Muscles Trained: Deltoids (mainly rear delts), forearms, upper back.

Intro: Bent over rear lateral raises can be performed standing or seated. This article will focus mainly on the standing version. The rear delts are an often forgotten muscle in the weight room. They do not get much work on the core shoulder exercises. Deadlifts will hit them but many people fail to do them. Building a strong set of rear deltoids is very important. They will pull your shoulder blades back and help with posture.

How it is performed: You will need a set of dumbbells. Starting off light on these is recommended for safety reasons. Place the dumbbells in front of you with your feet about shoulder width apart. Slightly bend your knees and lean over so your back and the floor are almost parallel. Raise your arms to your sides until they are about shoulder height. Try to lift the weight using your back rather than your arms.

Do not let the weight travel too high above your shoulders. Slowly return the weight back to the starting position in a controlled manner. The seated version is very similar and highly recommended for rear deltoid development.