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Exercise Guide

How to do dumbbell incline rear lateral raise

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

The dumbbell incline rear lateral raise is a specialized isolation movement designed to target the posterior deltoids. By lying chest-down on an incline bench, you stabilize your torso and prevent cheating, ensuring the rear shoulders do the majority of the work. This exercise is vital for developing a balanced shoulder physique and improving overall shoulder health and stability.

Stats

TIER
1
DIFFICULTY
Untrained to Advanced
EQUIPMENT
Bench, Dumbbell
TARGET MUSCLES
Rear Shoulder, Lateral Shoulder

Instructions for Proper Form

Setup:

  1. Incline Bench: Adjust a bench to a low incline (around 30-45 degrees).
  2. Starting Position: Lie face down on the incline bench, allowing your arms to hang straight down from your shoulders, palms facing each other. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.

The Lift:

  1. Raise the Dumbbells: Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise the dumbbells out to the sides and up until they're level with your shoulders or slightly higher.
  2. Squeeze at the Top: Pause briefly at the top of the movement, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  3. Controlled Lowering: Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, resisting the pull of gravity.

Tips:

  • Focus on the Rear Delts: Concentrate on using your rear deltoid muscles to lift the weights. Avoid swinging your arms or using momentum.
  • Keep Elbows Slightly Bent: Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the entire movement to protect your joints.
  • Chest on Bench: Keep your chest in contact with the bench to prevent arching your back.
  • Control the Movement: Perform the exercise with a slow and controlled tempo, both when lifting and lowering the weights.

Common mistakes: Using momentum to swing the dumbbells, lifting the chest off the incline bench, and shrugging the shoulders upward.

Alternatives

Seated Fly Machine

machine seated reverse fly(parallel grip)

Rear Shoulder
Cable

cable rear delt row

Rear Shoulder
Crossover Cable

cable crossover reverse fly

Rear Shoulder
Seated Fly Machine

machine seated reverse fly

Rear Shoulder
Cable

cable seated rear lateral raise

Rear ShoulderLateral Shoulder
Bench

dumbbell incline rear lateral raise

Rear ShoulderLateral Shoulder
Cable

cable standing rear delt row

Rear Shoulder
Bench

dumbbell rear delt row

Rear Shoulder
Resistance Band

resistance band kneeling face pull

Rear Shoulder
Dumbbell

dumbbell rear delt raise

Rear ShoulderTraps
Squat Rack

band standing rear delt row

Rear Shoulder