Exercises · Muscle group · Updated
Shoulder exercises
Shoulder exercises train the deltoid, which has three parts: the front, side and rear delts. Overhead presses load the front the most, lateral raises the side and rear delt raises and face pulls the rear. Wide shoulders come from the side delts, and healthy shoulders need the rear delts.
- Exercises
- 47 exercise pages
- Most common equipment
- Dumbbell, Barbell, Cable
- Most logged exercise
- Seated Dumbbell Press
Shoulder muscles: what shoulder exercises train
- Front delt (deltoideus, pars clavicularis)
- The front of the deltoid raises the arm forward and up. It works in overhead presses but also in bench presses and push-ups, so it often gets enough load without its own exercises.
- Side delt (deltoideus, pars acromialis)
- The middle part raises the arm to the side. It makes the shoulders wide, and it grows best from lateral raises with dumbbells, cables or a machine. Presses load it only a little.
- Rear delt (deltoideus, pars spinalis)
- The rear part moves the arm backward. It works in rows but grows best from rear delt raises and face pulls. Strong rear delts balance out pressing and keep shoulder posture healthy.
- Rotator cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis)
- Four small muscles keep the head of the upper arm bone in its socket. You cannot see them, but they work in every upper body exercise. Cable rotations strengthen them.
Most-logged shoulder exercises among SisuLift users
The order comes from how many SisuLift users have logged sets of each exercise. It includes exercises that have a guide page in the exercise library, and it updates as people log their workouts.
How to train your shoulders
Every week, do one overhead press, one lateral raise and one rear delt exercise. The side and rear delts are small muscles, so they grow with light weights and higher reps as long as the set gets close to failure.
In a lateral raise the weight rises to shoulder height, not higher, and the elbow leads. If your shoulders creep up to your ears, the weight is too heavy. On a cable the resistance stays even at the bottom, where a dumbbell is at its lightest.
How many weekly sets for the shoulders
These are the numbers SisuLift starts your weekly volume from before you have any training history. As your logs build up, the app moves the target based on how your strength develops. Only hard sets count: a direct exercise counts as one set, and an exercise where the muscle assists counts as half a set.
| Experience | Minimum | Target | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 5 sets | 9 sets | 14 sets |
| Intermediate | 7 sets | 12 sets | 17 sets |
| Advanced | 8 sets | 14 sets | 20 sets |
Minimum is the amount that usually still drives progress. Upper limit is the amount beyond which recovery usually starts to suffer. Split the weekly sets across two or three workouts.
Example workout from the most-logged exercises
The most-logged exercises from different exercise families, compound movements first. Sets, reps and rest are the same ones SisuLift uses for a muscle growth goal.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 3–4 | 8–12 | 2.5 min |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
| Cable Face Pull | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
| Cable One Arm Lateral Raise | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
Done twice a week, this adds up to 24–26 sets per week. The rep ranges are those for a muscle growth goal.
Main exercises and their variations
These exercises have their own page with variations, sets and reps and the most common questions in one place.
All shoulder exercises (47)
Every exercise with a guide page in the exercise library, grouped by equipment. The equipment heading takes you to all exercises for that equipment.
Dumbbell13 exercises
- Seated Dumbbell Press
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise
- Arnold Press
- Dumbbell Overhead Press
- Lateral Raise 1.5 Reps
- Lateral Raise Hold
- Dumbbell Front Raise
- Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly
- Dumbbell Alternate Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Lying One Arm Rear Lateral Raise
- Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly to Hammer Curl
- Dumbbell Lateral to Front Raise
- Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Raise (skier)
Barbell13 exercises
- Barbell Overhead Press
- Barbell Standing Military Press (without rack)
- Barbell Upright Row
- Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press
- Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
- Barbell Seated Overhead Press
- Landmine Press
- Landmine Single Arm Press
- Push Press
- Landmine Seated Shoulder Press
- Landmine Kneeling One Arm Shoulder Press
- Barbell Z Press
- Multi-grip bar overhead press
Cable9 exercises
Machine4 exercises
Smith machine1 exercise
Medicine ball1 exercise
Kettlebell1 exercise
Frequently asked
What is the best shoulder exercise?
The most-logged shoulder exercise among SisuLift users is Seated Dumbbell Press. The shoulder has three parts, so one exercise is not enough: an overhead press for the front, a lateral raise for the side and a rear delt raise or face pull for the rear. If you only have time for one isolation exercise, pick the lateral raise.
How do you train the rear delts?
The rear delts grow from exercises where you move your arm backward without your back doing the work: bent-over dumbbell rear delt raises, a reverse pec deck and cable face pulls. Use a light weight and 10–20 reps and pause at the back. Rows load the rear delts too.
Which exercises make shoulders wider?
Shoulder width comes from the side delts, and lateral raises load them best. Do them with dumbbells, cables or a machine for several sets per week. Overhead presses develop the front more than the side. Wide lats also make the upper body look wider.
Why does my shoulder hurt when I train?
The most common causes are an overly heavy overhead or bench press with the elbows flared straight out, plus too little rear delt and rotator cuff work. Lighten the load, try a neutral grip and add face pulls to your program. If the pain persists or radiates into the arm, see a physiotherapist.
How many sets for the shoulders per week?
At intermediate level SisuLift starts the shoulders at 12 sets per week, with a minimum of 7. The front delts also get a lot of load from bench pressing, so most of your own shoulder sets are best spent on the side and rear delts.