Nothing enhances your physique faster than getting bigger, wider shoulders. These exercises will target all three heads of the deltoid muscles with a variety of movement patterns and angles.
This variation of the lateral raise uses two barbells and has several distinct advantages over dumbbell and cable lateral raises. It helps you isolate the lateral delts very effectively, similar to a machine combined with free weight.
Got stubborn, narrow shoulders? This version of the lateral raise will light up your side delts from multiple directions at the same time, with multiple forms of resistance and help you widen those up.
This version of the lateral raise utilizes a unique double resistance format. You'll use a weight plate with a training band through the hole in the middle. This gives you vertical AND lateral resistance at the same time.
This exercise is a cross between an Upright Row and a Lateral Raise, with the goal of directly targeting the lateral delts to help your shoulders look wider and your waist more tapered.
This exercise is a bodyweight version of an exercise called a Standing L Raise, that is normally done with a cable, band or dumbbell, as a Rotator Cuff rehab or strengthening exercise.
The regular handstand push-up is one of the single best exercises for shoulder strength and delt muscle development. The pike handstand push-up allows to get similar benefits with less resistance. This version of the pike handstand push-up gives you full range of motion shoulder training for maximum muscle growth.
Harness the power of the kettlebell swing to perform a very effective variation of the high pull exercise for the shoulders, traps and upper back. This variation works the shoulders similar to an upright row but without the shoulder joint stress.
This weird-looking variation of the lateral raise will HAMMER your lateral delts with continuous tension, which is critical for building wider shoulders.
Protect and strengthen your shoulder joints with this variation of a very effective exercise known as the Pull-Apart. This one is done using a barbell instead of a band or suspension trainer.
This simple power rack hack allows you to perform dumbbell shoulder presses more effectively and safely. You'll be in a better body position for the exercise and better able to stabilize your body during the press.
This Upright Row variation is actually easy on the shoulder joints and safe to perform, even if the regular version hurts. It gives you an alternative movement for targeting the delts very effectively.
Want wider shoulders? Then you need Lateral Raises to develop the side head of the delts. This simple trick will make those Lateral Raises MUCH more effective for building the side delts.
If you have a hard time building your shoulders, this one is for you. And while, yes, it DOES look stupid and dangerous at first glance (it's not when done properly) it creates enough controllable instability to result in massive muscle activation in the delts.
If you have an issue developing your rear delts (and in particular, feeling your rear delts working), this is an exercise you will absolutely want to try.
This Upright Row variation targets the delts and upper traps with a pattern of movement that doesn't hurt the shoulders, like barbell and dumbbell upright rows potentially can. The angle of pull of the cable allows for safe and effective shoulder training.
If you have a tough time getting good rear delt work, this one is for you. This version of the rear delt lateral raise utilizes a unique double resistance format to laser-target the posterior deltoids.
This "barbell machine" exercise puts amazing tension on the lateral delts in an overhead pressing movement pattern. The regular Y press with dumbbells loses tension at the top...this exercise piles it on for a great shoulder pump.
Overhead pressing power is a key component of overall strength. This setup for the overhead (Military) press is what I've found to be the perfect way to maximize power and loading on the shoulders for building serious strength.
Want better posture and improved rear delt development (and a stronger rotator cuff)? This unique exercise uses bodyweight AND free weight to laser-target the rear delts in their stretch position (laterals hit the contraction).
If you have a hard time feeling your side delts working when you do lateral raises, this is for you. Even though it's light, it'll help you build width in your shoulders by improving side delt targeting.
I've been trying for years to find an exercise that delivers a STRONG muscle-building stretch on the side delts at the start of every rep, followed by a full range of motion to a peak contraction at the top. This exercise is IT.
It's like the 12 Days of Christmas with AWESOME training instead of birds...
Flying in the face of conventional wisdom, he’s known around the world as the "Mad Scientist of Muscle” for a reason.
An expert in kinesiology, physiology and anatomy, Nick helps people just like YOU create the body you want, especially when nothing else seems to do the trick.
