Rope Rear-Delt Row

How to do it

1. Clip a rope to a pulley set at about chest height.
2. Take an end in each hand and step back until the cable is taut, arms extended forward.
3. Stand tall with your stomach braced and your shoulders down.
4. Pull the rope toward your face, driving the elbows out to the sides and back.
5. Let the hands separate as they arrive beside your ears.
6. Return under control until the arms are extended forward again.

Common mistakes

• Pulling the elbows down toward the ribs. Down and in is a row for the lat; out and back at shoulder height is what aims it at the rear of the shoulder.
• Letting the shoulders shrug up. They start down and stay down; riding up hands the pull to the upper trapezius.
• Setting the pulley low. A low cable turns the movement into an upright row; chest height or a little above is what keeps the elbows travelling out.
• Going heavy enough to lean back. The rear deltoid is small and works through a long lever here, so the load is limited well before the back is.

Muscles worked

Primary

• Posterior DeltoidShoulders

Secondary

• Biceps
• Rhomboids
• Middle TrapeziusTraps