Its parts
Raises your arm forwards. It works hard in shoulder presses and chest presses too, so it rarely needs more.
Lifts your arm out to the side and gives your shoulders their width. It needs lateral raises: presses barely work it.
Takes your arm backwards. It works in reverse flyes, face pulls and a little in rows, and balances your posture.
Four small muscles that hold your shoulder in place. Face pulls and light rotations strengthen them.
How to train it
- Do a press, a lateral raise and an exercise for your rear delts.
- Light weight and lots of reps on lateral raises: up to shoulder height, without swinging.
- On presses, don't lower the bar or dumbbells further than your shoulder is comfortable with.
- If you already do plenty of chest pressing, your front delts are covered: prioritise side and rear delts.
How many sets
About 8–10 sets of presses a week, plus 10–16 of lateral and rear delt work, which recovers quickly and handles more volume.
Sample workout
Lateral raises in two versions (dumbbell and cable), because the side delt is the hardest to build.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell shoulder press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Lateral raise | 4 | 12–20 |
| Cable lateral raise | 2 | 12–15 |
| Face pull | 3 | 12–15 |
Log this workout in GymOrbita: the app saves every set and suggests the weight for your next session.
Common mistakes
If you swing your body or shrug your shoulders to your ears, your traps take over. Halve the weight.
Lots of people only press and raise; adding reverse flyes or face pulls improves your posture and how your shoulders look.
Arching to get the weight up loads your lower back. Use a bench with a back support or brace your abs.
All 14 shoulders exercises
FAQ
How do I get wider shoulders?
With lateral raises, which work the side delts. Do several sets a week, with light weight and strict form.
Barbell or dumbbell overhead press?
Both work. A barbell lets you lift more; dumbbells allow a more natural path and tend to feel better on the shoulder.
Should shoulders go with chest or back?
Either. The usual split is shoulder presses with chest (push) and rear delts with back (pull).
General training information, not a substitute for professional advice. If you have an injury or pain, check with a doctor or physiotherapist first.
Routines that train it
Other muscles
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