# Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

A seated dumbbell isolation exercise targeting the rear delts and upper back. Useful for lifters building balanced shoulders and cleaner scapular control.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: Dumbbells, Flat bench
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/seated-dumbbell-rear-delt-fly/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-rear-delt-raise-seated/

## Muscles worked

- Rear delts: 10/10
- Upper back: 6/10

## How to do the Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

1. Sit on the bench edge, hinge forward over your thighs, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Let your arms hang down, palms facing each other, with a slight bend.
3. Raise both arms out and slightly back until your upper arms reach shoulder height.
4. Focus on moving your elbows, lowering the weights slowly to the start.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Sit on the front edge of a bench and hinge forward over your thighs.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand below your knees with palms facing each other.
3. Keep your back flat, keep a slight elbow bend, and let the weights hang still.
4. Raise both arms out and slightly back until your upper arms reach shoulder height.
5. Keep your wrists below your elbows, your neck relaxed, and your shoulders away from your ears.
6. Lower the dumbbells back under control until they return to the hanging start position.

## Common mistakes

- Swinging the torso to start reps
- Turning it into a row
- Shrugging at the top
- Straightening the elbows too much
- Raising dumbbells above shoulder height

## Form cues

- Keep wrists below elbows
- Keep torso fixed
- Raise to shoulder height
- Don't shrug upward

## How much to do

- **Muscle growth** (best fit): 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s
- **Endurance** (best fit): 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.

- **Cable machine**: [Cable Rear Delt Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/cable-rear-delt-flye/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Resistance Band Pull Apart](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-pull-apart/), [Chest Supported Resistance Band T-Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/chest-supported-resistance-band-t-raise/)

## 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: [Resistance Band Face Pull](https://seto.fit/exercises/band-face-pull/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise — Beginner**
- Harder: [Dumbbell Rear Delt Flye](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-rear-delt-flye/) — Beginner

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise work?

Primary: Rear delts 10/10. Also works: Upper back 6/10.

### When should I do the Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise in a workout?

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

### How many sets and reps of the Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise?

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 Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise?

Cable machine: Cable Rear Delt Flye. Resistance bands: Resistance Band Pull Apart, Chest Supported Resistance Band T-Raise.

### What is an easier version of the Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise?

Resistance Band Face Pull (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise?

Dumbbell Rear Delt Flye (Beginner).

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

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