Barbell Incline Lying Rear Delt Raise
Barbell Incline Lying Rear Delt Raise Exercise Description
The Barbell Incline Lying Rear Delt Raise trains shoulder horizontal abduction with the torso supported, emphasizing control over momentum. The primary mover is the posterior deltoid, with important assistance from the middle trapezius, rhomboids, and the rotator cuff to stabilize the shoulder and scapula. Performing the lift chest-supported on a 30–45 degree incline helps maintain a neutral spine and isolates the movement at the glenohumeral joint. A slightly-wider-than-shoulder-width overhand (pronated) grip gives the elbows room to travel in a wide arc, aligning the upper arm with the rear deltoid fibers. Focus on leading with the elbows, keeping the shoulder blades stable, and moving through a comfortable, controlled range to build precise shoulder control and balanced development.
- Muscle Groups: Delts, Shoulders
- Target Muscles: Deltoid - Posterior
- Assisting Muscles: Infraspinatus, Teres Minor
- Stabilizing Muscles: Rhomboid Major, Subscapularis, Supraspinatus, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Shoulders
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Barbell
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Shoulder Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Rear Shoulder
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Barbell Incline Lying Rear Delt Raise Exercise
‘- Set an incline bench to 30–45 degrees. Lie prone with chest and hips supported, feet planted, and spine and neck neutral (gaze toward the floor).
– Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Let your arms hang below your shoulders; keep a slight, consistent bend in the elbows.
– Set your shoulders: lightly draw the shoulder blades down and together without shrugging; brace so the ribs don’t flare.
– Initiate the lift by driving your elbows out in a wide arc. Raise the bar vertically until your upper arms are roughly in line with your torso.
– Keep wrists neutral and the bar level; avoid jerking, swinging, or arching the low back.
– Pause briefly at the top while maintaining scapular control.
– Lower the bar along the same path with control until the shoulders return to neutral—no bouncing off the bottom.
– Avoid turning it into a row: elbow bend stays minimal; the motion comes from the shoulders, not the forearms.
Barbell Incline Lying Rear Delt Raise Tips
‘- Set the bench to a 30–45 degree incline and lie with chest and hips fully supported, feet planted, and gaze toward the floor to keep the spine and neck neutral.
– Use a slightly-wider-than-shoulder-width overhand grip and let your arms hang below your shoulders with a slight, consistent bend in the elbows.
– Lightly draw your shoulder blades down and together without shrugging, and brace so your ribs don’t flare.
– Initiate each rep by driving your elbows out in a wide arc, leading with the elbows rather than the hands.
– Raise the bar until your upper arms are roughly in line with your torso, keeping the motion at the shoulders.
– Keep your wrists neutral and the bar level throughout the lift.
– Avoid jerking, swinging, or arching your lower back; emphasize controlled movement over momentum.
– Pause briefly at the top while maintaining stable, controlled shoulder blades.
– Lower the bar along the same path with control until the shoulders return to neutral, without bouncing at the bottom.
– Keep elbow bend minimal so the movement stays at the shoulders and does not turn into a row.
Barbell Incline Lying Rear Delt Raise Beginner Introduction
The Barbell Incline Lying Rear Delt Raise is a chest-supported barbell movement that targets the rear portion of the shoulders while also engaging the upper back. With the body resting face down on a moderately angled bench, the bar hangs beneath the shoulders and is guided outward in a broad, sweeping path led by the elbows. Because the torso is supported, the effort centers on the shoulder joint rather than the lower back, encouraging calm, steady motion instead of relying on swinging or jerking.
This setup encourages the rear shoulders, traps, and upper back muscles to share the work, while smaller stabilizers around the shoulder joint stay active to guide the bar. A grip that is a bit wider than shoulder distance naturally lets the upper arms travel in a wide arc that suits the back of the shoulders. The controlled upward and downward path emphasizes precise coordination, helping develop smoother shoulder mechanics and more evenly developed muscles across the back of the shoulders.