Bowling balls. Boulders. Death-Star delts.
These names are reserved for only the most deserving of shoulders…
The massive round shoulders that really make a physique pop…
Yep, now you’re picturing those shoulders right now.
You want them…But you have no idea about how to get them…
Well, that’s why I’m here today, to show you the five BEST exercises that’ll get you the shoulders you’re daydreaming about…(Hey, focus!)
Got your attention? Good, let’s get started…
1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Ah, the classic shoulder press. Pretty obvious, but it’s been thrown into this list simply because…it WORKS.
Hold a pair of dumbbells by your shoulders out to the side, with your palms facing forwards, and arms bent at a 90° angle. Extend your arms and press towards the roof, and lower the dumbbells with a controlled motion back to the starting position.
If you want extra stability, try doing the seated shoulder press. If you feel any shoulder pain when performing this exercise, move your elbows in front of you (so that the dumbbells are also in front of you), and press using a neutral grip instead (when your palms are facing each other).
2. Cable Lateral Raises
Let’s throw some cables into the mix! And one of the best cable exercises for shoulders is the cable lateral raise. This exercise targets the middle deltoid muscle while also strengthening your rotator cuff.
Move the cable handle to a low pulley, and position yourself sideways against the machine. Grab the handle and raise it in a controlled fashion until your arm is parallel to the ground. Repeat until your shoulders are the size of watermelons (or until you’re too tired to continue).
3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Very similar to the cable lateral raise except…
You guessed it…instead of cables, you’re using dumbbells instead.
Dumbbell lateral raises are pretty simple: stand with dumbbells in both hands. Raise both dumbbells to shoulder height and then lower them (stop before the dumbbells touch your body to maintain tension in your deltoids).
Lateral raises are an isolation exercise so use light weights and maintain strict form by lifting and lowering the dumbbells in a controlled manner.
DO NOT CHEAT on this exercise by swinging the dumbbells up using momentum, and dropping the dumbbells down. Performing this exercise using the proper form will get you optimal results.
4. Machine Shoulder Press
You’re shaking. You’ve done what feels like 30 sets of shoulder press. You want to do more but don’t want to risk your shoulders giving way and dropping the weights onto your head…What’s the solution? Introducing machine shoulder press!
Machine shoulder press is a great exercise to throw on midway through or towards the end of your workout. When your shoulders are already tired, using a machine can allow you to safely continue vertical pressing movements without the risk of dropping a 20kg dumbbell onto your head. That sounds pretty good to me…
5. Landmine Shoulder Press
Overhead pressing causing some MAJOR shoulder pain? Damn, how are you gonna get those shoulder gains? Should you just lift through the shoulder pain? (The answer’s NO).
Hmmm…what’s a pressing movement that won’t aggravate those tender shoulders? Give the landmine press a go!
The pressing path of the landmine press is a diagonal motion, which relieves pressure on the shoulder and elbow. Another benefit is that due to the landmine anchor point, you’ll be able to lift heavier loads while working your stability muscles with much less stress.
Here at Hammers Gym, we have all the weights and top-of-the-range equipment that you’ll need to get those HUGE shoulders! We’ve got happy members from Nunawading, Box Hill, Mitcham, and Burwood. Come in and check us out today!
Martin Lu
