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The deltoid muscle, often shortened to delt, is the muscle that forms the rounded contour of the human shoulder. The rear delt, or posterior delt, is one of three parts of the shoulder, the other two being the front and side delts. The rear delt is an important shoulder muscle that helps move your arm backward. It is used in many pulling movements and is an important shoulder stabilizer. Training the rear delts can help correct poor posture and prevent long-term issues such as back pain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Deltoid muscle |
| Common name | Delt |
| Other names | Common shoulder muscle, deltoideus |
| Location | Shoulder |
| Description | Rounded contour of the human shoulder |
| Composition | Three distinct sets of muscle fibres |
| Parts | Anterior or clavicular part (front delt), intermediate or acromial part (side delt), posterior or scapular part (rear delt) |
| Function | Elevating the arm in the scapular plane, arm abduction along the frontal plane |
| Weight | 192 grams on average in humans |
| Blood supply | Thoracoacromial artery, circumflex humeral arteries, profunda brachii artery |
| Innervation | Axillary nerve |
| Conditions | Adhesive capsulitis, axillary nerve palsy |
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What You'll Learn
Rear delts are important shoulder muscles
The rear deltoid, or posterior deltoid, is a vital shoulder muscle. It is one of three distinct sets of muscle fibres that make up the deltoid muscle, the others being the anterior deltoid and lateral deltoid. The deltoid muscle is the muscle that forms the rounded contour of the human shoulder, resembling an upside-down triangle. It covers the front, side and back of the shoulder joint.
The rear deltoid is important for shoulder stability and strength. It is used in many pulling movements, such as bringing your arm backward when walking or pulling a lawnmower cord. It also helps to prevent shoulder rotation during a bench press and provides stability during pull-ups.
Poor posture, particularly hunched shoulders, is caused by an imbalance between the chest and back/shoulder muscles. This can be addressed by strengthening the back and shoulders through exercises that target the rear deltoid, such as face pulls, barbell rows, and rear delt flyes.
The rear deltoid is also important for shoulder mobility and overall shoulder health. Strengthening the rear deltoid can help to prevent shoulder injuries and issues such as adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder, which can cause pain, muscle spasms and stiffness.
Overall, the rear deltoid is a crucial shoulder muscle that plays a significant role in shoulder stability, strength, mobility and health. It is important to include exercises that target the rear deltoid as part of a well-rounded fitness routine to develop strong and healthy shoulders.
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They help with shoulder stability
The posterior deltoids, or rear delts, are important shoulder muscles that play a crucial role in shoulder stability. They are involved in many pulling movements and help stabilise the shoulder joints, enabling you to lift, push and pull without injury.
Exercises that strengthen the rear delts, such as rowing, pull-ups, and face pulls, can improve shoulder stability and overall shoulder health. For example, during a bench press, the rear delts help to prevent unwanted shoulder rotation, providing stability.
Poor posture, especially hunched shoulders, can be caused by an imbalance between the chest and back/shoulder muscles. This can lead to long-term issues such as back pain. Training the rear delts, along with the back muscles, glutes, and hamstrings, helps correct muscle imbalances and improves posture, which further contributes to shoulder stability.
Additionally, the rear delts assist in externally rotating the shoulders. This movement is important for daily functions like carrying heavy objects with your arms down, such as grocery bags. By strengthening the rear delts, you can improve your ability to perform these everyday tasks with greater stability and ease.
Overall, the rear delts are crucial for shoulder stability and healthy shoulder mobility. Targeting these muscles through specific exercises can lead to improved stability, posture, and overall shoulder strength.
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They are used in pulling movements
The rear deltoids, or posterior deltoids, are important shoulder muscles that are used in pulling movements. They are located at the back of the shoulder joint, connecting the upper part of the scapula (shoulder blade) to the humerus (the arm bone between the shoulder and elbow).
The rear delts are involved in any movement that requires pulling, such as pulling a lawnmower cord or performing a pull-up. They are also important in throwing movements, such as pitching a baseball. These muscles help to provide stability during pulling exercises like pull-ups and prevent shoulder rotation during a bench press.
The rear delts are key muscles for anyone looking to improve their pulling strength, whether that be for athletic performance or everyday functional strength. They also contribute to overall shoulder stability and strength, helping to keep the shoulders stable during daily functions like carrying heavy grocery bags.
To target and strengthen the rear delts, specific pulling exercises can be performed. These include compound exercises such as rows and pull-ups, which recruit multiple muscles, and isolation exercises like the rear delt fly or reverse fly, which specifically targets the rear delts. Face pulls are another excellent bilateral exercise that works the rear delts and upper back. These exercises can be performed with dumbbells, cable machines, or on a rear delt fly machine, all of which can increase muscle activation in the rear delts.
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Rear delts can be targeted with exercises like face pulls
The posterior deltoids, or rear delts, are important shoulder muscles that contribute to overall shoulder stability and strength. They are involved in pulling movements and are important shoulder stabilizers.
People with desk jobs or sedentary lifestyles tend to have poor posture, leading to weaker rear delts and causing long-term issues, including back pain. Training the rear delts, along with the back muscles, glutes, and hamstrings, helps to correct posture and prevent muscle imbalances.
Face pulls are an excellent bilateral exercise that works the rear delts and upper back. They are performed using a cable machine with a rope attachment, targeting the rear deltoids, the muscles in the back of the shoulders. Face pulls strengthen the muscles supporting the shoulder joint, including the rotator cuff, and help improve posture.
To perform face pulls, set up the cable machine at chest height with a rope attachment. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grip the rope with a neutral grip, palms facing each other. Step back and pull the rope towards your face, keeping your elbows pointed upwards and out to the side. Slowly return the rope to the starting position with control.
It is important to choose a manageable weight and use correct form to avoid injury. Face pulls can also be performed with an underhand grip, where you grip the rope from underneath, palms facing down. This variation still targets the upper back but focuses more on the rear delts.
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Poor posture can be caused by weak rear delts
People with desk jobs or sedentary lifestyles tend to have poor posture, which leads to muscles in the posterior chain, like the rear delts, becoming weaker than anterior muscles. This further worsens posture and can cause long-term issues, including back pain.
When the rear delts are weak, the front of the shoulders may overcompensate, leading to a chain reaction of muscle imbalances, discomfort, and tension. This can result in serious shoulder injuries, such as rotator cuff impingements or tears, and limit your progress in the gym.
To improve posture and overall shoulder health, it is essential to strengthen the rear delts. This can be achieved through exercises such as face pulls, rear delt flyes, and pulling movements like rows and pull-ups. By targeting the rear delts with consistent training and making them a priority, you can improve your posture, enhance upper body strength, and reduce the risk of injuries.
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Frequently asked questions
The deltoid muscle, often shortened as "delt", forms the rounded contour of the human shoulder. The rear delt, or posterior delt, is one of three parts of the shoulder (the others being the front and side delts). It helps move your arm backward.
The rear delts play a big role in supporting the other upper body muscles. They help lift your arm in a lateral raise, prevent shoulder rotation during a bench press, and provide stability during pull-ups. They are also important shoulder stabilizers and are used in many pulling movements.
There are many exercises that target the rear delts, including pulling exercises like rows and pull-ups, as well as face pulls and rear delt flyes.
