You can’t afford to neglect your rear deltoids if you want to build bigger, more muscular shoulders. The rear delts stabilize your shoulder joint for pulling and pushing exercises. Building thicker rear delts makes your shoulders look bigger and improves your posture and shoulder joint mobility.

But can you effectively train your rear delts using just your body weight? Some of the most popular rear delt exercises require equipment, such as dumbbells, machines, or a cable pulley. If you’re traveling or working out from home, you need effective bodyweight alternatives. 

Below, we’ll review some of the best bodyweight rear delt exercises, so you can continue to make gains even when you can’t get to the gym. 

The 8 Best Rear Delt Bodyweight Exercises

1. Superman Lat Pulldowns
2. Wide Grip “Elbows Out” Inverted Bodyweight Rows
3. TRX Reverse Rear Delt Flys
4. Rear Delt Iron Cross
5. Resistance Band Face Pulls 
6. Doorway Face Pulls
7. Resistance Band Rear Delt Pull-Aparts
8. Resistance Band Rear Delt Flys

1. Superman Lat Pulldowns

Benefits of Superman Lat Pulldowns

Superman exercises are great for anyone who sits at a desk, as they counter the stress on the lower back caused by prolonged sitting. While this exercise primarily targets the spinal erector muscles, the rear deltoids stabilize the hips and lower back. Bodyweight lat pulldowns require you to retract your shoulder blades and squeeze and engage your rear delts. 

How to Perform Superman Lat Pulldowns

1. Lie face down on a soft surface like a yoga or exercise mat. Extend your arms and legs. Your body should form one long, straight line.
2. Press your hips into the mat and squeeze your core to simultaneously lift your legs and arms off the ground.
3. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings and pull your shoulder blades towards each other. Keep your gaze looking straight down to keep a neutral upper spine.
4. Squeeze your rear delts to pull your elbows down until your hands align with your shoulders, and your arms create a W-shape.
5. Slowly release your arms above your head, then release all your limbs to the floor.
6. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

This helpful video from KylieFitYoga demonstrates the proper form for performing supermans with lat pulldowns.

2. Wide Grip “Elbows Out” Inverted Bodyweight Rows

Benefits of Wide Grip “Elbows Out” Inverted Bodyweight Rows

This exercise is an excellent alternative to the barbell row and also mimics the movement pattern of a rear delt row. Using a wider grip and flaring the elbows out rather than tucking them close to the body recruits your posterior deltoid to lift your body weight. This exercise is not entirely equipment-free, but you can do it anywhere you can find a stable, horizontal bar.

How to Perform Wide Grip “Elbows Out” Inverted Bodyweight Rows

1. Position yourself directly under a fixed horizontal bar. Grab the bar with your hands a few inches wider than shoulder-width. 
2. Keep your elbows pointing outwards and adjust your position so that your elbows remain in line with your shoulders throughout the exercise. You can either sit at an angle or elevate your feet, depending on your experience level.
3. Brace your abdominals and gaze straight ahead. Keep your forearms perpendicular to your torso.
4. Squeeze your rear delts to pull your torso towards the bar while flaring your elbows.
5. Stop when your elbows travel behind your torso and align with your shoulders. Pause.
6. Slowly release your torso to its starting position by extending your elbows. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

This video from Andrew Heming provides a helpful overview of the wide grip inverted rows, including how to target your rear delts rather than your lats.

3. TRX Reverse Rear Delt Flys

Benefits of TRX Reverse Rear Delt Flys

Rear delt flys on the TRX suspension trainer are great for firing up your posterior deltoids using your body weight. If you don’t have a TRX trainer, you can also use a pair of gymnastics rings, which are inexpensive and don’t take up much space. 

How to Perform TRX Reverse Rear Delt Flys

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab a pair of TRX handles and walk backward until your arms extend.
2. Keep your chest lifted and your shoulder blades retracted. Squeeze your glutes and brace your abdominals. Tuck your chin to keep a neutral upper spine.
3. Plant your feet into the ground for stability and rotate your wrists so your palms face each other.
4. Keeping a micro-bend in your elbows, squeeze your rear delts to move your arms straight out to your sides.
5. Pause when your hands are in line with your shoulders, then slowly release your arms back towards each other.
6. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Check out this helpful video guide from Seriously Strong Training for a demonstration.

4. Rear Delt Iron Cross

Benefits of the Rear Delt Iron Cross

This bodyweight exercise is perfect if you don’t have access to a TRX, rings, or weights. It uses just your bodyweight and engages your rear delts by pushing the ground away with your palms. You lift your upper back and shoulders off the floor by recruiting your posterior deltoid.

How to Perform the Rear Delt Iron Cross

1. Lie on the ground with your arms directly out to your sides and your palms flat on the ground parallel to your shoulders. You can either bend your knees and plant your feet or have your legs extended.
2. Press into your palms and squeeze your shoulder blades together to pre-tense the rear delts. 
3. Press even harder into your palms and squeeze your rear delts as hard as possible so that your shoulders lift off the ground, but your hands stay in place. 
4. Gently release and lower your back and shoulders to the floor. 
5. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps. Since this exercise doesn’t have any added resistance, higher rep counts can achieve a better stimulus. 

This helpful video from BodyAmbitionFitness provides an overview of this exercise.

5. Resistance Band Face Pulls

Benefits of Resistance Band Face Pulls

Face pulls are one of the best rear delt exercises. You can modify this exercise if you don’t have access to free weights or cable machines. Bands make a great cable alternative as they can be attached to a stable anchor just above head height. Resistance bands increase tension on your muscles the further they stretch, making them an excellent tool for building muscle mass and strength.

How to Perform Resistance Band Face Pulls

1. Secure a long resistance band around a fixed pole at around eye level.
2. Grab the free end of the band with both hands using an overhand grip. Your hands should be just wider than shoulder-width.
3. Step back from the anchoring point until there is tension in the band. 
4. Stand up tall and brace your abdominals to keep your torso stable and stationary throughout the exercise. 
5. Tuck your chin and look straight forward. Pull your shoulders back and together to pre-tense the rear delts.
6. Squeeze your shoulder blades hard to pull your elbows back until the band reaches your forehead and your hands are on either side of your face.
7. Release the band tension slowly and with control to extend your arms to their starting position.
8. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Here’s a video from GPS Human Performance for a visual guide. Athlean-X has a helpful guide to using towels or gym bags with household items to replace a resistance band if you don’t have one.

6. Doorway Face Pulls

Benefits of Doorway Face Pulls

Face pulls using a doorway are an excellent exercise for perfecting your form and targeting the correct muscle groups. Athlean-X explains in this video that leading with your hands during face pulls can help isolate the posterior deltoid. Doorway face pulls involve pressing into the doorway with your hands rather than holding onto free weights or machine handles, which may improve mind-to-muscle connection when training your rear delts.

How to Perform Doorway Face Pulls

1. Stand in front of a doorway and face away from the hinges.
2. Put the backs of your hands against either side of the doorway. Your hands should align with your head, and your elbows should be bent to 90 degrees.
3. Brace your core and lean your body back until your arms are extended and your hands are pressing into either side of the doorjamb. 
4. Squeeze your rear delts and press into the backs of your hands to pull your body back to a vertical standing position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

This video from Athlean-X provides a useful demonstration of how to do a face pull using a doorway. Skip to 4:15 for the demonstration.

7. Resistance Band Rear Delt Pull-Aparts

Benefits of Resistance Band Rear Delt Pull-Aparts

This exercise only requires a band and is great for targeting your upper back and posterior deltoids. Banded pull-aparts involve scapula retraction and lateral extension, making them great for targeting your upper back, rhomboids, and rear delts.

How to Perform Resistance Band Rear Delt Pull-Aparts

1. Grab a long resistance band using an underhand grip, so your hands are the same height as your shoulders. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend in the elbow, and your hands should be wider than shoulder-width. 
2. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Brace your abdominals and maintain a neutral spine by looking straight ahead. 
3. Rotate your shoulder joint outward to engage the upper back muscles. Pre-tense your scapula and core. Start every rep from this position.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades and rear delts together to pull the band apart. Keep your wrists in line with your forearms.
5. Stop when your arms are extended laterally and align with your shoulders. Pause while squeezing your rear delts as hard as you can.
6. Slowly release your hands back towards each other to reverse the movement.
7. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Check out this video from Functional Bodybuilding for a visual guide. 

8. Resistance Band Rear Delt Flys

Benefits of Resistance Band Rear Delt Flys

Resistance band rear delt flys use a resistance band to replace dumbbells or cables and are great at isolating your rear delts. Standing on the center of a long resistance band creates tension on the posterior deltoid, helping to strengthen your upper back and improve your shoulder stability. 

How to Perform Resistance Band Rear Delt Flys

1. Stand on the center of a long resistance band and hold one end in each hand using a neutral grip. Twist the band so that it is in a crossover position. 
2. Hinge at the hips and bend your torso over until it is parallel with the floor. Tuck your chin to keep a neutral upper spine.
3. Squeeze your rear delts to raise your arms straight to the sides. Keep your arms extended but maintain a micro bend in the elbow. 
4. Pause when your shoulder blades are fully retracted, and your upper arm aligns with your shoulders. Squeeze your rear delts and pause.
5. Slowly release the band’s tension and return your arms to their starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

For a visual guide, check out this video from PersonalBestOz.

Rear (Posterior Deltoid) Anatomy

Image source: kenhub

The rear deltoid muscle is also known as the posterior deltoid or scapula spinal deltoid. It is one of the three muscles that make up the deltoid muscles located in your shoulders. The rear deltoid sits on the back of your shoulder and upper arm. The rear delt’s primary function is to support the shoulder joint’s horizontal abduction. The posterior deltoid also helps you to maintain good posture by pulling your shoulders back and preventing a hunched, rounded upper spine. 

The rear delts externally rotate the arms and move the arms behind the body in exercises such as reverse flys. Many pulling exercises engage the rear delts, as do specific pressing movements, such as the overhead press.

Why are Strong Rear Deltoids Important?

Many shoulder exercises emphasize the medial (middle) and anterior (front) deltoid muscles while neglecting the small but crucial posterior deltoid muscles. 

The rear delts help move your upper arm laterally behind your torso and pull your shoulder blades together. The rear delts are also involved in transverse abduction and extension exercises, in which the arms move laterally away from the torso.  

Strong, stable rear deltoids will improve your posture and counter the hunched upper spine common among anyone who works at a desk or spends a lot of time sitting or driving. This video from Athlean-X explains the importance of the rear delt and offers tips for training them with or without equipment.

Other Muscle Groups Exercises

If you enjoyed this post, check out our other collections of the best exercises for each muscle group below.

About Emma Lennon

Emma is a Health Science graduate, qualified personal trainer, and writer. She has over ten years of experience in the health, community development, and communications sectors. She is passionate about making reputable information about health, fitness, and resistance training accessible to all.

Emma loves building her own functional strength and fitness outside of work with various training styles, from weightlifting to calisthenics, yoga, and dancing. She advocates for the powerful potential of exercise to improve physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being.