# Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise

A bent-over barbell isolation exercise where you raise the bar backward behind your body on straight arms. Targets the rear delts and lats through shoulder extension.

- Intermediate · Isolation
- Equipment: Barbell
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/barbell-bent-over-reverse-raise-skier/video/female.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/bent-over-barbell-reverse-raise/

## Muscles worked

- Rear delts: 9/10
- Lats: 7/10
- Triceps: 6/10
- Teres major: 5/10
- Rhomboids: 4/10
- Traps: 4/10
- Forearms: 3/10

## How to do the Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise

1. Hold the bar behind your legs and hinge until your torso is nearly parallel.
2. Let your arms hang straight down, knees slightly bent.
3. Raise the bar back and up on straight arms.
4. Stop when your arms are in line with your back.
5. Lower the bar slowly until your arms hang straight again.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Hold a barbell behind your legs with both hands, about shoulder width apart.
2. Hinge at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, keeping a slight knee bend.
3. Let your arms hang straight down so the bar sits behind your lower legs.
4. Keep your elbows straight and raise the bar backward and up by moving only at the shoulders.
5. Stop when your arms are in line with your back, without standing up.
6. Lower the bar along the same path until your arms hang straight down again.

## Common mistakes

- Standing up during each rep
- Bending elbows through the pull
- Swinging torso to move weight
- Shrugging at the top
- Rounding through the lower back

## Form cues

- Keep torso angle fixed
- Move only at shoulder
- Keep elbows straight
- Keep back flat
- Don't shrug up

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3 sets of 8–10 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Straight Arm Kickback](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-straight-arm-kickback/)
- **Machine**: [Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/ski-erg-straight-arm-pulldown/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Single Arm Resistance Band Straight Arm Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-resistance-band-straight-arm-pulldown/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Bodyweight Straight Arm Kickback](https://seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-straight-arm-kickback/) — Beginner
- Easier: [Dumbbell Straight Arm Kickback](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-straight-arm-kickback/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise — Intermediate**

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise work?

Primary: Rear delts 9/10, Lats 7/10. Also works: Triceps 6/10, Teres major 5/10, Rhomboids 4/10, Traps 4/10.

### When should I do the Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise in a workout?

Finisher. Goes last, once the heavy work is done. ≈ 6 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise?

Strength: 3 sets of 8–10 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise?

Kettlebell: Kettlebell Straight Arm Kickback. Machine: Ski Erg Straight Arm Pulldown. Resistance bands: Single Arm Resistance Band Straight Arm Pulldown.

### What is an easier version of the Bent Over Barbell Reverse Raise?

Dumbbell Straight Arm Kickback (Beginner), Bodyweight Straight Arm Kickback (Beginner).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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