There are three heads that make up the shoulder muscle – the anterior (front delt), medial (side delt), and posterior (rear delt) – so you need to do a workout that hits all of them, for a truly satisfying shoulder session.
Below you’ll find a six-move shoulder workout that’s divided into two three-move tri-sets and hits all the muscles in your shoulder. Make sure you do the exercises in each tri-set in the given order, and stick to the sets, reps, tempo and rest detailed.
If you start to find any of the rep counts too easy, increase the weight. Try adding the workout to your routine twice a week for a month and you’ll be amazed at how fast your shoulders grow.
1A Overhead press
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 10sec
How to:
- Stand tall with a barbell across the front of your shoulders.
- Brace your core, then press the bar directly overhead.
- Lower it slowly back to the start.
1B Push press
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 20X0 Rest 10sec
How to:
- Using the same weight as in move 1A, bend your knees to create power to press the bar overhead.
- Then lower it slowly under complete control.
1C Barbell shrug
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 1111 Rest 90sec
How to:
- Lower the bar to thigh level then, keeping your arms straight, shrug the bar up so that your shoulders reach your ears.
- Hold this top position for a second, then lower it back to the start.
2A Seated Arnold press
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2111 Rest 10sec
How to:
- Sit holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing you.
- Press them up overhead, rotating your wrists as you go, so you end with straight arms and palms facing away.
2B Seated lateral raise
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2111 Rest 10sec
How to:
- Switch to lighter dumbbells then, leaning forward slightly, raise them to shoulder height, leading with your elbows.
- Pause at the top, then lower back under control.
2C Bent-over reverse flye
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2111 Rest 90sec
How to:
- Stand up and, using the same weights as 2B, bend forwards from your hips.
- Lead with your elbows to raise the weights to shoulder height.
- Pause, then lower back under control.
