Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing downwards. Bend your knees slightly, engage your core, and keep your back straight. Keeping your arms straight, lift the dumbbells out to the sides until they reach shoulder level. Pause for a moment, ensuring your shoulder blades are squeezed together and your upper back is engaged. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position, maintaining control and keeping your core engaged throughout the movement. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

How to perform the Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise using your dumbbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your deltoids.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your deltoids rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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