Shoulder workouts are a crucial component of any good fitness routine. Not only will the right shoulder exercises do wonders in helping you achieve those fitness goal – as well as the inverted Dorito / Tom Hardy in Warrior build – but also keep things interesting at the gym. Stronger shoulders also mean you’re less likely to sustain a training-related injury from regularly hitting the iron church. Here’s what you need to know about the best shoulder exercises for men.
What are the different shoulder muscles?
By comparison, shoulder muscles are one of the easier muscle groups to develop through the right exercises. With a little direction and consistency, you can expect relatively fast gains. But it’s important to employ a varied routine that targets all the different regions.
From your traps to your cluster of rotator cuff muscles, there are about 20 distinct muscles which all play a part in stabilising the shoulder and controlling its movements. The most fundamental ones include:
Trapezius
This muscle connects your two shoulders in the back and extends to support your neck. It runs all the way down to just before your lower back.
Deltoid muscles
The deltoids are a set of three muscles. These thin layers of tissue connect your shoulder to your chest. You’ll find the anterior deltoid between your chest and shoulder, your lateral deltoid on top of your shoulder, as well as your posterior deltoid between your upper arm and shoulder blades.
Pectoralis major
You may be more familiar with these muscles as pecs. Your pectoralis major is a large muscle that covers your chest and connects it to your shoulder.
Rhomboid major
The rhomboid major is a back muscle that connects your shoulder blades together with your spine.
Serratus Anterior
You can find this muscle on the side of your chest, directly underneath your armpit.
Rotator cuff
The rotator cuff muscles are a collection of four components. The function of rotator cuff muscles is to support articulation between your arm and shoulder.
1. Pushups
Pushups are the ultimate shoulder workout, arguably one of the most fundamental ones for both strength and muscle building. Out of all the shoulder specific exercises, it’s the go-to and arguably the best. Bonus: you can do them practically anywhere without any equipment. There are, however, plenty of variations to try out.
The standard pushup almost needs no introduction – get down on all fours, extend your legs behind you, and lower your upper body. Hold this position for a few seconds and push yourself back up parallel to the floor.
2. Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press – sometimes referred to as an incline dumbbell press – is a shoulder exercise that’s the cornerstone to any solid shoulder workout, targeting your upper pecs. Adjust your bench at a 45-degree angle and perform a standard shoulder press by lifting either a barbell or a dumbbell in each hand. Using this angle will engage the upper portion of your chest instead of the entire pectoral muscle and strengthen your chest’s connection to your shoulders.
3. Lateral Raise
Lateral raises are a versatile shoulder exercise that you can perform with a pair of dumbbells, resistance band, cable machine, or improvised weights like books or water bottles (and isn’t completely unlike a rear delt fly – more on this later). It’ll help you develop your lateral deltoid muscles and improve shoulder mobility.
To do a lateral raise stand up straight with your arms relaxed by your sides. With your pair of dumbbells in hand, resistance band, cable handle, or what have you and raise your arms until it forms a 90-degree angle with your body. Control your movement as you slowly lower the weight.
4. Overhead Press
The overhead press – sometimes referred to as an overhead shoulder press – is the perfect shoulder exercise for any routine aiming to develop both strength and muscle mass. You can turn up the difficulty setting by using heavier weights. This one will target your deltoids, pectorals, trapezius, and triceps. Alternatively, you can also check out our guide on best triceps exercises for men.
5. Standing Cable Pulley Fly
The standing cable pulley fly is an excellent exercise for targeting your deltoid muscles and your chest. Use two cables at chest height and extend your arms to your sides while adopting a neutral posture.
6. Crab Walk
The crab walk is a bodyweight exercise that targets your shoulder, core, arm, and leg muscles. The starting position is a seated one. Bridge your hips off the ground, bend your knees, and support yourself using your hands. The purpose of this exercise is to crawl by moving one hand along with the opposite foot and repeating on the other side. It’ll takes some practice to master, but it’s a worthy inclusion to to any full-body workout.
7. Prone T
The prone T is a shoulder exercise that improves stability. Lie belly down on a bench with your head, neck, and spine aligned. Let your arms hang loose in front of you before raising them to form a T. You can make this exercise more challenging by throwing some small weights into the mix.