Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Do specific exercises
• Method 2 of 3: Create a training schedule
• Method 3 of 3: Improve your performance
• Warnings

Shoulders can be difficult muscles to develop. Some people find it easy to get the size they want in their chest and arms, but still struggle with their deltoid muscles. To get large deltoids, do exercises that isolate them and specifically target those muscles. Make sure to train the muscles until they stop. Plan your training schedule so that you train the shoulders early in the week, when you are still well rested.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Do specific exercises

1. Do the dumbbell press. The seated or standing military press is one of the most effective exercises for building deltoid muscles. While this exercise can be done with either a barbell or dumbbells, dumbbells help isolate the shoulders.
   • To do a dumbbell military press (also called an overhead press), start in a stable sitting or standing position with the weights just above your chest. Your hands should be slightly past your shoulders.
   • Extend your arms up in a slow, controlled motion, from your elbows, to lift the weights overhead. Then you lower the weight again in a slow, controlled movement.
   • Start with two to three sets of eight to 10 reps of this exercise. Increase the weight gradually as you build more muscle strength. Your goal is to wear out your shoulders.
2. Do the Arnold press to increase your range of motion. The Arnold press requires a full rotation of your shoulders, which helps build strength across the full range of motion in your shoulders. Start with the dumbbells just above your chest, palms facing your body.
   • You lift the weights just like with the overhead press, but as you lift your arms, rotate the weight. Halfway through the lift, the dumbbells should be parallel to your sides. At the top, your hands are turned and your palms are facing forward.
   • Turn back down and lower the weights in a slow, controlled motion. To start, do two to three sets of eight to 10 reps.
3. Do dumbbell side lateral raises. Dumbbell side lateral raises are a classic exercise for isolating and building your deltoids, especially on the side. This exercise can be done sitting or standing. As with the other pressing exercises, the exercise is easier to do while sitting than standing.
   • With a lateral raise, start with your arms at your sides. Lift the weight to shoulder height or just above it, then lower it in a slow, controlled motion. Do two to three sets of eight to 10 reps.
   • Be careful not to add weight too quickly in this exercise. While you can add weight gradually over time, it is generally better with this exercise to add reps before adding weight.
4. Do rotations with the rotator cuff to avoid injury. Strengthening the rotator cuff muscles with rotations can protect the shoulder from injury. Rotations must be done using a cable machine. Do these at the end of each workout.
   • To do an internal rotation, grab the cable with the arm closest to the machine. Keep your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle and pull the cable inward toward your stomach.
   • To do an external rotation, grab the cable with the arm furthest from the cable machine and do a reverse motion, moving the rotating arm outward from your stomach.
   • Do two to three sets of eight to 10 reps. The weight should be heavy enough to tire your muscles.
5. Do rear flyes on an incline bench. Rear flyes is a dumbbell exercise that can help build your delts. Start flat on your stomach on an incline bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in from each other. Bring your arms forward so that they hang in front of you, perpendicular to the bench.
   • As you exhale, lift the weights apart until your arms are extended to either side like wings. Squeeze your shoulder blades as you move.
   • As you inhale, slowly lower the weight to the starting position. Start with three sets of 10 reps.
6. Do upright rows to train your shoulders. Hold a pair of dumbbells in an overhand grip, with your hands just less than shoulder-width apart, your arms slightly bent at the elbows and your back straight. The dumbbells should rest on the top of your thighs.
   • Exhale and lift the weight by raising your elbows until the dumbbells are just below your chin, keeping your elbows higher than the rest of your arms. Take a break at the top.
   • Then, take a breath as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Start with two sets of ten reps.
7. Concentrate on compound movements. Compound movements that put more than one joint to work usually give the best results over time. These are all chest and back exercises, in which the shoulder and elbows move with you.
   • While your goal is to develop large outer deltoids, it is equally important to develop the other two muscles in the deltoid, as well as the supportive muscles in your arms, chest, and upper back.
   • The Arnold press is an example of a compound exercise because it involves two joints - your elbows and your shoulders. This exercise works your shoulders, as well as the supporting muscles in your arms and upper back.
8. Work on your triceps. To develop large outer delts, you need to be able to train them to exhaustion. If you have relatively weak triceps, they will fail before your shoulders reach the point of muscle fatigue. Building strength in your triceps is essential if you want to develop shoulders. Dumbbell kickbacks are a great exercise for developing your triceps.
   • Stand on the floor on all fours or next to an exercise bench with one knee on the bench and one foot on the floor. Keep your back as straight as possible and keep the weight with your upper arm parallel to your body and your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle.
   • Bring the weight back from your elbow until your entire arm is parallel to your torso. Turn your palms so that they are facing up. Then lower the weight back to the starting position with a slow, controlled movement. Start with three sets of ten reps of this exercise.
9. Use dumbbells instead of barbells. Often times you will get better results with dumbbells as you develop your total shoulder mass. Dumbbells are a bit more difficult to control than barbells and have a wider range of motion so you work the entire muscle.
   • You can also alternate the dumbbells, doing the same exercises one time with dumbbells and the other time with a barbell.

Method 2 of 3: Create a training schedule

1. Do not do more than 100 reps per session. You should not do every exercise listed here in a single session or you could injure your shoulders. Instead, choose a few exercises that you enjoy doing and don't do more than 100 reps of all the exercises in any given session.
   • Take it easy. Shoulder injuries are often slow to heal and can cause pain for years.
2. Work on your shoulder early in the week. If you want to develop broad shoulder, do the isolation exercises for your shoulders in your first workout after the rest day so that you are most refreshed and rested.
   • If you are well rested, the exercises will have maximum effect when you train your shoulders until they stop. You will continue to develop muscle mass throughout the week as your shoulders are also trained by the other exercises.
3. Do an overhead press twice a week. Since this particular movement is not repeated in any of your other exercises, you can do the overhead press twice a week. Give yourself a few days to recover between sessions.
4. Train the entire muscle group. While your goal is to get broad shoulders, they do need to be balanced. Do exercises that engage all three deltoids. Imbalance in a muscle group can lead to pain and injury.
   • Before starting any shoulder exercises, you should learn the anatomy of the shoulders so that you can understand how the muscles work together.
   • The lateral deltoid muscle is the specific muscle you want to build. This is located at the top of your shoulder. The anterior deltoid is located in the front of your shoulders, near your chest, while your posterior deltoid runs down the back of your shoulders.
5. Pay attention to how your shoulders feel during your chest and back workout. Since your shoulders are involved in the back and chest exercises, they can easily become overworked if you don't give them enough rest. If you notice that they feel really fatigued, reduce the intensity of your workout so they can recover.

Method 3 of 3: Improve your performance

1. Make technique more important than weight. With every shoulder exercise you do, proper execution will build muscle faster than increasing weight with a sloppy shape. Over time, exercising with poor technique will lead to overuse or injury.
   • If you work out in a gym, ask a trainer or experienced weightlifter to critically examine your performance before developing bad habits.
   • If you plan to work out at home in your own gym, you can still ask a personal trainer or experienced friend to come over and review your technique, especially if you are new to exercise.
2. Check your grip. If you lift a barbell instead of dumbbells, where you hold the bar determines which muscles are activated.
   • Grab the bar a bit wider, with your hands a little more than shoulder-width apart.
   • If your grip is narrow, with your hands closer together, you are not isolating the deltoids as well, because the muscles in your arms, upper back, and chest do most of the work.
3. Ask someone to help you with the heavier weights. As the weight gets heavier, you run the risk of injury if your muscles give up and you have to drop the weight. A spotter can help you in case of muscle fatigue during an exercise.
   • When using heavy weights, it is not a good idea to exercise at home without a spotter. Ask a friend to come over and work out together, or go to a gym.

Warnings

• Talk to your doctor before adding any new exercises to your training schedule, especially if you have had back or shoulder injuries in the (recent) past.