Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Dumbbell Lying One Arm Deltoid Rear: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell lying one arm deltoid rear is an isolation exercise targeting the rear deltoids, performed lying face down on a bench and raising a dumbbell to activate the back of the shoulder.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Secondary muscles
Traps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell lying one arm deltoid rear
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell lying one arm deltoid rear. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: traps.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell lying one arm deltoid rear. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: traps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell lying one arm deltoid rear

  1. Step 1: Lie face down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing inwards.
  2. Step 2: Extend your arm straight down towards the floor, keeping it close to your body.
  3. Step 3: Raise your arm up and back, squeezing your shoulder blade towards your spine.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arm back down to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell lying one arm deltoid rear by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

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