Side Lying Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

If you want to improve muscle definition and create a dominating physique, you need to use quality exercises. The side lying dumbbell rear delt raise is an effective exercise for a back and shoulder workout with dumbbells. This isolation exercise targets the posterior deltoids to stimulate muscle growth and strength gain.

To create a balanced appearance, all muscle groups need to be appropriately trained through resistance exercise. The side lying dumbbell rear delt raise can help establish that rounded shoulder look by producing growth in the posterior deltoids.

How To Do

  1. Grab one dumbbell.
  2. Locate an available flat bench for the exercise.
  3. Shift the dumbbell to your left hand.
  4. Lay down on your right side on the bench.
  5. Position yourself so that your right arm is over the top of the bench to press down into the ground.
  6. Adjust your left arm in front of you, bending at the elbow.
  7. Hold the dumbbell in an overhand grip, twisting it so your palm faces your feet.
  8. Inhale, lowering the dumbbell to your chest. Ensure the movement comes from your shoulder. Keep your elbow at a fixed angle.
  9. Pause at the bottom.
  10. Exhale, engaging the rear delt to raise the dumbbell above your head.
  11. Repeat for desired reps and sets.

Tips From Expert

  • Engage the core to prevent the body from tipping over off the bench. This will also help keep the back from arching.
  • Focus on mind-to-muscle connection while performing the side-lying dumbbell rear delt raise to improve muscle engagement. In this case, posterior deltoid engagement in the movement should be emphasized.

Optimal Sets and Reps

Before starting to train, it’s critical to determine your health and fitness goals. These goals can help you pinpoint the ideal sets and reps to enhance your training progress.

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 3–5
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–12
Endurance Training 2–3 8–15
Power Training 3–5 2–6 (Explosive)
Optimal Sets & Reps of Side Lying Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The side lying dumbbell rear delt raise is an upper-body movement that acts as an isolation exercise. Its main target is the posterior deltoids, a muscle that makes up the shoulder. This exercise uses other muscles for stability and to aid movement, including the middle trapezius and teres minor.

  • Upper/Lower Body Split — These training splits are categorized between upper and lower body muscle groups, while core exercises are integrated into either. Usually, upper body days consist of arms, chest, and back. Lower body days include all the leg muscles, including the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. The side lying dumbbell rear delt raises emphasize upper body muscles, hence why it would best fit in these days.
  • Muscle-Focused Split—Muscle-focused splits are programmed based on the muscle groups targeted. For example, hamstrings, calves, quads, and glutes could be targeted on day one of training. The following training sessions could focus on the triceps, shoulders, and chest. The side-lying dumbbell rear delt raise is best suited for chest, triceps, and shoulder days.

When programming this exercise into your training routine, aim to lift lighter loads when starting out to increase muscle engagement. Due to the exercise’s position and the targeted muscle size, the weight load to lift will be understandably lighter. The movement pattern places significant tension on the shoulder joints, and the rear delt is a smaller muscle.

Primary Muscle Groups

Posterior Deltoid

Muscles located at the back of your shoulder. Helps with posture.

Posterior Deltoid

The deltoid is a muscle in the upper arm, specifically the shoulder. It is made up of three heads, including the posterior deltoid, or rear delt. This muscle plays a critical role in arm movement, including shoulder rotation, arm extension, and horizontal abduction.

In horizontal abduction, the arm is drawn away from the body’s midline horizontally. In arm extension, the appendage is drawn behind the body. We use the posterior deltoid in everyday activities, like pulling open a door or waving our arms.

The posterior deltoid is a primary mover in the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise. It establishes arm movement, drawing the arm back and rotating the shoulder with the exercise’s movement pattern.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Middle Trapezius

Muscles located in the middle of your back between your upper and lower traps.

Teres Minor

Small muscle at the back of your shoulder blade.

Infraspinatus

Triangular muscle covering the back of your shoulder blade.

Middle Trapezius

The trapezius is a large muscle in the back named after its resemblance to a trapezoid. This muscle is typically referred to in sections. The middle trapezius runs from the top of the shoulders into the back.

The function of the middle trapezius lies in shoulder stabilization, upper body alignment, arm extension, and pulling the shoulders back. Keeping this muscle healthy and strong is critical for maintaining good posture and shoulder stabilization while walking and sitting. The side lying dumbbell rear delt raise enforces the use of this muscle to stabilize the shoulders and promote arm movement.

Infraspinatus

The infraspinatus is located on the back of the shoulder. This triangular muscle is necessary for shoulder stabilization and arm rotation for lifting objects, opening doors, and brushing your hair. It is one of the four muscles that comprise the rotator cuff, alongside the teres minor, subscapularis, and supraspinatus.

In the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise, it acts as a secondary muscle to stabilize the shoulder and establish movement.

Teres Minor

The teres minor is another one of the muscles that make up the rotator cuff in the shoulder. It is a narrow muscle, critical for stabilizing the shoulder joint and enabling outward arm rotation. This refers to drawing the arm away from the body’s midline, also known as lateral or external rotation.

Whenever we reach for something, like a cup on the counter, the teres minor enables that movement. It is also activated in the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise to perform the exercise’s movement pattern.

Equipment

Dumbbells

Flat Bench Without Rack

Dumbbells

You can use these for a wide range of unilateral and bilateral exercises. Avoid using momentum to lift. Ensure a secure grip to prevent drops.

Flat Bench Without Rack

This is great for pressing and pulling movements. Ensure the safety catch is firmly locked in. If you can't find this bench, use one with a rack for barbell exercises.

Variations

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the same equipment.

Dumbbell Bent-Over Rear Delt Fly

Lying Dumbbell One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise

Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the different equipment.

Cable Face Pull

Chair Inverted Row

Arm Circle

Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch

Reverse Snow Angels

Bear Crawl

Bent-over Rear Delt Fly

Rear Delt Fly Machine

Standing Cable Rear Delt Fly

Resistance Band Pull Apart

Who Should Do?

Lifters Wanting Bigger Shoulders

Integrating the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise can benefit any lifter wanting to build bigger shoulders. This exercise specifically targets the posterior deltoids of the shoulder, helping promote muscle growth. 

Encouraging hypertrophy in all three heads of the deltoid is critical for establishing a balanced physique. Not every shoulder exercise will engage all three heads of the deltoid, and that’s why an isolation exercise is beneficial. Enhance shoulder development by inserting exercises like the side-lying dumbbell rear delt raise into your training sessions. 

Bodybuilders

Bodybuilders are well-known in the fitness world for their dominating physiques showcasing well-balanced muscle definition. These lifters dedicate hours upon hours in and out of the gym to promote hypertrophy and develop award-winning physiques. 

To achieve this, they must masterfully target all groups to create balanced muscle development. This includes encouraging hypertrophy in the deltoid, which is no small task. To accomplish this, the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise effectively stimulates muscle growth in the posterior deltoid. 

Individuals Looking To Improve Posture

Different factors, like muscular imbalance or weakness, can result in poor posture in our daily lives. Seated posture can also contribute to this, which can negatively affect physical fitness. 

The side lying dumbbell rear delt raise is beneficial for improving posture by developing stronger muscles to support the endeavor. Pair it with other rear delt bodyweight exercises, or use it at home, to improve shoulder strength. This can aid sitting posture to correct rounded shoulders and forward head posture. 

Who Should Not Do?

Anyone With Chronic Shoulder Injuries

Anyone with a chronic shoulder injury is not advised to perform the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise. These individuals may have a limited range of motion and suffer from injury-associated pain. 

It is not recommended to perform this exercise if you suffer from a pre-existing shoulder injury. The exercise’s movement pattern may increase the risk of exacerbating the existing injury. 

Anyone With A Wrist Injury

Like with shoulder injuries, any lifter with an existing wrist injury should not perform this exercise. Range of motion is often limited with existing injuries, which can alter comfort levels in different movement patterns. Add weight-bearing from holding the dumbbell in this exercise, and pain can intensify from excess strain on the injury. 

Older Populations With Mobility Issues

Older populations with mobility restrictions may find the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise difficult in its dedicated position. They may have problems getting up and down from the bench, risking falling. Another concern is that they may be unable to perform the full range of motion of the exercise. 

All of these factors can raise the risk of injury for older populations. Instead of this exercise, older populations may consider the seated rear delt row as a safer alternative. 

Benefits Of The Exercise

Improves Posture

Integrating side lying dumbbell rear delt raises into your training routine can be productive for improving posture. This is accomplished by strengthening the posterior deltoids and middle trapezius, which support good posture. 

While the posterior deltoid helps stabilize the shoulder joint, it also deters the shoulders from rounding forward and keeps them back. These attributes are productive for deterring forward head posture. The middle trapezius supports the spinal column, keeping it aligned to prevent poor posture cues like hunching. 

Poor posture is correlated with many negative issues, including decreased mobility, reduced muscle strength, and neck and shoulder pain. Prioritizing quality exercises in your workouts, like the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise, can strengthen posture-related muscles and improve posture. 

Builds Strength

Resistance training produces many health and fitness benefits, like muscle growth, fat loss, and strength gain. Improvements in strength come with many associated benefits, like increased lean body mass. Inserting exercises like the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise into your workouts can productively increase strength for functional and athletic purposes. 

Tones Muscles

The side lying dumbbell rear delt raise prioritizes engagement of the posterior deltoid with muscles like the middle trapezius integrated. Training these muscles can positively impact muscle definition by stimulating hypertrophy to establish a more toned physique. 

Lifters must acknowledge that various factors can be detrimental to achieving a toning effect with exercise. Two of the most significant are muscle and fat mass percentages. If a lifter’s body fat mass is too high, it can hide muscle growth progress beneath the fat.  

Typically, lifters will enter a cutting or bulking phase to encourage more prominent muscle definition. Emphasizing balanced nutrition and quality exercises like the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise can enhance desired muscle tone progress. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are side lying dumbbell rear delt raises any good?

The side lying dumbbell rear delt raise is an effective exercise for targeting the posterior deltoids. It helps isolate this muscle to promote muscle growth and address muscular weaknesses or imbalances.

What muscles do side lying dumbbell rear delt raises work?

The primary muscle worked in the side lying dumbbell rear delt raise is the posterior deltoid. It engages secondary muscles like the middle trapezius, infraspinatus, and teres minor to maintain joint stability and encourage movement.

What are the cons of side lying dumbbell rear delt raises?

Some individuals may experience shoulder discomfort from the side-lying position of the exercise. Other concerns are low back pain and improper form if the exercise is not executed correctly.

How often should I do side lying dumbbell rear delt raises?

Aim to target each muscle group 2–3 times a week to encourage consistent muscle growth and strength progress. The side lying dumbbell rear delt raise can be integrated once or twice alongside other rear and side delt exercises.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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