Shoulders · Cable
Cable Seated Rear Delt Raise
How to do the cable seated rear delt raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit facing a low dual cable column and grip a handle in each hand crossed in front of you. Keeping your arms nearly straight, raise the handles out and back in a wide arc until your hands are level with your shoulders, squeezing the rear delts, then return with control.
- 1Rear delts driving your arms back and out
- 2Shoulder blades drawing together at the top
- 3Tension staying in the rear delts, not the traps
Common mistakes
- Bending your elbows to turn it into a row
- Shrugging your traps up as you raise
- Using momentum from your torso to swing the handles
Muscles worked
The cable seated rear delt raise mainly works the rear delts, with the mid traps, side delts, and external rotators assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- External RotatorsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
Kovo programs the cable seated rear delt raise for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.