Shoulder
Posterior Deltoid exercises
Shoulder extension and horizontal abduction during pulling movements.
56
Exercises
9
Primary target
Related exercise guides
Home equipment tiers prioritize bodyweight, walls, chairs, towels, bands, and household loads before gym-only equipment.
90/90 External Rotation
With arm out to side at 90 degrees, rotate forearm up. Important for throwers and overhead athletes.
Backpack Row
Use a weighted backpack to do bent-over rows at home. Practical strength training with household items.
Bulgarian Bag Bent-Over Row, Main Handles
You stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hinge at the hips with slightly bent knees, holding the main handles of a crescent-shaped bag. You pull the bag toward your torso, then lower it.
Dumbbell Row - Supported
Row a dumbbell while supporting yourself on a bench. The support takes stress off your back while building upper body pulling strength.
Face Pull
Pull a rope or band toward your face with elbows high. Top exercise for rear delts and upper back posture muscles.
Inverted Row
Row your body up to a bar while lying under it. Like a reverse push-up.
Kettlebell Bent-Over Reverse Fly
You hold a kettlebell in each hand, bend your knees slightly, and hinge at the hips so your torso leans forward. You raise both arms out to the sides, then lower them.
Kneeling Reverse Fly With a Cable or Band
You kneel tall on a mat with a handle in each hand and your arms extended in front at shoulder height. You breathe out and pull your arms backward and downward in a wide arc to hip level with your palms turned up.
Landmine Meadows Row
Stand side-on to an anchored landmine bar with one leg in front. Grip the thick end of the bar overhand. Pull the elbow wide and high to row it toward your ribs, then lower it under control.
Lat Pulldown
Pull a bar down to chest level. Builds lats and overall back width.
Leverage Iso-Lateral Row
Sit at a lever row machine with the handles at chest level. Pull the handles toward your torso, bending the elbows and squeezing the shoulder blades together. Pause, then return the handles slowly.
Lying T-Bar Row on the Machine
Lie face down with the chest on the pad of a T-bar row machine. Lift the lever bar off its rack, extend the arms, then pull the handles up toward the chest.
Prone External Rotation
Lie face down on bench with arm hanging, rotate forearm up. Isolates the rotator cuff.
Prone I Raise
Lie face down and lift arms straight overhead in an I shape. Activates lower trap muscles.
Prone I-Y-T-W Raises
Comprehensive upper back strengthening combining four arm positions. Excellent for postural support.
Prone T (Upper Back)
Lie face down and lift arms in a T position to strengthen mid-back muscles that support neck posture.
Prone T Raise
Lie face down and lift arms out to sides in a T shape. Strengthens middle back muscles.
Prone W Raise
Lie face down with arms in W shape and lift. Great for rotator cuff and lower traps.
Prone Y (Lower Trap)
Lie face down and lift arms in a Y position to target lower trapezius muscles. Important for shoulder blade control.
Prone Y Raise
Lie face down and lift your arms in a Y shape. Builds strength in your upper back and back of shoulders.
Prone Y Raise
Lie face down and lift your arms in a Y shape above your head. Targets lower trapezius and serratus for overhead reaching.
Reformer Rowing
You kneel upright on a reformer carriage facing the headrest with your knees against the shoulder blocks and one hand behind your head. With the other hand you pull a strap back, then return. You repeat on the other side.
Reformer Rowing - Front 1
A seated rowing move on a Pilates reformer. You sit tall holding a strap in each hand with elbows tucked, then extend your arms forward to just above shoulder height and bring them back down.
Rowing 1
You sit tall on a Pilates cadillac facing the arm springs, with your legs straight and squeezed together. You hold your fists at breastbone level and round your back toward the mat while the springs open.
Rowing 3 From the Chest With Arm Springs on the Pilates Cadillac
You sit tall on a Pilates cadillac with your back to the arm springs and your legs straight and together. You hold the handles at chest level, press your arms straight at a diagonal, and reach them down and up, then wide to the sides.
Rowing 3 on the Pilates Arm Chair
You sit tall with your back against the arm chair, the soles of your feet together and your knees apart. You hold the handles at chest height, reach your arms to a high diagonal, then lower the straight arms toward the floor.
Rowing 4 Hips With Arm Springs on the Pilates Cadillac
You sit tall on a Pilates cadillac with your back to the spring end, legs long and together, and your hands on the mat by your hips under the springs. You round up and over your legs, sliding your hands along the mat to your feet, then lift your arms.
Rowing 5
A seated overhead press on a Pilates arm chair. You sit with your back on the backrest, soles of the feet together, hands behind your head, then reach your hands up toward the ceiling against the springs.
Rowing 5 Shave With Arm Springs on the Pilates Cadillac
You sit tall on a Pilates cadillac with your back to the springs, ankles crossed and hands behind your head with elbows wide. You reach your arms up and slightly forward against the springs, then bend your elbows and resist the springs closed.
Rowing 6 Hug With Arm Springs on the Pilates Cadillac
You sit tall on a Pilates cadillac with your back to the springs and your ankles crossed, arms wide with the handles straight up and down. You hug your arms toward each other with soft elbows, then open them wide to the sides.
Rowing 6 on the Pilates Arm Chair
You sit up tall with your whole back against the arm chair, the soles of your feet together and your knees apart. You hold the handles in front of your chest and reach your arms wide to the sides with soft elbows, keeping your shoulders on the chair.
Rowing Front 2 Round on the Pilates Reformer
A seated forward reach on a Pilates reformer. You sit tall with legs straight and palms on the carriage, stretch your spine forward and slide your hands into the well, then lift your arms overhead and circle back.
Sandbag Bent-Over Row
You stand bent forward at the hips with a straight back, holding a sandbag hanging below your chest. You pull the sandbag up toward your body, then lower it.
Seated Band Row
Sit on the floor and pull a resistance band toward your ribs. Builds mid-back strength for better posture.
Seated Cable Row
Perform seated cable rows with focus on maintaining good neck posture. Builds back strength to support the cervical spine.
Seated Row, Chest-Pad Selectorized Machine
You sit with your chest against a pad and hold two handles with straight arms. You pull the handles toward you by bending your elbows, then return slowly.
Seated Stick-Assisted Shoulder External Rotation, Elbow Pinned at the Side
You sit in an armchair holding a stick with both hands, elbows bent and kept off the arm rests. You keep one elbow near your side and use your other arm to push the stick sideways, so the first hand moves outward. You may feel an ache or stretch.
Shotgun Row on the Low Cable
Stand a couple of feet back from a low pulley in a wide staggered stance with one arm extended. Row by pulling the shoulder back and bending the elbow while turning the palm up. Pause, then return the handle under control.
Side-Lying External Rotation
Lie on your side and rotate your forearm up. Classic exercise for rotator cuff strength.
Single Arm Dumbbell Row
Perform single arm row with focus on maintaining neutral neck position throughout the movement.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Row one dumbbell at a time while supporting yourself with other hand. Classic back exercise.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Row a dumbbell with one arm while supporting yourself with the other. Great for building unilateral back strength.
Sleeper Stretch
Lie on your side and stretch internal rotation of shoulder. Important for throwers.
Smith Machine Bent-Over Row
Hinge forward with a straight back until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Unlock the Smith machine bar and let it hang at arm's length. Row it up to your torso with your elbows close, hold for a second, then lower it.
Standing External Rotation with Band
Stand and rotate your forearm outward against a band. Classic rotator cuff exercise.
Standing Row (Spine-Friendly Back Strength)
Builds upper back strength while maintaining a strong, neutral spine position. Critical for counteracting desk posture.
Steel Mace Offset Bent-Over Row
You stand with feet hip-width apart and hinge forward with a neutral spine, holding a steel mace by its handle. You pull the mace toward your torso, then lower it.
Straight Arm Pulldown
Pull cable down with straight arms. Isolates lats without bicep involvement.
Supine External Rotation
Lie on back with elbow supported and rotate forearm out. Safe position for rotator cuff work.
Suspension-Strap Reverse Fly
You stand holding two suspension-strap handles and lean back with your arms extended in front. You sweep both arms out to the sides in a wide arc, then bring them back.
Suspension-Strap Shoulder External Rotation
You stand holding two suspension-strap handles from one anchor at chest height, and lean back slightly with the straps taut. With your elbows bent at 90 degrees, you rotate your forearms outward and then return.
TRX Row
Row your body up using TRX straps. Great for back and biceps.
TRX Row
Hold TRX straps and row your body up. Adjustable difficulty makes this perfect for any fitness level.
Towel Isometric Row
Wrap a towel around a sturdy object and pull. No movement, just tension - perfect when you don't have equipment.
Trap Bar Bent-Over Row
You stand inside a trap bar and hinge forward at the hips, gripping its two neutral handles. You row the bar up toward your body, then lower it.
Weight Plate Bent-Over Row
You stand with your torso hinged forward about 45 degrees, holding a weight plate by its rim with both hands. You bend your elbows to pull the plate toward your torso, then lower it.