It is not easy to develop the shoulder muscles. For some people, it is easy to achieve the desired chest and arm size while struggling more with the delts. To get large lateral delts, do exercises that specifically isolate and activate those muscles, making sure to bring them to failure. Plan your training schedule to work your shoulders early in the week when you are well rested.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Do Specific Exercises
Step 1. Do shoulder presses with dumbbells
Seated or standing military presses, also known as slow forward, are among the most effective exercises for developing the deltoids. You can do them with a barbell or dumbbells, but the second version helps to isolate the shoulders better.
- To perform a dumbbell military press, start sitting or standing, with the weights just above your chest. You should keep your hands just beyond your shoulders.
- Extend your arms upward in a slow, controlled motion, straightening your elbows to bring the weights overhead. At that point, always bring the tools back down in a slow and controlled way.
- Start with two or three sets of 8-10 repetitions. Increase the load gradually as your muscles get stronger. Your goal is to bring your back to failure.
Step 2. Use the Arnold press to increase mobility
This exercise requires full shoulder rotation and helps build strength throughout that joint's range of motion. Start with the dumbbells just above your chest, with your palms facing your body.
- You will lift the weights as you did for the previous presses, but you must rotate them as you lift them. Halfway through the lift, the dumbbells should be parallel to your hips. At the top, they will be in the same starting position, but with the palms facing forward.
- Perform the reverse rotation as you lower the weights in a slow, controlled motion. To start, do two or three sets of 8-10 repetitions.
Step 3. Include side raises with dumbbells
This is a classic exercise for isolating and developing the lateral delts. You can do it standing or sitting. As with other lifts, it is easier to do it while seated.
- For side lifts, start with your arms at your sides. Lift the weight to shoulder height or slightly higher, then bring it back down in a slow, controlled motion. Complete two or three sets of 8-10 reps.
- Be careful not to increase the load too quickly for the side lifts. You can gradually build it up over time, but it's usually best to do more repetitions of this exercise before using a heavier weight.
Step 4. Do rotator cuff rotations after your workout to prevent injury
Building those muscles can protect you from shoulder injuries. Do the rotations with a cable machine at the end of all sessions.
- To perform an internal rotation, hold the cable with the arm closest to the machine. Keep your elbow locked at 90 degrees and pull the cable towards your belly.
- To perform an external rotation, hold the cable with the arm furthest from the machine and perform the reverse movement, rotating the arm away from the belly.
- Complete two or three sets of 8-10 reps. Load the machine with enough weight to strain your muscles.
Step 5. Do reverse flys on an incline bench
These dumbbell exercises help develop the delts. Start prone on an incline bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inward. Bring your arms down so that they are in front of your chest and perpendicular to the bench.
- As you exhale, lift the weights away from each other, until you extend your arms sideways as if they were two wings. Squeeze your shoulder blades during the movement.
- As you inhale, slowly bring the weights back to the starting position. Start with 3 sets of 10 reps.
Step 6. Try straight back rowing to work your shoulders
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing down, your arms just below your shoulders, your elbows slightly bent, and your back straight. The dumbbells should rest on your thighs.
- Exhale and lift the weight by pulling the elbow up and out, until the dumbbells are just below the chin; you should keep your elbow higher than the rest of your arms. Stop for a second at the highest point.
- At this point, inhale as you slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position. Start with two sets of 10 reps.
Step 7. Focus on compound movements
Usually these exercises involving more than one joint offer the best results. They include all chest and back exercises, which also work the shoulders and elbows.
- Even if your goal is to develop the lateral delts, it is equally important to strengthen the other two muscles of the deltoid group, in addition to those that contribute to the movement of the shoulders: the arms, chest and upper back.
- The Arnold press is an example of a composite exercise because it involves two joints, the elbows and the shoulders. It works the shoulders, but also the muscles of the arms and upper back.
Step 8. Develop your triceps
To get unwound lateral delts you need to be able to bring those muscles to failure. If you have relatively weak triceps, your shoulders will tire first. This is why increasing the strength of the hamstrings is essential for strengthening the shoulders. To do this, try dumbbell kickbacks.
- Get down on all fours, or stand with one knee on a bench and one foot on the ground. Keep your back as flat as possible and keep your weight with your forearm parallel to your body and your elbow bent at 90 degrees.
- Throw your weight back, extending your elbow until your arm is parallel to your body. Rotate your palms up, then return to the starting position in a slow, controlled motion. Start with 3 sets of 10 reps.
Step 9. Try dumbbells instead of the barbell
You will often get better results with dumbbells if you are looking to build shoulder muscle mass. These weights are in fact more difficult to control than barbells and allow a greater range of motion, which makes the whole muscle work.
You can also alternate tools, doing the same exercise with dumbbells, then with a barbell later in the week
Method 2 of 3: Create a Training Program
Step 1. Do not complete more than 100 reps per session
You shouldn't do all the suggested exercises with every session or you risk getting injured. Instead, choose a few exercises you enjoy and don't exceed 100 repetitions in the course of a single workout.
Do not overdo it. Shoulder injuries heal very slowly and can cause pain for years
Step 2. Work your shoulders early in the week
If you want to get large lateral delts, include the shoulder isolation exercises in the first workout after the rest day, so that you are fresh and rested.
If you are well rested, the exercises have the greatest impact when you work your shoulders until muscle failure. You will continue to build your shoulders throughout the week as you work them out with other exercises
Step 3. Do military presses twice a week
Since this specific movement is not repeated in any of the other exercises, you can do it twice a week. Rest for a couple of days between sessions.
Step 4. Work the entire muscle group
Even if your goal is to enlarge your side delts, you should still have balanced shoulders. Include exercises that activate all three muscles of the deltoid group. Otherwise, imbalances can lead to pain and injury.
- Before starting the shoulder exercises, learn the anatomy of these joints so that you understand how the muscles work.
- The lateral deltoid is the specific muscle you want to strengthen. It is located over the shoulder. The anterior deltoid is in front of the shoulder, close to the chest, while the posterior deltoid is located on the back.
Step 5. Pay attention to how your shoulders feel when you train your chest and back
Since those joints are involved in upper body exercises, it's very easy to over train them if you don't get enough rest. If your shoulders feel really fatigued, reduce the intensity of your workouts to recover.
Method 3 of 3: Perfect the Technique
Step 1. Choose technique over weight
For all the shoulder exercises you perform, the correct technique allows you to build muscle mass faster than if you continue to increase the load while sacrificing form. Over time, improperly performed exercises can lead to fatigue or injury.
- If you work out in the gym, ask a trainer or expert to correct your technique before developing bad habits.
- If you plan to train at home, you should still ask a personal trainer or an experienced friend to come to you to check your technique, especially if you haven't done these exercises before.
Step 2. Check your grip
If you lift a barbell and not dumbbells, where you hold it determines which muscle groups you work the most.
- Keep a wide grip on the bar, with your arms slightly apart from the shoulders.
- With a tight grip and hands close together you will not be able to isolate the delts, as you will be working the muscles in your arms, upper back and chest more.
Step 3. Find a helper when you lift a lot of weight
When you switch to heavy loads, you risk injury when your muscles give out and you have to drop the tool. A training partner can help you avoid this problem when your muscles are too tired during an exercise.
