What Are The Top 5 Shoulder Exercises?
In this article I will answer the question of the Top 5 Shoulder Exercises plus cover nutrition and supplements. I will also provide a shoulder routine complete with performance tips. If you want wider, stronger, bigger shoulders, here’s the place to start!
A Quick Look At The Top 5 Shoulder Exercises
| Exercise | Target Muscles | Best For |
| Arnold Press | Anterior (front) & Lateral (side) Deltoids | Improved range of motion, increased deltoid activation due to hand rotation |
| Overhead Barbell Press | Anterior (front) Deltoid, Lateral Deltacts as a synergist | Allows the most weight, best for strength |
| Dumbbell Side Laterals | Lateral Deltoid, Anterior Deltoid acts as a synergist | Isolates the side deltoid |
| Dumbbell Side Laterals,Power Partials | Lateral Deltoid | Allows heavier weight, can also be used toextend the set |
| Dumbbell Rear Laterals | Posterior Deltoid, lateral deltoid acts as a synergist | Isolates the rear deltoid |
The shoulder muscles include the deltoids, rotator cuffs, and traps. Many people use the terms “shoulders” and “deltoids” interchangeably, but they are not the same. The upper traps are not always trained with the delts, but the middle on lower traps get worked on back day.
Review – The Top 5 Triceps Exercises!
What Is The Top Shoulder Exercise For Overall Mass?
It was close but I have to go with the Arnold Press. Find out why below!
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
I went with the Arnold Press because of the extended range of motion and the hand rotation (supination), which works both the front and side delts. In comparison, the Overhead Barbell Press (my #2) does allow the use of heavier weight but also really only works the front delts. (1)
The Arnold Press was created by Arnokld back in his Mr. O days because he saw that Larry Scott, the first Mr. Olympia, had “Scott (or preacher) Curls, and Arnold felt he should have an exercise named after him.
The key to this exercise is the hand rotation. The hand rotation or supination (the same thing he did with Dumbbell Curls) activates the delts to a greater degree. But, you have to be very mindful of form. Not every instructional video is correct. I suggest going to the source – Arnold’s Encyclopedia, and use his exercise description and pictures as a guide.
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
About all you could do here is use D-handles and two low cables, or try resistance bands.
Performance Tips
Do not rush your reps – I see it in most of the videos about this exercise. Performing a rep isn’t a sprint race. Slow down, and perform your reps using this tempo: 2 seconds on the concentric phase, 4 seconds on the eccentric phase, and on your last working set, pause and hold for a 4 count at the fully stretched position (although you could pause anywhere along the range of motion as desired).
Make sure you are using enough weight, and this applies to every exercise. I say it all the time – if your rep goal is 6, but you could easily do 10, you’re wasting your time. Use more weight and get some serious work done!
What Is The Top Shoulder Exercise For Strength?
My number 2 choice is the Overhead Barbell Press, sometimes called the Military Press.
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
This exercise allows you to use the most weight, so you can therefore optimize progressive overload and build a lot of strength. And yes, you will build mass. The thing is, however, this is a front delt exercise. Your side delts act as synergists.
But as a compound exercise, it involves several muscles as synergists and stabilizers, such as the lower and middle traps, the triceps, and the upper pecs, to name a few. That means it needs to be a priority in your routine. In fact, you will see it’s your first exercise in my sample routine. That’s because you will be at your strongest at the beginning of your workout.
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
You can do this using the Smith Machine, but doing so takes the supporting muscles out of the picture because you don’t have to balance or control the bar. You could use dumbbells, but that means less weight. Stick with a bar, preferably a 7-foot bar inside a Power Rack for safety.
Performance Tips
Follow the same tips as above – use my suggested tempo, go as heavy as you can. Also, perform full, complete reps. I see guys all the time at the gym doing these quarter or half reps – don’t do that!
What Is The Top Side Deltoid Exercise?
Here it has to be Dumbbell Side Laterals, and for more than one reason. Find out why below!
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
Not only are Side Laterals the standard side delt isolation movement, you can do more with this exercise, which we will talk about soon. Form is important here. Lean forward slightly with the dumbbells in front of you, not out to your sides. As you lift, keep your pinky higher than the rest of your hand. (3)
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
You can do these seated or standing, with low cables, kettlebells or even resistance bands. Arnold used to do a variation of these lying on his side (you can use a flat or incline bench) one arm at a time. Give it a try!
Performance Tips
We touched on exercise form above. The same tips as already covered apply here.
What Is The Top Side Deltoid Power Exercise?
As hinted, here I’m talking about Power Laterals.
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
Side laterals are important as part of the fabled V-taper. Shoulder width comes from the side delts. Along with the Arnold Press, a great way to get that width is grab a pair of heavy dumbbells and perform partial reps.
Your range of motion will only be a few inches, you’re not trying to lift them far. If you can lift them to the top of the range of motion, grab a heavier pair until you can’t.
You can also use the idea of partial reps at the end of a regular set of side laterals, but my intention is to give the side delts another option that utilizes heavy weight.
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
There’s not really anything else you could use here, other than kettlebells. The whole point is heavy weight.
Performance Tips
In this case, you’re moving the dumbbells over just a few inches, so the idea is to move the weight without cheating.The range of motion is not long enough to worry about tempo, you will be forced to go slow by the weight you’re using. You also won’t be able to lift very fast, again because you have two heavy dumbbells in your hands.
What Is The Top Rear Deltoid Exercise?
For the posterior deltoids, it has to be Dumbbell Rear Laterals.
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
I know a lot of people like to work rear delts on the pec deck machine, which is awkward at best. Also, if you work this muscle by doing bent rows you move the rear delts to Back Day. Yes, they are worked by performing heavy rowing movements, so there’s no reason to go with heavy weight on Push Day. Therefore, stick with this classic isolation exercise. (4)
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
You can do these seated or standing, with low cables, kettlebells or even resistance bands. Some gyms have machines for this exercise, and for side laterals. Mine does not have them, but if yours does, give them a shot.
Performance Tips
The same tips as already covered apply here, and that includes the form tips regarding side laterals. It also deserves mentioning that with this exercise it’s more about form and isolation than heavy weight.
What’s An Example Of A Shoulder Routine Using These Exercises?
| Exercise | Sets & Reps | Tempo |
| Overhead Press | 2 x 6-8 | 2-4-0/2-4-4 last set |
| Arnold Press | 2 x 6-8 | 2-4-0/2-4-4 last set |
| Dumbbell Side Laterals | 2 x 8-10 | 2-4-0/2-4-4 last set |
| Dumbbell Side LateralsPower Partials | 1 x 6-8Go as heavy as you can, rest-pause to 6-8 reps | 2-4-0/ no pause |
| Dumbell Rear Laterals | 2 x 8-10 | 2-4-0/2-4-4 last set |
Notes
As mentioned above, we’re going after strength right away with the Overhead Press, but still lifting heavy for the Arnold Press, and later, Power Partials. This routine could be made more flexible by alternating the Overhead Press and the Arnold Press, but total volume is kept low on purpose so you can do justice to each exercise.
What Is Progressive Overload and Why Should I Use It?
I push this principle a lot. That’s because it’s the key to strength and mass. If you never add weight to the bar, but keep doing the same exercises with the same weight for the same number of reps, your muscles have no reason to grow.
Even focusing more on intensity techniques but not adding weight won’t do the trick. Save the intensity techniques when you are near or at your strength limit. Your early years should be about getting stronger by consistently adding weight to the bar.
You have two main options on how to effectively do that.
Option # 1 – Your first option is pretty straightforward – just add 2 lbs to your exercises for large muscles, and 1 lbs for the exercises for smaller muscles every week.
Option # 2 – This option is more involved – it’s the 2 x 2 rule which states that you increase the weight by 10% for the large muscles and 5% for your smaller muscles when you can to do 2 additional reps beyond your rep goal for your last set for 2 workouts in a row.
Nutritional Guidelines
I make sure to include nutrition and supplement tips in every training article I write, just as I try to provide training tips in my nutrition or supplement articles, where I can. I want to give you complete information.
With that said, nutrition always starts with protein. It’s the most important macronutrient for the serious lifter, and I recommend consuming at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. In addition, I suggest you space that intake evenly over your day. A classic example would be 3 main meals and 2 or 3 protein shakes and bars. That makes a lot more sense than some of the recent advice I’ve seen stating you should only eat one or two large meals a day.
What about your carb intake? Focus on complex carbs and keep sugary simple carbs to a minimum. Also, I suggest you keep your total daily carb intake to 1 – 2 grams per pound of bodyweight. Also, I suggest watching your waist because if you gain fat there, you know you’re eating too many carbs. Why? Because excess carbs are stored as fat.
Now, if fat loss is your goal, you’ll have to eat less carbs, but I write these articles assuming that mass is what you’re after.
Pre-Workout Nutritional Blueprint
I also suggest following this Pre-Workout Nutrition Blueprint: consume roughly 50% of your day’s carbs (and all of your day’s simple carbs) in the hours around your workouts.
Your Foundational Supplement Program
OK, this is the foundational supplement program I recommend.
Protein Powder
To help you meet your daily protein requirements, I recommend Hi-Tech Precision Protein, This is a hydrolyzed whey protein powder providing 25 grams of protein per serving. It also features an exclusive Hi-Tech technology that allows the release of leucine in the first stages of protein synthesis.
Pre-Workout
There are any number of excellent pre-workouts available. If they have an 8-10 gram dose of citrulline, or a 5-6 dose of beta-alanine, it’s dosed that high thanks to the Pre I recommend: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode. Why? This is the pre-workout that came out of nowhere and took the supplement industry by storm with its extreme dosing, especially the nitric oxide-boosting l-citrulline. This Pre made the supplement industry change their standard dosing practices which means they had to dose high to compete!
For lifters that don’t want caffeine or stims of any kind, I suggest Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Nitric. This is an exceptionally dosed stim-free Pre!
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate has been proven effective time after time after time. The suggested 2-scoop dose of Gorilla Mode (and the stim-free version) will give you the standard 5 gram dose of creatine. However, you still have to take it every day. That means you will need a creatine supplement for your off-days. The product I suggest is Allmax Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate. It’s a great product that features CreaSyn® patented micronized creatine monohydrate. That’s quality you can’t beat!
Multivitamin
This is one of the best multivitamin/mineral formulas you will find. Myogenix Myo Vite has 70+ nutrients per serving!
Add These For More Mass Potential!
If you want to take your supplement arsenal farther, here’s some additional products I suggest. Using an EAA powder while you train gives you targeted results. Those results help you stay in an anabolic environment while you train. One of the products I recommend is NutraBio EAA Pure. This formula gives the EAAs (with 3g leucine) plus hydration and absorption ingredients.
Here’s another fantastic option: Hi-Tech Andriol. This interesting and innovative product is a prohormone that doesn’t need to be cycled, you can stay on it as long as you want and you don’t have to use PCT!
Finally, here’s another interesting product: Competitive Edge Labs MPC-185. It’s a concentrated, patented form of leucine (DL-185 Dileucine peptide). This compound is reported to be much more effective than regular leucine.
Summary
Ok, there’s the Top 5 Shoulder Exercises – plus performance tips, a routine, nutritional guidelines, and supplement suggestions. So what’s next? Stop by illpumpyouup.com, and stock up – then let’s go train!
Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals Creatine Monohydrate