Exercise Guide

How to do dumbbell incline rear lateral raise

Master the setup, range of motion, and tempo for safer, more effective reps.

Overview

Most people turn rear delt raises into a full-body rhythmic swing. By lying face-down on an incline, you take the rest of the body out of the equation. This forces the small muscles of the upper back and the rear head of the shoulder to do all the work. It is an essential move for balancing out heavy bench pressing and improving the way your shoulders sit when you stand.

Why Use It

Locks the torso in place to prevent cheating.
Targets the rear deltoids and mid-back for better posture.
Reduces lower back strain compared to bent-over versions.

When to Use It

Use this as a high-volume accessory move on pull days or at the end of a shoulder session.

Stats

TIER

DIFFICULTY

Untrained to Advanced

EQUIPMENT

Machines, Dumbbell

TARGET MUSCLES

Shoulder, Shoulder

Instructions for Proper Form

Setup

Bench Angle: Adjust your bench to a 30-45 degree incline.
Positioning: Lie face-down. Your head should be just past the top edge of the bench.
The Grip: Hold dumbbells with palms facing each other.

Execution

The Arc: Raise the dumbbells out to your sides in a wide arc. Keep a soft bend in your elbows.

Pro Tip: Think about 'reaching wide' toward the walls rather than just lifting the weights up.
The Squeeze: Pause for a split second at the top when your arms are parallel to the floor.

Coaching Cues

Knuckles to the walls
Keep your ribs heavy on the pad
Lead with the elbows

Common Mistakes

The Chest Lift: Peeling your chest off the pad to swing the weights.
Shrugging: Pulling your shoulders toward your ears, which shifts the work to your neck.
Rowing: Bending the elbows too much and pulling the weights toward your ribs.

How to Fix It

The Chest Lift: Imagine your chest is glued to the bench; if it moves, the rep doesn't count.
Shrugging: Think about keeping your neck long and pushing your shoulders away from your ears.
Rowing: Use lighter weights and focus on keeping the angle of your elbow frozen throughout the set.

Mistakes by Level

Beginner

Using too much weight
Moving too fast

Intermediate

Losing the squeeze at the top

Advanced

Allowing the lats to take over

Mechanics

Use these setup and execution anchors to keep the rep organized, repeatable, and easier to progress.

Movement Pattern

Isolation

Body Position

Prone

Load Style

Bilateral

Muscles Worked

Primary

Rear-shoulder

Secondary

Mid-back
Traps

Stabilizers

Core

Setup Requirements

Set an incline bench to 30 or 45 degrees.
Lie face-down with your chest supported.
Let your arms hang straight down with a dumbbell in each hand.

Form Checklist

Is your chest staying on the pad?
Are your elbows slightly bent but locked?
Are you leading with the back of your hands?

Range of Motion

Raise the weights out to the sides until they are level with your shoulders. Lower them slowly until they are hanging straight down.

Breathing Pattern

Exhale as you fly the weights out; inhale as you lower them with control.

Tempo Guidance

2-0-2-1: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down, and a 1-second squeeze at the top.

Caution Notes

If you feel this in your neck, tuck your chin and focus on pulling with your elbows.

Programming

Treat these guidelines as practical programming defaults, then scale load, volume, and frequency to match the rest of the training week.

Best For

Shoulder health
Posture correction
Rear delt hypertrophy

Goal Tags

HypertrophyGeneral Fitness

Rep Ranges

12-15 reps
15-20 reps

Set Guidance

3-4 sets.

Rest Guidance

45-60 seconds.

Frequency

2-3 times per week.

Pairings

Dumbbell Bench Press
Face Pulls

Audience Notes

Excellent for anyone who spends a lot of time at a desk.

Substitution Targets

Cable Rear Delt Fly
Face Pull

Variations

Use progressions to increase difficulty when you master the movement, and regressions if you struggle with proper form or face mobility limitations.

Regressions

Band Pull-Apart

Easier to control the tension and learn the squeeze.

Best for: Beginners.

Progressions

Top-End Pauses

Increases time under tension at the hardest part of the lift.

Best for: Advanced mind-muscle connection.

FAQ

Common Questions

Should my arms be perfectly straight?

No, keep a 'soft' bend in your elbows to protect the joint, but keep that angle locked throughout the whole set.

Alternatives

Start with the closest related options, then browse fallback alternatives that keep the same primary training focus.

More Alternatives

Cable

cable seated rear lateral raise

The Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise provides constant tension to the rear deltoids, helping to round out the back of the shoulders and improve posture.

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Dumbbell

dumbbell rear delt raise

The dumbbell rear delt raise is the go-to move for building the back of the shoulders, helping you achieve that '3D' look and better posture.

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A focused pulling movement designed to isolate the back of the shoulders and improve posture.

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Dumbbell

dumbbell incline one arm lateral raise

Lying sideways on an incline bench shifts the peak tension to the very bottom of the movement, where your shoulder is usually at its weakest.

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Bench

dumbbell incline y raise

This movement wakes up the small muscles around your shoulder blades that help you stand tall and move without pain.

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Bench

dumbbell seated lateral raise

The seated lateral raise is the ultimate tool for building 'capped' shoulders by isolating the side delts without the help of your legs.

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Bench

dumbbell incline biceps curl

Places the arms behind the body to stretch the biceps, making the muscle work harder from the very first inch of the rep.

Biceps

Seated Fly Machine

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The Machine Seated Reverse Fly (Parallel Grip) is a targeted way to build the rear delts and upper back without the balance requirements of dumbbells.

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