Should you be new to a quality shoulder workout regimen, you’ll discover that these muscles develop rather quickly compared to other areas of your body. However, don’t take that to mean shoulder exercises are easy. On the contrary, a decent number of men dread shoulder day at the gym, as the workout can get quite intense…presuming you’re doing it properly.
To ensure as much, we present the 7 best shoulder exercises. More than a fundamental component to a complete workout routine, the best shoulder exercises bring you one step closer to that desirable V-shape. Indeed, strengthening your delts gives the appearance of a slimmer waist while adding definition to your overall physique.
1. Barbell Push Press
A barbell overhead shoulder press (aka barbell standing shoulder press) works not just your shoulders, but most of your body. That makes it a terrific core strengthener and mass builder, among other things.
How to:
- Start by resting the barbell atop your upper chest, with your palms up, your elbows pointed out, and your upper arms parallel to the floor.
- Lower your hips and bend your knees into a quarter squat and then rise upwards with ample thrust, fully extending your arms and elbows as you lift the bar over your head.
- Hold for a few seconds before returning to the starting position for the next rep.
2. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Lifting two separate dumbbells (as opposed to using a machine) prevents you from using one side of your body over the other, thereby retaining firmer balance and distribution. Naturally, a fair amount of coordination is required to pull this one off, especially when you increase the weights
How to:
- To perform a seated dumbbell shoulder press, sit on a low-back bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand at the shoulder level, palms facing forward.
- Keeping your head and spine perfectly straight, lift the dumbbells overhead toward one another, stopping just short of having them touch at the top.
- Hold the position for a few seconds and then carefully reverse course.
- Repeat.
3. Front Raise
You can use either a weight plate or barbell for this shoulder exercise, which targets the anterior delts. No matter what you decide to use, prepare for a seriously intense workout that brings no shortage of healthy pain. For that reason, don’t max out on the weight, as it will quickly turn healthy pain into unhealthy injury.
How to:
- To execute, keep your hands at hip height as you hold the weight in front of you.
- Your feet should be even with your shoulders and your core should be tight.
- Next, retract your shoulder blades and keep your arms straight as you lift the weight to shoulder level.
- Breathe steadily and lower the weight carefully.
- Repeat.
4. Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise
This wildly effective shoulder exercise targets your middle deltoids, though it also builds upon your overall physique. You can perform it in either a standing (bent-over) or seated position.
How to:
- Start with a dumbbell in each hand, keeping your chest up, your back flat, your knees slightly bent, and your eyes focussed toward a fixed point on the floor.
- Now, bend over until your core is basically parallel with the ground, and hang the dumbbells directly underneath you, all while keeping your elbows in a slightly bent position.
- Next, raise both dumbbells up and out to your sides, forming an arc until your upper arms are even with your torso.
- Take a brief pause at the top before lowering the dumbbells back into starting position.
- Repeat.
5. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
If you prefer a more traditional lateral raise, look no further than this one here. It likewise targets the middle deltoids and works wonders when executed properly.
How to:
- Start in the standing position, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, your abs tight, your chest up, your head straight, and your shoulders pinched.
- Hold the dumbbells at either side, retaining a neutral grip.
- Using just your shoulders and arms, raise the dumbbells a notch above shoulder level, and hold for a few seconds.
- Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, and repeat.
- Your elbows and hands should be moving together in harmony the entire time, and you should be maintaining a neutral, balanced position.
- If you find that your core or neck is shifting as you perform each rep (i.e. you’re utilising your body’s momentum), lower the weight accordingly.
6. Push Press
A staple of heavy-compound workouts, this shoulder exercise is not for novices. However, even the experts usually start light (sometimes using nothing but the bar), adding weight as they go along. Should you master this one, prepare for it to show virtually everywhere on your body.
How to:
- The push press should be performed in the standing position.
- Start by resting the barbell atop your upper chest, with your palms up, your elbows pointed out, and your upper arms parallel to the floor.
- Lower your hips and bend your knees into a quarter squat and then rise upwards with ample thrust, fully extending your arms and elbows as you lift the bar over your head.
- Hold for a few seconds before returning to the starting position for the next rep.
7. Standing Barbell Shrugs
Save this neck and shoulder exercise for the end of your overall routine.
How to:
- Keeping your feet even with your shoulders, bend your knees and pick up the barbell, bringing it to waist level.
- Next, lift your shoulders up and back (i.e. “shrug” or pinch them), squeezing for about five seconds before releasing them.
- Keep the movements restricted to your shoulders, meaning your arms should be relatively loose and the barbell should only raise and lower very slightly.
