Check out 5 steps you should follow to grow rear delts quicker.
The shoulders, often referred to as the deltoids, are a group of muscles that play a pivotal role in our daily movements. From lifting objects to maintaining an upright posture, the shoulders are among the most utilized muscle groups. While the front and middle portions of the shoulders are commonly targeted in workout routines, the rear deltoid, situated at the back of the shoulders, tends to be overlooked.
Despite its importance in achieving a well-rounded and aesthetically pleasing shoulder structure, the rear deltoid is frequently neglected in training regimens. This oversight can lead to a disproportionate appearance, where the front part of the shoulder is more developed than the rear. To address this imbalance and empower individuals to build stronger, more balanced shoulders, a focus on the rear deltoid becomes imperative.
In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the significance of the rear deltoid, shedding light on its role in pulling, throwing, and maintaining posture. The information for this article was first shared in a video uploaded by Max Posternak. He is the founder of Gravity Transformation, a website focused on giving tips and training guidance for people looking to improve their fitness and lose weight. His YouTube channel has over 5.5 million subscribers.

By understanding the nuances of shoulder anatomy and the potential consequences of neglecting the rear deltoid, individuals can embark on a journey to sculpt a more proportionate and powerful physique. Through a series of five strategic steps, we will explore how to effectively target and train the rear deltoid, ensuring that it receives the attention it deserves in pursuit of well-rounded shoulder development.
Neglecting the rear head can lead to an imbalance in shoulder development. To achieve well-rounded and powerful shoulders, follow these five steps outlined in this informative guide.
Step 1: Mind-Muscle Connection
Improving the mind-muscle connection is vital for effectively training the rear deltoid. It ensures that you consciously target and engage the specific muscle during exercises. Focus on visualizing and feeling the contraction of the rear delts, especially during pulling movements. Avoid relying on larger back muscles, such as lats and traps, by concentrating on pulling with the back of your shoulders.
Step 2: Create the Right Conditions
For muscle growth, especially if you’ve been weight training for some time, maintain a calorie surplus. Calculate your caloric needs, increase protein intake, and ensure a balanced diet to provide essential nutrients for muscle function, recovery, and hormone optimization.
Step 3: Effective Exercises
Incorporate compound exercises specifically targeting the rear deltoid. Dumbbell bent-over high rows, bent-over barbell high rows, and face pulls are effective in stimulating the posterior shoulder muscles. Include isolation exercises like reverse dumbbell flys to further target the rear head and create a comprehensive workout routine.
Related: Top 3 Shoulder Exercises for 3D Delts
Step 4: Progressive Overload
Gradually increase the weight lifted for rear delt exercises over time. Maintain proper form and focus on engaging the targeted muscles, avoiding the use of momentum. Progressive overload is essential for sustained muscle growth, and getting stronger at these exercises is key to achieving balanced shoulder development.
Step 5: Switch Up Your Routine
Avoid hitting plateaus by periodically changing your workout routine. Every 6 to 8 weeks, introduce new exercises or variations to challenge your muscles differently. This strategy ensures continuous progress and prevents stagnation in your shoulder development.
By following these five steps—establishing a mind-muscle connection, creating the right conditions for growth, incorporating effective exercises, embracing progressive overload, and periodically switching up your routine—you can build bigger, more proportionate rear deltoids. Achieving balanced shoulder development enhances overall strength, function, and aesthetic appeal.
Watch the video below for visual cues and more information about Posternak’s 5 steps to grow rear delts quick.
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Training the shoulders to make them bigger can be challenging for a few reasons:
- Genetics: The size and shape of your shoulders are largely determined by your genetics. Some people may have a genetic predisposition for broader shoulders, while others may have narrower shoulders. This can make it more difficult to achieve significant gains in shoulder size through training.
- Shoulder anatomy: The shoulders are a complex joint that is made up of multiple muscles, tendons, and bones. Because of their complexity, it can be challenging to target all of the shoulder muscles effectively with traditional strength training exercises. For example, the anterior deltoids may be easily stimulated with overhead pressing movements, but the lateral deltoids and rear deltoids may require more targeted exercises to effectively stimulate growth.
- Overtraining: The shoulders are often worked indirectly through other upper body exercises, such as bench presses and rows. This means that they can be easily overtrained if not given enough rest and recovery time. Overtraining can lead to injury and can also prevent muscle growth.
- Lack of progressive overload: Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress placed on the muscles over time, which is necessary for muscle growth. If you are not progressively increasing the weight, sets, or reps of your shoulder exercises over time, your muscles may not be receiving enough stimulus to grow.
To effectively train the shoulders and promote muscle growth, it is important to incorporate a variety of exercises that target all three heads of the deltoids, as well as the rotator cuff and trapezius muscles. It is also important to allow for adequate rest and recovery time between workouts, and to progressively increase the intensity of your workouts over time.
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Should You Workout Your Shoulders Every Day?
No, it is not recommended to work out your shoulders every day. The shoulders are a complex joint that is involved in many upper body movements, and they require time to recover and adapt to the stress placed on them during exercise. Overtraining the shoulders can lead to muscle fatigue, decreased strength, and an increased risk of injury.
The frequency of shoulder workouts depends on several factors, including your fitness level, training experience, and workout intensity. Generally, it is recommended to allow at least 48 hours of rest between shoulder workouts to allow for adequate recovery time.
If you are a beginner, you may benefit from working out your shoulders once or twice a week, gradually increasing the frequency as your fitness level improves. If you are an advanced lifter, you may be able to train your shoulders more frequently, but it is still important to allow for adequate recovery time and to avoid overtraining.
Ultimately, the frequency of your shoulder workouts should be based on your individual fitness goals, training experience, and recovery abilities. It is important to listen to your body and adjust your workout frequency and intensity as needed to avoid injury and promote muscle growth.
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image sources
- https://www.boxrox.com/how-to-get-bigger-lats-2-simple-exercises/: CrossFit Inc.
- how-to-build-capped-shoulders: Photo courtesy of CrossFit Inc.