Band pull aparts. Also using two ropes instead of one on face pulls. And try the face pulls from different pulley heights. I personally find that having the pulley height a little above the top of my head helps me avoid trap activation best and I focus on pulling my shoulders down and back. My rotator cuff was trashed until I started working the rear delts more.
When training rear delt you should make sure that the elbow is ABOVE the level of your shoulders. If your elbows go below the line of the shoulders you’re basically training your back
i finish of my rear delts with these.
several years ago CT wrote a shoulder specialization program with a whole day for rear delt work. take your pick from his excercises. Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I admit that a good deal of my rear delt development comes from years of doing barbell rows, but I’ve found that by focusing on a couple of very subtle things, I’ve been able to really make mine pop.
Bent laterals while facing down on an incline bench… simply, but make sure:
1-Keep your thumbs angled DOWN the entire time,. I see too many people with palms down, and while it works to some degree, your medial head will do the brunt of the work… thumbs down, pinkies UP through the entire ROM!
2- Abreviated ROM. Allowing your arms to go all the way down will actually allow the rear head to relax. Going all the way up (even with perfect form) will tempt the lower traps to assist. Find the middle 2/3 of the motion and keep the weight moving in a controlled, pumping (albeit slow) fashion.
3- Don’t rush to crank up the weights. I typically use 25 lb DBs, but always warm up with 15s to ensure that just the rear head is doing the work. I’ve gone as heavy as 35’s, but I just feel it better (more isolated stress where I want it) with more of a TUT approach.
S[/quote]
Thanks a lot for this method. I am going to try these out this morning.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I admit that a good deal of my rear delt development comes from years of doing barbell rows, but I’ve found that by focusing on a couple of very subtle things, I’ve been able to really make mine pop.
Bent laterals while facing down on an incline bench… simply, but make sure:
1-Keep your thumbs angled DOWN the entire time,. I see too many people with palms down, and while it works to some degree, your medial head will do the brunt of the work… thumbs down, pinkies UP through the entire ROM!
2- Abreviated ROM. Allowing your arms to go all the way down will actually allow the rear head to relax. Going all the way up (even with perfect form) will tempt the lower traps to assist. Find the middle 2/3 of the motion and keep the weight moving in a controlled, pumping (albeit slow) fashion.
3- Don’t rush to crank up the weights. I typically use 25 lb DBs, but always warm up with 15s to ensure that just the rear head is doing the work. I’ve gone as heavy as 35’s, but I just feel it better (more isolated stress where I want it) with more of a TUT approach.
S[/quote]
Hmm. Thanks Stu. I know not to hurry with the addition of weight. It was a suspiciously short time before I started cheating on front laterals and using 30’s and when I hurt my shoulders. lol.
I didn’t know that keeping thumbs down was a priority. Thanks!
On the flip side, does that mean front laterals should be performed with the thumb facing up? I usually raise the weight with palms down.
As for rear delts, the excercises which I feel the most are bent over cable laterals and face pulls.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I admit that a good deal of my rear delt development comes from years of doing barbell rows, but I’ve found that by focusing on a couple of very subtle things, I’ve been able to really make mine pop.
Bent laterals while facing down on an incline bench… simply, but make sure:
1-Keep your thumbs angled DOWN the entire time,. I see too many people with palms down, and while it works to some degree, your medial head will do the brunt of the work… thumbs down, pinkies UP through the entire ROM!
2- Abreviated ROM. Allowing your arms to go all the way down will actually allow the rear head to relax. Going all the way up (even with perfect form) will tempt the lower traps to assist. Find the middle 2/3 of the motion and keep the weight moving in a controlled, pumping (albeit slow) fashion.
3- Don’t rush to crank up the weights. I typically use 25 lb DBs, but always warm up with 15s to ensure that just the rear head is doing the work. I’ve gone as heavy as 35’s, but I just feel it better (more isolated stress where I want it) with more of a TUT approach.
S[/quote]
I’ve seen the owner of my gym doing what you describe as rehab after his shoulder surgery, a couple of weeks ago I decided to try it for myself and I’m loving it. Thumbs pointing down, middle ROM, gets me incredible contact and pump even using really light weights.
Another movement I like for the rear delts is rope face pulls, but I don’t just pull towards my head but pull the ropes apart as well.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I admit that a good deal of my rear delt development comes from years of doing barbell rows, but I’ve found that by focusing on a couple of very subtle things, I’ve been able to really make mine pop.
Bent laterals while facing down on an incline bench… simply, but make sure:
1-Keep your thumbs angled DOWN the entire time,. I see too many people with palms down, and while it works to some degree, your medial head will do the brunt of the work… thumbs down, pinkies UP through the entire ROM!
2- Abreviated ROM. Allowing your arms to go all the way down will actually allow the rear head to relax. Going all the way up (even with perfect form) will tempt the lower traps to assist. Find the middle 2/3 of the motion and keep the weight moving in a controlled, pumping (albeit slow) fashion.
3- Don’t rush to crank up the weights. I typically use 25 lb DBs, but always warm up with 15s to ensure that just the rear head is doing the work. I’ve gone as heavy as 35’s, but I just feel it better (more isolated stress where I want it) with more of a TUT approach.
S[/quote]
For the past 20+ years I have been training either for 1. powerlifting or 2. overall strength and conditioning with little concern for cosmetic results. My thoughts were always that size should be a byproduct of strength and not vice-versa. All that being said, I am now 40+ and for whatever reason (mid life crisis I suppose) I have been focusing on cosmetic improvements and hypertrophy. What does this have to do with anything? Well I have been focusing on bringing up my delts. Traps, Back, Chest, Thighs are up to par thanks to years of bp, sq, and dl. So…I noticed my rear delts could use a little shoring up and I have never focused on isolating them. Recently I tried a variety of isolation exercises for the rear delt but this one by Stu ^^^^ is the clear winnner. Especially the ROM aspect. Keep it in that ROM and you will feel it burn. I did 5 sets of 15 reps. The higher reps are def. the better way IMO to activate those pesky rear delts.
[quote]Blaze_108 wrote:
On the flip side, does that mean front laterals should be performed with the thumb facing up? I usually raise the weight with palms down.[/quote]
I’ve always maintained (and it seems to be a widespread notion) that doing front raises with your thumbs angled up will target the anterior delt head better than keeping your palms facing down. About a year ago, I started keeping my Palms facing UPWARDS when doing front raises. You’ll have to keep a slight bend in your elbow so your don’t strain your bicep/elbow area, but if you can get the motion down, strictly (not swinging crazy-ass weights!), you will get the sickest front delt pump you’ve ever had. I do this occasionally instead of reverse grip BB presses to really isolate the front head.
S
[quote]Matsa wrote:
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I admit that a good deal of my rear delt development comes from years of doing barbell rows, but I’ve found that by focusing on a couple of very subtle things, I’ve been able to really make mine pop.
Bent laterals while facing down on an incline bench… simply, but make sure:
1-Keep your thumbs angled DOWN the entire time,. I see too many people with palms down, and while it works to some degree, your medial head will do the brunt of the work… thumbs down, pinkies UP through the entire ROM!
2- Abreviated ROM. Allowing your arms to go all the way down will actually allow the rear head to relax. Going all the way up (even with perfect form) will tempt the lower traps to assist. Find the middle 2/3 of the motion and keep the weight moving in a controlled, pumping (albeit slow) fashion.
3- Don’t rush to crank up the weights. I typically use 25 lb DBs, but always warm up with 15s to ensure that just the rear head is doing the work. I’ve gone as heavy as 35’s, but I just feel it better (more isolated stress where I want it) with more of a TUT approach.
S[/quote]
I’ve seen the owner of my gym doing what you describe as rehab after his shoulder surgery, a couple of weeks ago I decided to try it for myself and I’m loving it. Thumbs pointing down, middle ROM, gets me incredible contact and pump even using really light weights.
Another movement I like for the rear delts is rope face pulls, but I don’t just pull towards my head but pull the ropes apart as well.[/quote]
I didn’t even know it was still called a face pull if you didn’t pull the rope apart (this is why I like to use to ropes so long as each rope is shorter than my arm).
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
About a year ago, I started keeping my Palms facing UPWARDS when doing front raises. You’ll have to keep a slight bend in your elbow so your don’t strain your bicep/elbow area, but if you can get the motion down, strictly (not swinging crazy-ass weights!), you will get the sickest front delt pump you’ve ever had. I do this occasionally instead of reverse grip BB presses to really isolate the front head.
[/quote]
You’re in good company (go to 2:09)
Very cool! It was just a progression from my doing military presses with a reverse grip for a while now. I actually got that idea years ago from Chris Cormier. When I realized that by creating the illusion of a deeper delineation between my pecs and front delts that I could make my pecs look better, I started incorporating reverse presses on a regular basis. Sometimes though, my wrists would hurt a bit from the heavy weights, so I tried to recreate the front head isolation I felt with a front raise motion… Nice to know I’m in such good company 
S