Three-Way Shoulder Exercises

The shoulder muscle, or deltoid, has three major parts: the anterior deltoid which is on the front of your shoulder, the medial deltoid which is the majority of the shoulder and gives it that rounded appearance, and the posterior deltoid which is on the rear side of the shoulder. Choose exercises that work all three parts of the shoulder to give you symmetrical and sculpted shoulders. Neglecting one part of the shoulder will not only give you an incomplete look but also will leave with muscle imbalances that could potentially cause injuries.

  1. Medial Deltoid

    • Start your workout with exercises that target your medial deltoids, which involve any overhead lifting movements, suggests Muscle and Fitness. Because it is the largest and strongest of the shoulder muscles, it requires the most energy to build size and strength, so work them at the beginning of your workout when you are rested. Start with machine overhead presses, using a Smith, stack or plate machine so you can lift a heavier weight but not worry about controlling a free weight. From there, do dumbbell lateral raises for shoulder symmetry, then move into dumbbell overhead presses for stability.

    Anterior Deltoid

    • After you have done two or three overhead pressing exercises, move into the smaller shoulder muscle groups. Arnold presses work both the front and medial deltoids. Start with dumbbells in front of your face, palms toward your head and elbows below your wrists. Rotate your arms out to the side, palms forward, and press dumbbells overhead. Try frontal raises using a weight plate with your palms facing inward, or dumbbell frontal raises with palms facing down. Also try these exercises with cable machine using a single handle attachment for added variety.

    Posterior Deltoid

    • Intermix posterior delt exercises with anterior delt exercises, allowing each muscle group a small break. Critical Bench suggests bent-over lateral raises to target that rear delt and develop size to the back of the shoulder. Another exercise to target the rear delt is seated cable rows using a wide overhand grip. Pull the bar to your chest, keeping your elbows high, in line with your shoulders, and emphasize squeezing your posterior delts. For added benefits, hold the contracted position for two seconds, and slowly release.

    Programming

    • To build size in your shoulders the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends choosing a weight for each exercise that fatigues your muscles in about eight to 12 repetitions and doing four sets of each exercise. To build more strength, increase the weight so you max out by about six to eight repetitions in four or five sets. Since the intensity is heavier for strength training, give yourself at least one minute of rest before beginning your next set. For optimal results, train your shoulders two days per week, allowing at least 48 hours of rest between workouts so your muscles fully recover.