If you are searching for Bent over Lateral Raise shoulder Workout, then you are at the right place. Here we cover the best variations, Muscle Worked, execution technique, pro-tips, for bent over lateral raise exercise for the best possible shoulder development.
The bent-over lateral raiseprimarily works the posterior deltoids, the often neglected portion of the three heads of the deltoids. It also incorporates the middle and lower trapezius, the rhomboids, and parts of the rotator cuffs.
Anatomy & Function of the Shoulders
In fitness, “shoulder exercises” refers to resistance exercises that target the deltoid muscle.
The deltoid muscle of the shoulder consists of three separate sections or heads.
- The anterior deltoid (In front)
- Lateral deltoid (at the side)
- Posterior deltoid (behind)
Benefits of Bent-Over Lateral Raise
Bent-over lateral raise exercises also help:
- Maintain proper posture
- Boost shoulder stability
- Prevent shoulder injuries
- Build symmetry with the shoulder, preventing a “forward sloping” look
- Improveshoulder function
Here you’ll find the Best Bent-Over Lateral Raise Exercises for maximum posterior deltoid growth!
Plus, you’ll find training tips to maximize posterior delt growth. Try the best Bent-Over Lateral Raise shoulder exercises when designing your next rear delts workout.
Bent over Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Bent Over raises are an excellent exercise to isolate and work specifically on rear deltoid muscles. For complete shoulder muscle development, bent over raises are a must-do.
Thus, the exercise hit specifically the rear shoulder head by isolating it better than any other shoulder exercise. This exercise can be performed in both a standing and a seated position. Prefer the seated version as it calls for strict movement.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Sit at the end of a bench with a pair of dumbbells.
- Bend forward and let the dumbbells hang on your sides.
- Lift the dumbbells, raising them on your sides to a level slightly upper more than your shoulders.
- Now lower the dumbbells back to your sides.
Tips
- Your arms should be parallel to your shoulders.
- Keep strict form to isolate the rear delts.
Best variations of Dumbbell Bent over lateral raise
1. Standing Dumbbell Bent over lateral raise
The bent-over dumbbell lateral raise, also known as the bent over rear delt fly, is a great exercise to assist you in building a complete set of shoulders.
Many lifters utilize the bent over dumbbell reverse fly to target the rear delts, an often lagging muscle for many lifters alike.
Strengthening the rear delts by using the bent over rear delt fly can lead to improved posture and a greater level of strength on other lifts.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, bend at the hips and knees until your torso is parallel to the floor.
- The back should be straight and your arms should be hanging in front of you, with your palms facing inwards (neutral grip).
- Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise both arms out to the sides until the dumbbells are level with the height of your shoulders
- Hold for a count of two and then slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position in a controlled manner. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Do not swing the dumbbells upward. Keep your back straight and your body still.
- Your arms should be parallel to your shoulders.
- Keep strict form to isolate the rear delts.
2. One Arm Dumbbell Bent over lateral raise
The one-arm reverse dumbbell fly is also known as the one-arm dumbbell rear delt fly.
One Arm Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly is a strength exercise that works your traps and deltoids. It is a great basic move. When done correctly, it can effectively target your neck, shoulders, upper back, and upper body.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Holding a dumbbell in one hand, bend at the hips and knees until your torso is parallel to the floor.
- For stability, grasp something stable with your free hand. Your back should be straight and the arm with the dumbbell should be hanging straight down in front of you, with your palm facing inward (neutral grip)
- Keeping your elbow slightly flexed, raise the dumbbell directly out to the side until the dumbbell are level with the height of your shoulders
- Hold for a count of two and then slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position in a controlled manner. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Practice good form with a light weight. Keep strict form to isolate the rear delts.
- Do not swing the dumbbells upward. Keep your back straight and your body still.
- Your arms should be parallel to your shoulders.
3. Bent over Cable Lateral Raise
A bent over cable raise is an excellent exercise to train and isolate the rear deltoid muscle. It provides constant stress on the muscle. Unlike dumbbell raises where the resistance varies during the lift, the cable pulley affords a uniform resistance throughout the motion.
There are however, many bent-over cable lateral raise variations that you can try out that may require different types of bent-over cable lateral raise equipment.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, Infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Grab the handles attached to two low pulleys (left-side handle in right hand, right-side handle in left hand), stand in the middle, then bend forward at the waist with back straight and parallel to the floor.
- Raise your hands upward in an arc to shoulder level, such that the cables cross over.
- Lower the handles back down to the start position, your right hand directly in front of the left ankle and your left hand in front of the right ankle.
Tips
- Pull slowly so that you are in control of the weight at all times.
- Remember to exhale while you exert.
4. Cable Seated Rear Lateral Raise
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, Infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Sit down on a bench placed in the middle of two low pulleys and bend forwards.
- Grasp the left pulley with the right hand and the right pulley with the left. The pulleys should run under the bench.
- Your chest should almost lie on your thighs. Keep your back straight.
- Lift your arms to the sides until your arms get slightly above shoulder level. Pause for 1-2 seconds at the top and slowly return to the starting position.
Tips
- Do not swing your torso and keep your back straight.
- Arms should be slightly bent and extend almost straight at the top of the movement.
5. Incline Bench Rear Lateral Raise
The incline Bench Rear Lateral Raise is an upper-body exercise that targets the posterior or rear deltoids and the postural muscles of the upper back. This exercise targets such small muscles, that’s why it is usually performed with lightweight for high reps such as 10-15 reps per set or more.
Incline Bench Rear Lateral Raise has many other benefits, such as it adds size and strength to the posterior deltoids. The incline bench takes away the potential of using momentum and makes the movement more challenging. Rear delt exercise develops bigger, more balanced, and healthier shoulders.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Sit in the reverse direction on an incline bench ( 45 degrees) while holding dumbbells with neutral grips.
- Hold the dumbbells so that they hang straight down from your shoulders.
- Slowly lift the dumbbells up and out to the sides of your body, pulling through the rear delts and middle traps.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the motion before slowly lowering the weights back down to the starting position.
Tips
- Do not lift backward or forward.
- Set a bench at about 30-45 degrees inclined.
- Keep form strict to isolate the rear delts.
6. Head-supported Bent Over Lateral Raise
The head-supported reverse dumbbell fly is also known as the head-supported bent-over dumbbell lateral raise.
To target your posterior deltoids during the head-supported reverse dumbbell fly, keep your torso horizontal. The more upright your torso is, the more emphasis you will place on your lateral deltoids instead of on your posterior deltoids.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Raise a bench to hip height and, hold a dumbbell in each hand, bend at the hips and and rest your forehead on the edge of the bench.
- The back should be straight and your arms should be hanging in front of you, with your palms facing inwards (neutral grip).
- Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise both arms out to the sides until the dumbbells are level with the height of your shoulders
- Hold for a count of two and then slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position in a controlled manner. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Do not swing the dumbbells upward. Keep your back straight and your body still.
- Keep your body still. Only your arms should move.
7. One-Arm Bent-Over Cable lateral Raise
You can do this exercise using one arm at a time, allowing you to alter the range of motion by adjusting the start or finish position. This unilateral version makes it possible to raise your hand higher and get a longer stretch at the bottom, thereby generating more work for the posterior deltoid. Stabilize your torso by resting your free hand on the thigh.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, Infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Lean forward at the hips, place your right hand on your thigh and hold a dumbbell in your left hand with your arm extended straight down.
- Raise the weight straight out to the side until your arm is parallel with the floor.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the motion before slowly lowering the weight back down to the starting position.
- Repeat with the right arm.
Tips
- Pull slowly so that you are in control of the weight at all times.
- Remember to exhale while you exert.
8. Barbell Rear Delt Raise
The barbell rear delt raise is a unique, underrated shoulder exercise that still deserves a place in your workout routine. It works several muscles of the upper body and is a great option for really loading the muscles that make up the shoulder girdle.
Execution Technique
- Place the barbell on the floor and stand with your heels touching it, feet about hip or shoulder-width apart.
- Bend down and grip the bar with your hands about hip-width apart, palms facing away from you.
- Stand up straight and let the barbell hang down with arms extended. Keep a good posture, and you can bend your knees slightly.
- Use your upper rear muscles to pull your elbows up behind your back. Extend your arms and repeat.
Tips
- Pull slowly so that you are in control of the weight at all times.
- Remember to exhale while you exert.
Best Alternate of Rear Delt fly
1. Lying Dumbbell Rear Delt Row
Dumbbell Lying Rear Delt Row is a strength exercise that works your deltoids and side deltoids. Dumbbell Lying Rear Delt Row is a great basic move. When done correctly, it can effectively target your shoulders and upper body.
The muscles used for dumbbell lying rear delt row may change slightly based on your trained range of motion and technique, but in the most general case, rear deltoid trained the most.
Muscles Involved
Primary Movers: Posteriot deltoid, Trapezius
Secondary Muscles: Traps, Biceps, Rhomboids, and Forearms.
Execution Technique
- Start off lying on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand extended out in front of you.
- Slowly pull the dumbbells up until your elbows are just above your shoulders.
- Once you reach the final position, hold for a count and squeeze your muscles.
- Return to the starting position and repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.
Tips
- Keep a controlled motion and avoid jerky movements.
- Pause for a moment at the top before slowly lowering the dumbbell back to the starting position.
2. Standing Barbell Rear Delt Row
Standing barbell rear delt row is a free weight exercise that primarily targets the rear deltoid and middle back, and to a lesser degree, it also targets the biceps, shoulders, and traps.
If you haven’t tried this exercise before, load the barbell with a reasonable amount of weight, prioritizing an amount that allows you to stick to proper form rather than trying to lift heavy.
Muscles Involved
Primary Movers: Posterior deltoid, Trapezius
Secondary Muscles: Biceps, Rhomboids, and Forearms.
Execution Technique
- Stand up straight while holding a barbell using a wide (higher than shoulder width) and overhand (palms facing your body) grip.
- With slightly bent knees, bend over at the waist so that your chest is parallel with the floor.
- While keeping the upper arms perpendicular to the torso, pull the barbell up towards your upper chest as you squeeze the rear delt.
- Slowly go back to the initial position as you breathe in. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Tips
- Refrain from using your biceps to do the work. Focus on targeting the rear delts, the arms should only act as hooks.
- Focus on the form before you go for a heavyweight.
- Maintaining the right posture while working out is extremely important.
3. Face Pull
Face pull is a cable machine exercise that primarily targets the rear deltoid and to a lesser degree also targets the biceps, triceps, and traps. Use a cable pulley machine to pull the weight straight toward your forehead.
This exercise prevents muscular imbalance and builds overall shoulder strength. However, there are many face pull variations that you can try out that may require different types of equipment and setup.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Posterior deltoid.
Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.
Execution Technique
- Grab the ends of the rope attachment using a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and slightly lean back.
- Pull the rope toward your face as you spread the ends of the rope, so they end up on the sides of your ears just above your shoulders in the finish position.
- Hold this position for a second as you squeeze your shoulder blades together, contracting rear delts and middle traps as hard as possible.
- Then slowly return the rope to the start position and repeat for reps.
Tips
- Stand straight with feet in a comfortable, balanced stance.
- Be sure to exhale when pulling weight toward your face.
- Think about trying to pinch your shoulder blades as tight as possible when pulling weight toward your face.
- Your upper arms should be straight out to your sides with elbows bent.
Takeaways
Now that you know a few variations for your Bent-Over Lateral Raise, hit the gym and try each one to get the full effect. Don’t limit yourself to variations on this exercise, either.
Seek out new and interesting ways to perform all your staple movements so that you never get stuck waiting at the gym, never grow bored, and always keep growing.
Know More About Shoulder Training
- Dumbbell Posterior deltoid exercises for Bigger Shoulder
- 25 Best Rear Delt Exercises for Mass and Strength
- Dumbbell Shoulder Fly: Muscles Worked, Benefits, Tips
- Rear Delt Fly: Muscles Worked, Benefits, Variations