Pushing, pulling, throwing, carrying. These fundamental human movements all require healthy, strong shoulders.
The shoulders are the link for the upper body, providing reinforcement, stability, and strength.
These key muscles also are a critical part of a well-formed physique as they contribute to the much sought after V-taper (which also helps create the illusion of a narrower waist).
Sadly, most lifters don’t devote the amount of consistency, intensity, and volume necessary to develop true 3D delts.
This leaves your upper body looking incomplete (at best) and at worst, at risk for potential injury due to the lack of mobility, stability and strength.
Lucky for you, we’ve got you covered with not one, but three outstanding shoulder workouts that you can incorporate into your current training program!
Before we get to the workouts, we need to discuss a few training tips to help you get serious results from these workouts.
Essential Shoulder Training Tips for Strength and Stability
Control the Weight
Lateral raises and rear delt flyes are two of the most bastardized movements in the gym, largely due to the fact that the lifter’s ego gets in the way.
If we’re being real, none of us feel badass using a pair of 10s, 15s, or 20s.
Then again, why are you going to the gym in the first place?
Is it to impress the cute cardio bunnies? (hint: they’re not paying attention to you).
Nope, they’re not paying attention anyway.
Is it to do your thing for the ‘gram?
Nope, you’re just irritating all the other serious lifters at the gym with your constant selfies and posing.
The correct answer is that you’re trying to build the biggest, strongest shoulders.
With that in mind, quit focusing on how much weight you’re lifting. Instead, focus on proper movement execution, making sure the target muscles (in this case side and/or rear delts) are doing the work. Heavier weights will come with time, but only if you develop proper technique and learn how to recruit the correct muscles for the exercise.
Make Shoulder Training a Priority
For the average gym goer, shoulder training consists of a few sets of overhead press and laterals after their chest exercises are done.
If you’re on a quest to develop 3-D shoulders, you will need to rethink the order of your exercises. Put another way, the muscles that you want to grow the most, should be placed at the beginning of your workout. At the start of a training session, you’re at your freshest, mentally and physically.
This allows you to push your mind and body harder, providing that ever-so-important stimulus for muscle growth.
Use Higher Reps
The simple truth of the matter is that when it comes to training the rear and side delts using low reps (5-8 reps) doesn’t lead to much growth for the seasoned lifter. Going heavy on these type of fly movements leaves you more likely to use momentum and at risk of injury.
Plus, side and rear delt training in the 20-30 range seems to yield great results for most gym rats.
Now, here’s the thing with high rep training -- you’re going to feel the burn…a lot!
Get used to being uncomfortable and feeling like you can’t go on, but you must if you want to spark new growth and grow those stubborn shoulder muscles.
Now, let’s get to the workouts!
Putting the Tips Into Action: Your Shoulder Workouts
3 Best Shoulder Workouts to Build Muscle
Shoulder Workout #1: Build Strength with Machines and Cables
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Machine Shoulder Press |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Cable Rear Delt Row |
3 |
10-12 |
|
1-Arm Cable Lateral Raise |
4 |
15-20 |
|
Face Pulls |
4 |
12-15 |
|
Dumbbell Scap Raises |
3 |
12-15 |
Shoulder Workout #2: Full Dumbbell Routine for Versatile Training
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
1-½ rep Lateral Raise (superset with next exercise) |
4 |
10-12 |
|
Seated Arnold Press |
4 |
10-12 |
|
Upright row (superset with next exercise) |
4 |
10-12 |
|
Bent Over Rear Delt Raise |
4 |
10 |
|
Shoulder Six-Way Raise |
3 |
12-15 |
Shoulder Workout #3: Advanced Routine for Maximum Shoulder Gains
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Rear delt flyes (machine or cable, preferably) |
4 |
12-15 |
|
Alternating DB/KB Shoulder Press |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Upright Row |
3 |
10 |
|
Cable Side Lateral Raise (1.5 reps) |
3 |
12 |
|
Face Pulls* |
3 |
10/10/10 |
*Note: Perform a double drop set. Perform 10 reps of the face pull, then drop the weight by 10-20% and complete another 10 reps. Drop the weight again by 10-20% and bang out a final 10 reps. Rest 90-120 seconds and repeat for a total of three sets.
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