# Rear delt advice wanted



## timecode2 (Nov 25, 2014)

I feel like my rear delts need to improve it's starting to bugg me so much in the gym mirrors. Wanted to ask you guys what exercises you would suggest to help me focus putting some mass up there, also going to focus on traps  quite a lot not cause I'm lacking at the moment, just cause traps are my ****ing favourite lol


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## Khazima (Nov 25, 2014)

Rear delt flyes and facepulls. 

There's an exercise that's kind of like a row to the face with a wide grip using a lat pulldown bar (standing). It feels great but I haven't used it consistently enough to see results.


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## MustangDX (Nov 25, 2014)

Check out YouTube, they show many exercise's for every body part.


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## deadlift666 (Nov 25, 2014)

Priority principle.... Train them first on delt day. It seems that a lot of people do rear delts as an afterthought when there is little gas left in the tank. Always hitting military press first. You want them to grow give them priority, train them first and do at least 2 exercises specific to rear delts.


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## Irish (Nov 25, 2014)

Khazima said:


> Rear delt flyes and facepulls.
> 
> There's an exercise that's kind of like a row to the face with a wide grip using a lat pulldown bar (standing). It feels great but I haven't used it consistently enough to see results.


I've always felt a much better contraction doing this but with the rope, don't try and go to heavy either, make sure it's your rear delts doing the work and you're not compensating with the biceps. And as already said, do it first in the workout. If I'm trying to build shape in my shoulders I usually do rear, Middle and then finish off with pressing movements. Helps curve your ego lifting as you have to lower the weight thus keeping your form better.


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## Paolos (Nov 25, 2014)

Wide grip barbell rows, reverse flys, face pulls and rear delt raise


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## timecode2 (Nov 25, 2014)

Thanks for the info guys, I tried a rope face pull last night it felt good, Must achieve perfection  won't stop till i reach it. ( even at perfection I still won't be satisfied)


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## PillarofBalance (Nov 25, 2014)

On the face pulls with a rope make sure you are pulling the rope apart not just rowing it at your face.

Other thing that helps... bench heavy as hell.  Dead serious. Rear delts should be in an isometric contraction that damn near causes cramps.

Show me a guy with a big effin bench and I will show you big rear delts


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## MrRippedZilla (Nov 25, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> Other thing that helps... bench heavy as hell.  Dead serious. Rear delts should be in an isometric contraction that damn near causes cramps.
> 
> Show me a guy with a big effin bench and I will show you big rear delts



I would argue against this man.
Most people already do WAY too much pushing/pressing movements that overdevelop the front delts to a disproportionate extent compared to the rear delts. Thats why alot of guys have rear delt problems - its not that the rear delts are underdeveloped, its more a case of the fronts being disproportionately overdeveloped in comparison.

Isometric holds are fine but arent really the best choice, you want an exercise with a contraction & eccentric portion like face pulls, rear delt flyes, and other movements guys have already mentioned.


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## PillarofBalance (Nov 25, 2014)

MrRippedZilla said:


> I would argue against this man.
> Most people already do WAY too much pushing/pressing movements that overdevelop the front delts to a disproportionate extent compared to the rear delts. Thats why alot of guys have rear delt problems - its not that the rear delts are underdeveloped, its more a case of the fronts being disproportionately overdeveloped in comparison.
> 
> Isometric holds are fine but arent really the best choice, you want an exercise with a contraction & eccentric portion like face pulls, rear delt flyes, and other movements guys have already mentioned.



Powerlifters have bigger thicker backs because of isometric contractions. 

They work.

Not sure why you would argue against anything anyway. If you have a lagging part throw everything you can at it. Leave no stone unturned. To skip a potential is just shortsighted.


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## Maijah (Nov 25, 2014)

Reverse db fly's and also bent over reverse cable fly's


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## MrRippedZilla (Nov 25, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> Powerlifters have bigger thicker backs because of isometric contractions.
> 
> They work.
> 
> Not sure why you would argue against anything anyway. If you have a lagging part throw everything you can at it. Leave no stone unturned. To skip a potential is just shortsighted.



I never said isometrics dont work - I said an exercise with both a concentric & eccentric portion is better. 
Studies on muscle activation almost always show isometric holds to have a secondary role if the aim is to actually build muscle - otherwise everyone would be doing static squats & planks for muscle mass.

I argued against it because the OP wants to bring up a lagging bodypart - how is placing more emphasis on the bench press going to do that? 
A compound movement that places way more focus on the front rather than rear delts just isnt an optimal way to train if the main goal is to bring up the rear delts. If anything, you could end up making the in balance worse.


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## TriniJuice (Nov 25, 2014)

Zilla is an ology spy :32 (17):


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## MrRippedZilla (Nov 25, 2014)

TriniJuice said:


> Zilla is an ology spy :32 (17):



Damn...my cover has been blown...I knew I should've chosen a different username


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## PillarofBalance (Nov 25, 2014)

MrRippedZilla said:


> I never said isometrics dont work - I said an exercise with both a concentric & eccentric portion is better.
> Studies on muscle activation almost always show isometric holds to have a secondary role if the aim is to actually build muscle - otherwise everyone would be doing static squats & planks for muscle mass.
> 
> I argued against it because the OP wants to bring up a lagging bodypart - how is placing more emphasis on the bench press going to do that?
> A compound movement that places way more focus on the front rather than rear delts just isnt an optimal way to train if the main goal is to bring up the rear delts. If anything, you could end up making the in balance worse.



You will note I referenced face pulls first. Then bench.

You are showing how little you really know about muscle development right now.


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## MrRippedZilla (Nov 25, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> You will note I referenced face pulls first. Then bench.
> 
> You are showing how little you really know about muscle development right now.



And you will note that I deliberately didnt quote that portion because I had no issue with it.

REALLY? Well now you must enlighten me with your knowledge...

If I came up to you looking for a specialization training cycle in order to bring up my rear delts, like the OP, how would you incorporate the bench press since its so good for rear delts?

Since I'm a coach I would simply get her to bench 1-2x week 3x8 to maintain her chest mass - I would not suddenly focus on benching, if anything I would reduce total volume in order to spend more time on more direct rear delt work.
But please enlighten me on how biomechanically the bench offers something worth emphasizing on a rear delt specialization cycle...since I'm clearly clueless


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## PillarofBalance (Nov 25, 2014)

MrRippedZilla said:


> And you will note that I deliberately didnt quote that portion because I had no issue with it.
> 
> REALLY? Well now you must enlighten me with your knowledge...
> 
> ...



I couldn't care less if you highlighted and quoted it. You glossed over the fact I mentioned the face pulls and instead criticized my second advice as if the first part didn't exist.

A proper bench press is done with the entire posterior chain in contraction. That's how. If you are this wonderful amazing coach I am shocked you would need to ask such a question.

Also the fact that you would have someone bench 3x8 week after week again highlights what little you know.

Bench pressing builds more than pectoral mass. Didn't you know that Coach?


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## stonetag (Nov 25, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> On the face pulls with a rope make sure you are pulling the rope apart not just rowing it at your face.
> 
> Other thing that helps... bench heavy as hell.  Dead serious. Rear delts should be in an isometric contraction that damn near causes cramps.
> 
> Show me a guy with a big effin bench and I will show you big rear delts


Got to admit, I'm a poster child for the heavy bench, big rear delts.


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## MrRippedZilla (Nov 25, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> I couldn't care less if you highlighted and quoted it. You glossed over the fact I mentioned the face pulls and instead criticized my second advice as if the first part didn't exist.
> 
> A proper bench press is done with the entire posterior chain in contraction. That's how. If you are this wonderful amazing coach I am shocked you would need to ask such a question.
> 
> ...



You've taken me not mentioning the first part way too personally - it was good advice that I had nothing extra to add on to, my post was to discuss your bench press advice. I had no idea you'd take it this badly.

I mentioned already that benching is a compound movement, which by definition means it works more than the pecs - but I can see that you've clearly been offended by me questioning you & are now simply looking for ammunition to use against me.
The 3x8 was a basic example to illustrate that I would treat the bench just like any other movement designed to keep mass at maintenance while the lagging body part gets extra attention to catch up - thats kind of the point of a specialization cycle. I had no idea that you wanted me to detail a full periodization programme.

You've provided no convincing argument for paying extra attention to the bench press during a rear delt specialization cycle apart from it being a compound move that hits the delts in an isometric fashion, which isnt optimal for mass anyway. Focusing on a pushing movement to develop a muscle that requires pulling makes no sense but obviously I wouldnt be able to convince you of this.

Again, I'm sorry that you took my posts so personally - we'll leave it here since I can probably chuck all the biomechanics I want at you & it wont make a difference.


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## gymrat827 (Nov 25, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> I couldn't care less if you highlighted and quoted it. You glossed over the fact I mentioned the face pulls and instead criticized my second advice as if the first part didn't exist.
> 
> A proper bench press is done with the entire posterior chain in contraction. That's how. If you are this wonderful amazing coach I am shocked you would need to ask such a question.
> 
> ...





stonetag said:


> Got to admit, I'm a poster child for the heavy bench, big rear delts.





MrRippedZilla said:


> And you will note that I deliberately didnt quote that portion because I had no issue with it.
> 
> REALLY? Well now you must enlighten me with your knowledge...
> 
> ...





MrRippedZilla said:


> You've taken me not mentioning the first part way too personally - it was good advice that I had nothing extra to add on to, my post was to discuss your bench press advice. I had no idea you'd take it this badly.
> 
> I mentioned already that benching is a compound movement, which by definition means it works more than the pecs - but I can see that you've clearly been offended by me questioning you & are now simply looking for ammunition to use against me.
> The 3x8 was a basic example to illustrate that I would treat the bench just like any other movement designed to keep mass at maintenance while the lagging body part gets extra attention to catch up - thats kind of the point of a specialization cycle. I had no idea that you wanted me to detail a full periodization programme.
> ...



Gentlemen, Gentlemen,

Lots of good points on both sides made.  i dont think everyone was on the same page and things went in the wrong direction in a hurry.  Kinda of a side effect of everyone being on 500mg +.

So lets get back on track......how to further build the rear delt


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## ECKSRATED (Nov 25, 2014)

Heavy calf raises are great for rear delts also.


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## deadlift666 (Nov 25, 2014)

Synthol...


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## timecode2 (Nov 26, 2014)

Wow I had a lot of catching upto do,  I'm just reading through all the posts, cheers for the thoughts, and you two with your debating is rather amusing <3 UGBB


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## Maijah (Nov 26, 2014)

^^^^^ I love that hottie in your avatar. Let's see some pics of her, preferably scantily clothed.


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## Joliver (Nov 26, 2014)

Best rear delt work: backhanding Black Friday bargain shoppers. Get some reps in and a 50 inch tv for around $200 bucks.


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## timecode2 (Nov 26, 2014)

Maijah said:


> ^^^^^ I love that hottie in your avatar. Let's see some pics of her, preferably scantily clothed.



Haven't spoken to her in months not even sure I could contact her again haha


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