When it boils down to popular body parts to train, it has to be said that the majority of lifters out there tend to focus on muscle groups like the chest, back, and biceps.
These are generally considered by many to be amongst the more popular body parts to train, which often means that other body parts are neglected. Very few lifters relish the thought of training shoulders, due largely to the fact that they are so notoriously difficult to add muscle mass to.
If you’re looking for a set of boulder shoulders the size of small cannonballs, it’s important to understand which exercises to perform, which is where we come in.
Here’s a look at 3 great exercises to build shoulder mass.
Barbell push press
The first exercise on our list today is a very effective compound exercise which is commonly performed with a barbell.
The standing push press is one of the best exercises for adding quality mass and definition to the deltoids, providing you get your form right. Too many lifters make the mistake of drawing their shoulders and neck back for the duration of the exercise, which means that the delts don’t bear the brunt of the exercise.
With a barbell resting above your upper chest, bend your knees slightly and then explode upwards, driving from the balls of your feet until you have pressed the barbell above your head.
At the top of the lift, make sure to drive your head forwards so that it is slightly in front of the barbell.
Lower the barbell to your chest and repeat for as many reps as required.
Seated dumbbell shoulder press
Next up we have another pressing exercise, this time the seated dumbbell shoulder press.
Performed on a bench with a back support, seated dumbbell shoulder presses are great for isolating the front and medial deltoids, with the added bonus of perfect form coming from the back support on the bench.
To perform this exercise take a set of dumbbells, one in each hand, and take a seat in the bench, with the dumbbells hanging down at your sides.
Next, drive the dumbbells up to ear height, with your palms facing in front of you.
Now, press the dumbbells up above your head, not quite locking your arms out and slowly lower them until your elbows form at least a 90-degree angle.
Repeat as required.
Dumbbell lateral raises
Dumbbell lateral raises are one of the most common shoulder exercises performed in gyms, yet they’re also one of the easiest exercises to get wrong.
Lateral raises work the middle delts perfectly, and if you want round boulder shoulders, lateral raises are a must.
The trick is to lead with the elbows and control the dumbbells, without swinging or jerking them. If that means choosing the lightest dumbbells on the rack, so be it.
To perform lateral raises, take a set of light dumbbells, one in each hand, and rest them just in front of your thighs, with your palms facing each other.
Now, lean forwards very slightly, and slowly raise the dumbbells up and outwards in an arc shape, roughly 30 degrees past shoulder height, until your palms are facing the ground.
Imagine you are pouring an invisible jug of water from each hand.
Hold at the top of the movement, lower the dumbbells to your thighs and repeat as required.
