How many sets and reps of the dumbbell rear delt row should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps using a light pair of dumbbells, focusing on the squeeze rather than the weight. Once you can hit 15 clean reps with the elbows flaring wide the whole time, add weight in small jumps of 2 to 5 pounds per hand.

What can I do instead of the dumbbell rear delt row without dumbbells?

A resistance band anchored low and rowed to the same hinged position, with the elbows driving out wide, trains the same rear delts and mid-traps. Filled water bottles work in a pinch for light load if a band isn't around either.

What is the dumbbell rear delt row good for, and when is it not the right choice?

It builds rear delt and mid-trap strength for shoulder health and posture, and it makes a solid accessory after pressing work. It's a poor pick for anyone whose lower back can't tolerate a hip hinge under load, since a chest-supported or prone version trains the same muscles without that demand.

Intermediate

Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

By rowing with the elbows out wide instead of tucked, you turn a back exercise into a rear-delt and upper-back builder. It loads the posterior delt more heavily than a reverse fly, so you can move a bit more weight while still training scapular retraction. A staple for balanced, healthy shoulders.

Equipment: Dumbbell
Body part: Back, Shoulder
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Posterior, Trapezius Middle
Browse by movement: Horizontal Pull

How to do it

1
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hinge forward to a near-parallel torso with a flat back.
2
Let the arms hang straight down, palms facing back.
3
Row the dumbbells up and out by driving the elbows high and away from the body.
4
Bring the upper arms to about shoulder level as the shoulder blades squeeze together.
5
Pause and feel the rear delts and mid traps contract.
6
Lower the dumbbells under control back to the hanging start.

Tips

Flare the elbows to roughly ninety degrees from the torso to bias the rear delts.
Keep the torso still; do not stand up to heave the weight.
Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top of each rep.

Variations

Common mistakes

The torso rises toward vertical during the row, letting the legs and hips finish the pull instead of the rear delts and mid-traps.
Once the weight starts to feel heavy, the elbows tuck in close to the ribs, which turns this into a lat row instead of a rear-delt row.
The hips creep forward out of the hinge as the set goes on, straightening the back angle and shortening the path the rear delts actually travel.
The dumbbells swing on the way down instead of lowering under control, turning the eccentric into dead time instead of a loaded stretch.
A jerky first pull off the bottom lets the traps and forearms take over before the rear delts ever engage.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the dumbbell rear delt row should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps using a light pair of dumbbells, focusing on the squeeze rather than the weight. Once you can hit 15 clean reps with the elbows flaring wide the whole time, add weight in small jumps of 2 to 5 pounds per hand.
What can I do instead of the dumbbell rear delt row without dumbbells?: A resistance band anchored low and rowed to the same hinged position, with the elbows driving out wide, trains the same rear delts and mid-traps. Filled water bottles work in a pinch for light load if a band isn't around either.
What is the dumbbell rear delt row good for, and when is it not the right choice?: It builds rear delt and mid-trap strength for shoulder health and posture, and it makes a solid accessory after pressing work. It's a poor pick for anyone whose lower back can't tolerate a hip hinge under load, since a chest-supported or prone version trains the same muscles without that demand.

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