Behind Back Barbell Rear Delt Raise
In SetGrip: Barbell Rear Delt Raise (Behind Back)
- Secondary muscles
- Traps, Rhomboids
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
Track this exercise in SetGrip — no account needed
Holding the bar behind your body and lifting it away from you in a hinged position takes the rear delts through a short, unusual range that dumbbells cover more comfortably. Treat it as a situational option for barbell-only setups: the range is small, the loading stays light, and strict control matters far more than the plates on the bar.
How to do the Behind Back Barbell Rear Delt Raise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Raise the barbell out to the sides, keeping your arms straight, until they are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Lead with the elbows and think of reaching wide rather than lifting up.
Muscles worked
Primary
Delts · Shoulders
Front raises hit the front delt, lateral raises the side, and Y or rear raises the back head; whichever you pick, the burn should build across the top of the shoulder by the last few reps.
Secondary
- Traps — The upper traps will take over if you shrug, so a slight downward pull of the shoulders keeps them out of it.
- Rhomboids
Common mistakes
- Swinging from the hips — a small bounce at the bottom is the sign of a weight that is too heavy; lighten it and lift from a dead stop.
- Shrugging as you raise — the traps take over when the shoulders rise toward the ears; keep them down and lead with the elbows.
- Raising far above shoulder height — on lateral and front raises the upper traps take over past parallel, so stop around shoulder level unless the variation is built to go overhead.
- Locked elbows — keep a soft bend in the elbow throughout so the load stays on the shoulder rather than the joint.
Where it fits in a workout
Raises are accessory work and belong after the presses in a shoulder or push session. Superset lateral raises with a rear delt fly for a complete shoulder finisher.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without barbell
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
Track the Behind Back Barbell Rear Delt Raise in SetGrip
All 1,100+ exercises with animations are in the app. No account, no sign-up — your history stays on your iPhone and in your private iCloud. Works with Apple Watch.
More exercises
Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.