Exercise Comparison
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press vs Barbell Rear Delt Row
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Alternating Cable Shoulder Press
Only in Barbell Rear Delt Row
Instructions
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press
Move the cables to the bottom of the tower and select an appropriate weight.
Grasp the cables and hold them at shoulder height, palms facing forward. This will be your starting position.
Keeping your head and chest up, extend through the elbow to press one side directly over head.
After pausing at the top, return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
Barbell Rear Delt Row
Stand up straight while holding a barbell using a wide (higher than shoulder width) and overhand (palms facing your body) grip.
Bend knees slightly and bend over as you keep the natural arch of your back. Let the arms hang in front of you as they hold the bar. Once your torso is parallel to the floor, flare the elbows out and away from your body. Tip: Your torso and your arms should resemble the letter "T". Now you are ready to begin the exercise.
While keeping the upper arms perpendicular to the torso, pull the barbell up towards your upper chest as you squeeze the rear delts and you breathe out. Tip: When performed correctly, this exercise should resemble a bench press in reverse. Also, refrain from using your biceps to do the work. Focus on targeting the rear delts; the arms should only act as hooks.
Slowly go back to the initial position as you breathe in.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the shoulders. Alternating Cable Shoulder Press is a beginner exercise using cable, while Barbell Rear Delt Row is beginner and uses barbell. Choose Alternating Cable Shoulder Press if you have access to cable, or Barbell Rear Delt Row if you prefer barbell.