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Smith Rear Delt Row
A bent-over row on the Smith machine performed with high, flared elbows to target the rear deltoids on a stable fixed bar path.
ShouldersMachineHorizontal pull
GoLightWeight mediasmith-rear-delt-row
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Rear deltoids
Secondary
RhomboidsMiddle trapeziusBiceps
Equipment
Machine
Pattern
Horizontal pull
Setup
- 01Set the Smith bar to a low position around knee height.
- 02Take a wide overhand grip, well outside shoulder width.
- 03Hinge at the hips until the torso is near parallel to the floor.
- 04Unhook the bar and let it hang with arms straight.
Execution
- 01Row the bar toward the upper chest with the elbows flared out wide.
- 02Drive the elbows up and back until the upper arms pass the torso line.
- 03Pause briefly with the bar near the upper chest.
- 04Lower under control to a full hang without dropping the chest.
Checkpoints
- -Elbows stay high and wide, roughly in line with the shoulders.
- -The bar touches the upper chest, not the stomach.
- -Torso angle stays fixed near parallel through the set.
- -The rear delts, not the lats, drive the pull.
Common mistakes
- -Pulling low to the belly and turning it into a lat row.
- -Standing up as the set fatigues to shorten the range.
- -Yanking with the arms instead of leading with the elbows.
- -Loading too heavy for a strict, elbow-led pull.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps with moderate weight.
- -Slots in as rear delt volume on either pull or shoulder days.
- -The fixed path suits strict tempo work such as a 2 second pause at the chest.
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