Shoulders / Intermediate / Isolation (single joint)

Bent-Over Cable Rear Delt Raise

A single-arm bent-over raise from a low pulley across the body that targets the rear delts.

At a glance

Primary

Rear delts

Secondary

Side delts, Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps), Rotator cuff

Equipment

Cable station

Movement pattern

Reverse fly

Level

Intermediate

Type

Shoulders, Isolation (single joint), One side at a time

How to do it

1. Stand beside a low pulley, hinge forward with knees bent and grasp the handle with the far hand so the cable crosses in front of your body.
2. Start with the arm hanging across your body in front of the opposite knee.
3. Raise the arm out to the side in a wide arc until it is level with your shoulder.
4. Pause, then return slowly across the body.
5. Complete the reps and switch sides.

Tips

• Keep a slight, fixed bend in the elbow.
• Keep the torso still and the back flat.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Swinging the torso up to lift the weight.

  Why it hurts: The lower back takes repeated jerks and the rear delts barely work.

  ✓ Instead: Support the chest on a bench or keep the torso still, and use light weights.

• ✗ Shrugging and squeezing the shoulder blades hard.

  Why it hurts: The traps take over and the neck gets tight.

  ✓ Instead: Keep the shoulders down and move the arms out wide, leading with the elbows.

Open in the appGet started