Why This Exercise Works

Most posterior deltoid training suffers from a fundamental biomechanical limitation. Traditional dumbbell rear delt raises, bent over rows, and reverse flyes tend to provide their greatest resistance at the top of the movement when your shoulder is fully contracted. The problem is that muscles actually experience the most growth stimulus when they’re loaded under stretch, not when they’re shortened. This single arm cable rear delt raise solves that problem elegantly by using the cable’s constant tension to load your rear deltoid precisely where it matters most for hypertrophy.

Beyond the direct shoulder benefits, performing this exercise unilaterally in a hinged position creates substantial anti-rotation demands on your core and trunk. While trunk stability isn’t the primary goal, getting bonus core work while training your shoulders makes this an efficient choice for anyone looking to maximize their training economy without adding extra exercises to an already full program.

Equipment Setup

You’ll need access to a cable machine for this exercise. Set the cable pulley to its lowest position, down at floor level or as close as your machine allows. For the handle attachment, you have options. You can simply grab the cable ball itself without any attachment, or you can use a standard D-handle if that feels more comfortable in your grip. Both approaches work equally well, so choose based on personal preference and what feels most natural for maintaining tension throughout the movement.

Step-by-Step Technique

Position yourself perpendicular to the cable machine so that your working side is away from the pulley. If the cable machine is on your left, you’ll be grabbing the cable with your right hand. This “away hand” setup is crucial because it allows the cable to cross your body’s midline, creating that important stretch position for your rear deltoid.

Step away from the machine approximately one to two feet. You want enough distance to create tension on the cable even when your arm is across your body, but not so far that you’re fighting the weight stack before you even begin the movement. With the cable in hand, hinge forward at your hips into a proper Romanian deadlift position. Your chest should be tall and proud, your spine neutral and flat from your tailbone through the crown of your head, and your knees slightly bent. You should feel a light stretch in your hamstrings, which confirms you’re in a proper hip hinge rather than just bending forward with a rounded spine.

Your non-working hand can rest on your waist or lightly touch your thigh for balance, but avoid using it as a brace to support heavy loads. The goal is to maintain your hinged position through trunk stability, not by leaning heavily on your leg. Your feet should be positioned directly underneath your hips in a natural, athletic stance.

From this starting position with the cable crossing your body’s midline, initiate the movement by raising the cable out to the side, bringing your arm up to create a T-shape with your torso. Focus on leading with your elbow and thinking about pulling your shoulder blade back and away from the cable machine. The movement should feel like you’re drawing your arm across an imaginary shelf at shoulder height. Control the descent back to the stretched starting position, maintaining tension on the rear deltoid throughout the entire repetition.

Programming Recommendations

This exercise works exceptionally well in the moderate to higher repetition ranges. Aim for two to four sets of ten to twenty repetitions per side. The constant tension from the cable combined with the stability demands of the single-arm setup makes this exercise particularly effective when you focus on accumulating volume over time rather than chasing maximal loads. Progressive overload here comes from adding repetitions, adding sets, or gradually increasing the weight while maintaining impeccable position and full range of motion.

You can program this rear delt raise as part of your shoulder accessory work, as a finishing exercise after your main pressing movements, or even as part of an upper back superset paired with rowing variations. The anti-rotation component makes it particularly valuable for athletes who need to develop rotational stability alongside shoulder strength.

Why the Stretch Position Matters

Understanding why loading the stretch position creates superior muscle growth helps you appreciate what makes this variation special. When a muscle is lengthened under tension, you create more mechanical disruption to the muscle fibers and generate stronger growth signals compared to loading that same muscle when it’s shortened. Traditional rear delt raises with dumbbells provide minimal resistance when your arm is across your body in that stretched position, only becoming challenging as you raise the weight. The cable setup reverses this entirely, giving you maximum tension exactly where your rear deltoid is most lengthened and primed for growth stimulus. This biomechanical advantage is precisely why cable variations for shoulder training have become increasingly popular among coaches and athletes focused on maximizing hypertrophy.

The bent over single arm cable rear delt raise deserves a place in any well-designed shoulder or upper body program. Its unique combination of constant cable tension, loaded stretch position, and built-in stability challenge makes it a remarkably efficient exercise for developing the often-neglected posterior deltoid while simultaneously strengthening your ability to resist rotation through your trunk.