Shoulder muscles are very important muscles in the human body, as we use them for pretty much every upper body movement we make in everyday life, and the majority of gym workouts include the use of the shoulder muscles.
Shoulders are a stand out feature on your body that nobody should neglect. In this article I am going to show you the best exercises to build big shoulders.
As well as telling you the best shoulder exercises for building muscle, I am going to give a workout plan identically to the plan I use, to help you incorporate a mixture of compound and isolation exercises into your routine and get the best gains out of every shoulder workout you do.
Before I talk about compound and isolation exercises and tell you the benefits to each type of exercise, I am going to give you a break down of the muscles in the shoulder, so you know the exact area of the shoulder each exercises targets as I talk you through each exercise.
Anatomy of Shoulder Muscles
The shoulder muscles support and produce the movements of the shoulder girdle. There are around 20 muscles that support the shoulder and allow it to move and rotate on any direction.
Anterior shoulder muscles attach the upper part of the deltoid to the clavicle and the thoracic cage.
These Muscles include:
Deltoid
The deltoid is a large triangular muscle that covers the joint, where your upper arm connects into your shoulder socket.
Pectoral Major
The pectoral major is the largest muscle in your chest, which connects the front of your chest with your upper arm and shoulder.
Trapezius
The trapezius is a wide muscle that extends along the back part of your neck and shoulder and slightly own your spine.
Serratus Anterior Muscle
Your serratus anterior is a fan-shaped muscle that connects from your shoulder blade to your ribs. It runs along the side of the chest and helps move the shoulder blade forward and upward.
Rhomboid Major
The rhomboid major is a flat muscle in your back that reaches from the second, third, fourth, and fifth vertebrae to the shoulder blade.
The Rotator Cuff Muscle
The rotator cuff muscle is a group of muscles and tendons that hold the shoulder joint in place and allow you to move your arm and rotate your shoulder. The rotator cuff muscle is made up of 4 muscles.
These muscles include:
Supraspinatus
The supraspinatus is a thin, triangular muscle at the back of the shoulder blade.
Subscapularis
The subscapularis is the largest and strongest of the rotator cuff muscles. It’s a triangular muscle on the front of the upper arm, which starts at the shoulder blade.
Infraspinatus
The infraspinatus is a wide triangular muscle that attaches to the rear of the shoulder blades, below the supraspinatus.
Teres Minor
The teres minor is a narrow muscle below the upper arm, that connects the shoulder blade to the upper arm, and crosses the teres major and infraspinatus muscles.
Compound vs Isolation Exercises
All exercises can be broken down into 2 groups, they are either compound exercises or isolation exercise. It is important to know the different between them, as you can incorporate certain exercises into your workout depending on your training goals.
Compound exercises are exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time, which makes them great exercises for building strength and muscle mass.
They are also very convenient, as by working multiple muscles at once, it can save you a lot of time when working out, whilst at the same time burning a lot more calories than isolation exercises, as they activate more muscle cells.
Isolation exercises are important exercises when correcting muscle imbalances as they directly target and strengthen a certain muscle.
As you can directly target certain muscles, if you feel like a certain part of your body is falling behind the rest of your body, you can concentrate directly on that muscle.
Both compound and isolation exercises are very important exercises in a workout routine, and if you want to build a nice physique, a balance of both compound and isolation exercises is essential.
Compound Exercises for Huge and Powerful Shoulders
Compound exercises use multiple muscles at the same time to perform the movement, making them extremely good for building strength and gaining muscle in your shoulder.
Here are the best compound shoulder exercises that will maximize your muscle growth.
1. Arnold Press
The Arnold press is in my opinion the best compound shoulder exercise by far as it equally works all three parts of the deltoids, whilst at the same time, using stabilizing muscle in your back and core.
Think about it, would arguably the greatest bodybuilder of all time have an exercise named after him if it wasn’t the ‘king’ of exercises? I think not!
The primary muscles used are:
- Anterior (front) Deltoids
- Medial (middle) Deltoids
- Posteria (back) Deltoids
The secondary muscles used are:
- Triceps
- Trapezius
- Core
How to perform the Arnold press…
- Sit down on a bench, with a back support, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Hold the dumbbells in front of your body at about upper chest level with your palms facing your body and your elbows bent, which should look like a contracted dumbbell curl.
- Brace your core and slowly push the dumbbells up over your head. Whilst rotating the dumbbells so that your palms are facing forward at the end of the movement.
- Lower your arms, in a reverse motion and return to your starting position.
Due to the added rotation on the Arnold press, it takes you a second or two longer to complete each repetition than it would to complete a standard overhead press, meaning greater time under tension for your deltoid muscles, leading to better muscle hypertrophy.
2. Standing Overhead Press
The overhead press is an essential compound shoulder exercise to build shoulder muscle mass and strength, as due to standing up, it requires more stability, resulting in more muscle cells being activated.
The primary muscles used are:
- Anterior (front) Deltoids
- Triceps
- Trapezius
The secondary muscles used are:
- Upper Pectorals
- Serritus Anterior
- Abdominal
How to perform Standing Overhead Press…
- Stand at a squat rack, with the bar just above shoulder height.
- Lift the bar off and rest it on the front of your shoulder, with your hands next to your shoulder.
- Press the bar over your head, until it’s balanced over your shoulder and mid-foot.
- Lock your elbows at the top, pause and return to starting position in reverse motion.
It is important not to copy other peoples techniques when performing the overhead press as our builds determine your ideal form. The wider your shoulder, the wider you should grip the bar.
3. Seated Overhead Press (Barbell or Dumbbell)
The seated overhead press is similar to the standing overhead press in terms of technique. The main difference between them being that the standing overhead press requires more stability, therefore requires more core, but you can lift a heavier weight performing seated overhead press.
The primary muscles used are:
- Anterior (front) Deltoids
- Triceps
- Trapezius
The secondary muscles used are:
- Upper pectorals
- Serritus Anterior
How to perform seated overhead press (barbell)…
- Sit on a bench, with back support in front of a squat rack, with the bar just above shoulder height.
- Lift the bar off and rest it on the front of your shoulder, with your hands next to your shoulder.
- Press the bar over your head, until it’s balanced over your shoulder and mid-foot.
- Lock your elbows at the top, pause and return to starting position in reverse motion.
To perform using dumbbells, use the same technique as above but using dumbbells instead of a barbell.
Seated overhead barbell press enables you to lift more weight and build more strength with than you can with dumbbells, but if your aim is to build more defined shoulder for aesthetics rather than pure strength then dumbbells are the better option.
4. Upright Row
The upright row is considered one of the best muscle builders for the back and shoulder, as it works all the muscles requiring lifting and pulling things.
The primary muscles used are:
- Trapezius
- Side Deltoids
The secondary muscles used are:
- Anterior (front) Deltoids
- Posteria (rear) Deltoids
- Rhomboids
- Biceps
- Triceps
How to perform upright rows…
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, grip the barbell, allowing it to hang in front of you at arms length, with your palms facing your body and your hands in line with the thighs.
- Back straight, chest up, and eyes focused forward.
- Leading with your elbows, lift the barbell up towards the chin, keeping the bar close to your body, making sure your back is straight and your chin up is up.
- Pause at the top of the lift and lower the barbell back to the starting position.
Technique is very important when performing upright row as it is known to cause injury if you don’t use the correct form. Make sure you do not try to lift too much weight and that your elbows are not too high.
5. Smith Machine Overhead Press
The smith machine offers more stability than barbell overhead press, meaning it is easier to perform but doesn’t engage the stabilizer muscles as much.
The primary muscles used are:
- Anterior (front) Deltoids
- Triceps
- Trapezius
The secondary muscles used are:
- Upper pectorals
- Serritus Anterior
How to perform smith machine overhead press…
- Sit on a bench, with back support in front of the smith machine, with the bar just above shoulder height.
- Lift the bar and rest it on the front of your shoulder, with your hands next to your shoulder.
- Press the bar over your head, until your elbows lock at the top.
- Pause at the top, and return to starting positioning in reverse motion.
The range of motion of the smith machine assists your movement which is good for beginners learning the movement pattern, and also enables you to be able to lift more weight.
Target Definition with Isolation Shoulder Exercises
Isolation exercises are a great way to finish off a shoulder workout, as they can help target specific muscle in your shoulder, creating better muscle definition.
1. Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell lateral raises are a great isolation exercise to directly target the deltoid lateral, which can help to emphasize the outer head of your shoulder, giving your deltoids an aesthetically pleasing rounded appearance.
How to perform dumbbell front raises…
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart, with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Extend the arms straight in front of your body.
- Pause for 1-2 seconds while squeezing your shoulder at the top and lower your arms back to the starting position in reverse motion.
If you try to lift too much weight when performing lateral raises, you will lose your form and will not focus directly on the deltoids, instead you will incorporate other body parts into the exercise.
2. Dumbbell Front Raises
The front dumbbell raise is a simple exercise that targets the anterior (front) deltoids, and is a good way to build strength, improve shoulder mobility, and give your shoulder a wider appearance.
How to perform dumbbell front raises…
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart, with a dumbbell in each hand and your palms facing inwards.
- Raise your arms out to the side until they’re parallel with the ground, making sure to keep your back straight and your core engaged throughout the entire movement.
- Pause for 1-2 seconds while squeezing your shoulder at the top and lower your arms back to the starting position in reverse motion.
You can also perform front raises with a kettlebell if preferred, using the same technique but with a kettlebell instead of dumbbells.
3. Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly
The seated dumbbell rear delt fly targets the posterior (rear) deltoids, rhomboids and trapezius, which helps to improve poor posture, and improves balance.
How to perform seated dumbbell rear delt fly…
- Sit on the edge of a bench with your feet flat on the floor and a dumbbell in each hand.
- Lean forward about 45 degrees, making sure to keep your back straight, with the dumbbells hanging straight down from your shoulder.
- Raise your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until your arms are parallel to the floor.
- Pause for a second, squeezing your shoulder at the top the motion, and return to the starting position in reverse motion.
The seated dumbbell rear delt fly is a good exercise for building shoulder width, whilst also helping build balanced muscle in your shoulder.
4. Cable Lateral Raise
Cable lateral raise is a shoulder exercise that works the deltoid lateral muscle, which is the rounded muscle at the very top of each shoulder.
How to perform cable lateral raises…
- Attach a rope or bar to the low pulley of a cable machine.
- Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, reach across your body and grab the stirrup with your outside arm.
- Slightly bend your elbow and raise your arm sideways until it’s level with your shoulder.
- Pause and squeeze shoulder for a second at the top of the movement, and slowly return to the starting position in the reverse motion.
Just like the dumbbell lateral raise, if you try to lift too much weight when performing lateral raises, you will lose your form and will not focus directly on the deltoids, instead you will incorporate other body parts into the exercise.
5. Cable Front Raise
Cable front raise is an isolation exercise that targets the anterior (front) deltoids, and help to strengthen the shoulder, upper back and abdominal muscles.
How to perform cable front raises…
- Attach a rope or bar to the low pulley of a cable machine.
- Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, grip the rope or bar with an overhand grip.
- Raise your arms in front of you until they are parallel to the ground, whilst keeping your abdominal muscles pulled in and your back straight.
- Pause and squeeze shoulder for a second at the top of the movement, and slowly return to the starting position in the reverse motion.
When performing cable front raises, you should start using a lower weight until you master the technique, as trying to lift too much weight can cause you to lose your form.
6. Cable Rear Delt Fly
The cable rear delt fly is an essential part of a great shoulder workout routine, which targets the poster (rear) deltoids.
How to perform cable rear delt raises…
- Set up a cable at head height, you do not need to add a handle.
- Lean across your body and grip the end of the cable so that your palms are facing downwards and take a small step to the side of the cable.
- Pull the cable across the body from the middle of your chest until the arm is extended out to the side, whilst bracing your core.
- Pause for a second at the top and slowly return to the starting position.
- Complete all reps on one side before swapping arms.
Along with all other shoulder isolation exercises, you should start using a lower weight until you master the technique, as trying to lift too much weight can cause you to lose your form.
Crafting Your Ultimate Shoulder Workout Plan
Here is a shoulder workout plan that I am currently using myself, and have used many times before to increase back strength and muscle mass. It contains a combination of 3 compound exercises and 2 isolation exercises to maximize muscle growth.
For compound exercises you should aim for 6-8 rep range, to increase strength and muscle mass and for isolation exercises you should aim for 10-12 rep range, to increase muscle hypertrophy.
| Exercise | Equipment | Sets & Repetitions | Targeted Muscles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standing Overhead Press | Barbell or Dumbbells | 4 sets of 6-8 reps | Anterior, Medial Deltoids, Triceps |
| Arnold Press | Dumbbells | 4 sets of 6-8 reps | Anterior, Lateral Deltoids |
| Upright Row | Barbell or Dumbbells | 4 sets of 6-8 reps | Lateral Deltoids, Trapezius |
| Front Raises | Dumbbells, Barbell, or Cable | 4 sets of 10-12 reps | Anterior Deltoids |
| Side Raises | Dumbbells, Barbell, or Cable | 4 sets of 10-12 reps | Lateral Deltoids |
| Shrugs | Dumbbells, Barbell, or Machine | 4 sets of 10-12 reps | Trapezius |
It is important to perform each exercise with the correct form, and squeeze the shoulder muscles for a second at the top of each exercise to maximize muscle hypertrophy.
Conclusion: The Key To Shoulder Development
Building impressive shoulder muscles is essential in bodybuilding, as your shoulder are central to your upper body strength and aesthetics, making them a priority in your fitness routine.
In this article, we have covered the difference between compound and isolation exercises. Combining compound and isolation exercises is the key to shoulder development.
I have provided a balanced workout plan that combines the best of these exercises to help you achieve your fitness goals, whether it’s increased strength, building muscle, or definition.
However, no matter what shoulder workout you perform, it is essential to combine it with a good diet to match your training goals. There are also many supplements on the market to help you achieve broad shoulders.
I have written the following articles that will help you to create the perfect combination of training, dieting and supplementation, to ensure you get best gains you can achieve.
- Fuelling Your Gains: The Ultimate Guide to Nutrition for Lean Muscle Building
- Top supplements for building lean muscle.
- Benefits and Side Effects of Creatine Monohydrate.
Now that you have learned some new shoulder exercises, it’s time to hit the gym to try out these exercises, and watch your shoulders transform.
Feel free to leave any questions or comments below, and share this article with others who share your passion for bodybuilding. Stay dedicated, and you will see the results you desire.