Side Step Rear Delt Row
The Side Step Rear Delt Row is a compound movement that trains the upper back with help from lats, rear delts and biceps. This guide covers the setup, the execution, the mistakes worth fixing early, and how to program it.
Pulling a load toward your torso builds the upper back and everything that holds your shoulder blades in place, with lats, rear delts and biceps assisting. Rows are the direct counterweight to all the pressing most people do, and they are what keeps shoulders healthy over years of training.
Who it is for. Everyone. Most people need at least as much rowing as pressing. It goes early in a pull or upper-body session.
Muscles worked
The prime mover here is the upper back, with lats, rear delts and biceps assisting — which is why this movement earns its place as more than a single-muscle exercise.
- Upper backPrimary
- LatsAssisting
- Rear deltsAssisting
- BicepsAssisting
Upper back · Lats · Rear delts · Biceps
How to do it
- Set your torso in position and hold it there — whatever angle the movement uses, it should not change during the set.
- Take your bodyweight and let your arms hang straight, allowing the shoulder blades to travel forward into a full stretch.
- Brace your midsection and set your lower back flat.
- Start the pull by drawing your shoulder blades together, then follow through by driving your elbows back past your torso.
- Pull until the load reaches your torso and hold the squeeze for a beat.
- Return slowly, letting the shoulder blades travel forward again into a full stretch before the next rep.
Breathing. Breathe out as you pull the load in, in as you return to the stretch.
Form cues that matter
- Lead with the elbows, not the hands.
- Shoulder blades move first, arms second.
- Let the weight stretch you at the bottom of every rep.
- Heaving with the lower back and hips
- Pulling with the arms and never moving the shoulder blades
Common mistakes
| The mistake | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Heaving with the lower back and hips | Fix the torso angle and lighten the load until the back muscles do the work. |
| Pulling with the arms and never moving the shoulder blades | Start each rep by squeezing the blades together before the elbows bend. |
| Cutting the stretch short at the bottom | Let the arms straighten fully and the blades travel forward between reps. |
What makes this variation different
The Side Step Rear Delt Row is a specific version of this movement, and the details in its name change how it should be performed.
- Using only your bodyweight means you can train anywhere, and it keeps the whole body involved in stabilising the movement. Progress comes from leverage, range and reps rather than from adding plates.
Sets, reps and rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3-5 | 5-8 | 90-180 s |
| Muscle growth | 3-4 | 8-15 | 90-180 s |
| Endurance | 2-3 | 15-20 | 90-180 s |
- 10-20Weekly sets
- 2-1-1Tempo
- 90-180 sRest
How to progress
Add weight before you add reps. Work at the top of your rep range for two sessions in a row with clean technique, then put the smallest increment available on the Side Step Rear Delt Row and build back up. Small, boring jumps beat big ones.
Variations and alternatives
If you do not have the equipment, or you simply want to rotate the stimulus, these 8 movements train the upper back in a similar way.
- Barbell Bent Over Row — Barbell
- Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row — Barbell
- Cable Seated Row — Cable
- Dumbbell One Arm Bent Over Row — Dumbbell
- Barbell Incline Row — Barbell
- Band Bent Over Row — Resistance band
- Band One Arm Twisting Seated Row — Resistance band
- Band Seated Row — Resistance band
Key takeaways
- Lead with the elbows, not the hands.
- Shoulder blades move first, arms second.
- Work in the 8-15 rep range for muscle growth, leaving a rep or two in reserve on most sets.
- Full range of motion on the Side Step Rear Delt Row matters more than the weight on it.
- Progress gradually and keep technique identical as the load goes up.
Go deeper
FAQ
What muscles does the Side Step Rear Delt Row work?
It works the upper back as the prime mover, with lats, rear delts and biceps assisting.
How many sets and reps should I do on the Side Step Rear Delt Row?
Two to four sets is plenty. Work in the 8-15 range and focus on the quality of each rep rather than the number of them.
What can I do instead of the Side Step Rear Delt Row?
Barbell Bent Over Row, Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row and Cable Seated Row all train the upper back in a similar way, so any of them works as a substitute when the equipment is taken or you want to rotate the stimulus.
What equipment do I need for the Side Step Rear Delt Row?
This version uses your bodyweight. The pattern matters more than the tool, though — the alternatives above cover the same movement with whatever you have available.
Track your sets, reps and progress on the Side Step Rear Delt Row — free, with every exercise in the library.