Dumbbell Prone Rear Delt Swing

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Set an incline bench to a 30-45 degree angle and lie chest-down with your feet secured on the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other), allowing your arms to hang straight down toward the floor.
3. Position your chest high on the bench so your chin is just above the top edge, and keep your neck in a neutral spine position.

How to do it

1. Swing the dumbbells out to your sides in a controlled, rhythmic motion, stopping when they reach about 45 degrees from your torso.
2. Exhale as you swing the weights outward and inhale as you lower them back to the starting position under control.
3. Maintain a constant, pulsing tempo (approximately 1 second up and 1 second down), focusing on the bottom half of the range of motion.

Form checklist

• Keep your chest firmly pressed against the bench to prevent using momentum from the torso.
• Ensure the movement occurs at the shoulder joint; avoid bending or extending the elbows during the swing.
• Focus on pushing the weights 'out' toward the walls rather than 'up' toward the ceiling.
• Keep your shoulder blades slightly retracted but avoid excessive shrugging toward the ears.

Pro tips

• Imagine you are trying to throw the dumbbells away from your body to the sides to maximize rear delt recruitment.
• Use a 'thumbless' or 'false' grip to reduce forearm and bicep involvement, allowing for better mind-muscle connection with the deltoids.
• This exercise is most effective with higher repetition ranges (15-25 reps) to accumulate metabolic stress in the small rear delt muscles.

Make it harder

• Add a 1-second isometric hold at the peak of each swing to increase time under tension.
• Perform a mechanical dropset by immediately transitioning into full-range Prone Rear Delt Rows once you reach failure on the swings.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell prone rear delt swing work?

The dumbbell prone rear delt swing primarily targets the deltoids, and also works the erector spinae and rhomboids as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell prone rear delt swing?

The dumbbell prone rear delt swing uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell prone rear delt swing good for beginners?

The dumbbell prone rear delt swing is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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