Shoulders / Intermediate / Isolation (single joint)

Seated Cable Rear Delt Raise

A seated bent-over raise with crossed low cables that targets the rear delts.

At a glance

Primary

Rear delts

Secondary

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

Equipment

Cable station, Bench

Movement pattern

Reverse fly

Level

Intermediate

Type

Shoulders, Isolation (single joint)

How to do it

1. Sit on the end of a bench between two low pulleys and lean your chest toward your thighs with a flat back.
2. Grab the handles with opposite hands so the cables cross under your legs.
3. With a slight bend in the elbows, raise your arms out to the sides up to shoulder height.
4. Pause, then lower slowly back under the legs.

Tips

• Lead with the elbows, not the hands.
• Do not use momentum from the torso.

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.

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