Exercise library / Shoulders

Barbell Rear Delt Row

Main muscles
Shoulders
Also works
Biceps, Lats, Middle back
Equipment
Barbell
Level
Beginner
Type
Compound · Pull

How to do it

  1. Stand up straight while holding a barbell using a wide (higher than shoulder width) and overhand (palms facing your body) grip.
  2. Bend knees slightly and bend over as you keep the natural arch of your back. Let the arms hang in front of you as they hold the bar. Once your torso is parallel to the floor, flare the elbows out and away from your body. Tip: Your torso and your arms should resemble the letter "T". Now you are ready to begin the exercise.
  3. While keeping the upper arms perpendicular to the torso, pull the barbell up towards your upper chest as you squeeze the rear delts and you breathe out. Tip: When performed correctly, this exercise should resemble a bench press in reverse. Also, refrain from using your biceps to do the work. Focus on targeting the rear delts; the arms should only act as hooks.
  4. Slowly go back to the initial position as you breathe in.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Quick answers

What muscles does the Barbell Rear Delt Row work?
Mainly the shoulders, with help from the biceps, lats, middle back.
What equipment do I need?
Barbell.
Is it good for beginners?
Yes, it is rated beginner level.
How do I track progress on it?
Log each set and beat the weight or reps from last time. Liftrung shows your last set beside the next one and estimates your one-rep max from your sets.

More shoulders exercises

Exercise descriptions: free-exercise-db, public domain.