Essential Shoulder-Building Exercises

1. Overhead Press

• Muscles Worked: Primarily anterior and lateral deltoids.
• How to Do It:
  • Use a barbell or dumbbell.
  • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Press the weight overhead, keeping the core tight.
  • Lower the weight back to shoulder level.
• Sets/Reps: 4 sets of 8-12 reps.

The overhead press is a compound movement that builds overall shoulder strength and mass.

2. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

• Muscles Worked: Lateral deltoid.
• How to Do It:
  • Stand or sit with dumbbells in each hand.
  • Lift your arms to the side, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  • Stop when your arms are parallel to the floor.
  • Lower the weights slowly to the starting position.
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

Lateral raises are essential for adding width and building rounder shoulders.

3. Rear Delt Fly

• Muscles Worked: Posterior deltoid.
• How to Do It:
  • Bend forward at the waist with dumbbells in hand.
  • Keep a slight bend in the elbows and lift your arms out to the sides.
  • Focus on squeezing the rear delts at the top of the movement.
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Rear delt flies are crucial for shoulder stability and help balance out the front-heavy work from presses.

4. Arnold Press

• Muscles Worked: Anterior and lateral deltoids.
• How to Do It:
  • Sit or stand with dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing you.
  • As you press overhead, rotate your wrists so your palms face forward at the top.
  • Reverse the movement as you lower the weights.
• Sets/Reps: 4 sets of 8-12 reps.

The Arnold press adds variety and engages the shoulder muscles through a wider range of motion.

5. Face Pull

• Muscles Worked: Posterior deltoids, traps, and rotator cuffs.
• How to Do It:
  • Use a rope attachment on a cable machine.
  • Pull the rope toward your face, keeping your elbows high.
  • Squeeze your shoulder blades at the end of the movement.
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

Face pulls not only build the rear delts but also improve shoulder health and posture.

6. Front Raise

• Muscles Worked: Anterior deltoid.
• How to Do It:
  • Hold dumbbells in front of your thighs.
  • Lift one or both arms straight in front of you until they reach shoulder height.
  • Lower slowly to the starting position.
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Front raises are great for adding detail and size to the front of the shoulders.