the raise into a row.
• -Bouncing the weights at the bottom for momentum.
• -Craning the neck up instead of keeping it neutral.