Barbell Bent Over Reverse Raise

Hold the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width and hinge forward at your hips. Keep your knees softly bent, open your chest, and lock your back in a neutral position.

With a slight bend in your elbows, lift the bar out to the sides as if spreading your arms apart. Raise it to shoulder height while looking for a squeeze between your rear shoulders and shoulder blades.

Pause briefly at the top, then lower the bar slowly. Keep tension in your rear shoulders on the way down so the bar does not simply drop with gravity.

Focus on your rear delts and traps contracting together. If it feels like your arms are doing the lift, lower the weight and concentrate on squeezing the backs of your shoulders.

Using your torso and momentum to lift can strain your lower back and reduce rear-delt tension. Keep your torso angle fixed and let only your arms move.

Exhale as you raise the bar and inhale as you lower it. Because breathing can become shallow in the hinged position, keep your abs braced and take full breaths.

Because both arms move together with a barbell, it is useful for creating even rear-delt tension. Lifting above shoulder height can overinvolve your traps, so stop at shoulder level.