Barbell Rear Delt Row

intermediate · pull_horizontal

Setup

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, take a wide overhand grip on the barbell and deadlift it to standing. Bend your knees slightly, push your hips back and fold forward until your torso is close to parallel with the floor, back flat.

Execution

Let the bar hang freely below your shoulders and hold that torso angle for the whole set.
Exhale and row the bar up by driving your elbows back and out, bringing the bar toward your upper chest.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pinch the rear delts at the top, holding for a beat.
Inhale and lower the bar under control until your arms are fully extended.
Do not gradually stand upright as you fatigue; once you can no longer hold the torso angle, bend your knees, set the bar on the floor and end the set.

Breathing

Exhale as you row the bar up, inhale as you lower it. Do not hold your breath to pull it; if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, a hernia or you are pregnant, use a lighter load and keep your back flat throughout.

Quick cues

Elbows flare wide, not tucked.
Pinch the rear delts at the top.
Torso locked for the whole set.
Bar hangs free, no swinging.

Common faults

Fault: Gradually standing more upright to make the pull easier
Fix: Lock the hip angle before pulling and drop the weight if you cannot hold the position.
Fault: Pulling the elbows close to the body like a lat row instead of out wide
Fix: Actively drive the elbows out and up to properly target the rear delts.
Fault: Jerking the bar up using momentum from the lower back
Fix: Drop the weight and pull slowly under control without using momentum.
Fault: The lower back rounding while holding the bent-over position
Fix: Brace the core and push the hips back further instead of rounding the lower back.

Equipment

barbell

Muscle groups

shoulders, back, arms