Exercise
REAR DELT INVERTED ROW (HIGH BAR)
Form cues
About
An inverted row performed with a wide grip and hands pronated on a high bar, with the elbows flaring out to target the rear deltoid and upper back. The high bar height increases the difficulty relative to a low bar version.
Instructions
Step-by-step technique
Set your starting position
Stand facing a high bar and step forward until your chest is directly beneath it. Reach up to grab the bar with a wide, overhand pronated grip, ensuring your hands are spaced significantly wider than shoulder-width apart to isolate the rear deltoids.
Chest to the barEstablish your body angle
Walk your feet forward until your body is reclined at an angle beneath the bar. Keep your legs straight, feet together, and maintain a rigid, plank-like posture from your head to your heels to ensure proper muscle engagement.
Body like a plankInitiate the pulling movement
Begin the row by driving your elbows out to the sides at shoulder height, rather than pulling them back toward your ribs. Focus on leading the movement with your elbows to maximize tension on the rear deltoids and upper back.
Elbows wide and highExecute the full contraction
Pull your chest toward the bar by squeezing your shoulder blades together while keeping your torso perfectly still. Ensure your elbows remain flared out throughout the entire range of motion to avoid using your lats as primary movers.
Squeeze the upper backControl the eccentric descent
Lower yourself back to the starting position with a slow, controlled motion, maintaining full body tension throughout the movement. Do not allow your hips to sag or your lower back to arch as you return to the fully extended position.
Don't let hips dropCommon mistakes
What goes wrong — and why
Narrow grip converting this to a standard row
A close grip shifts the load to the lats and biceps rather than the rear delt.
Set the grip wider than shoulder-width and allow the elbows to flare at approximately 90° from the torso on the pull.
Body angling too far from vertical
If the body is nearly horizontal, this becomes a higher-difficulty lat-focused row.
Adjust foot position to create a body angle that challenges the rear delt specifically, typically at 30–45° from vertical.
Not pausing at the top to contract the rear delts
A bouncy, continuous rhythm reduces the rear delt squeeze.
Hold the fully-rowed position for 1–2 seconds at the top; squeeze the shoulder blades together and feel the rear delt contracting.
Variations · Progressions · Regressions
Adaptations for every level
Rear Delt Inverted Row (low bar)
Perform the same wide-elbow row on a lower bar to reduce difficulty while learning the technique.
TRX Rear Delt Row
Use TRX straps to perform the wide-elbow rear delt row with adjustable difficulty.
Weighted Rear Delt Inverted Row
Add a weighted vest or place a plate on the chest to progressively overload the rear delt inverted row.