Boulder Shoulders Under Construction

Fire Up The Deltoids

Building massive deltoids is not only impressive, but incredibly difficult. Most people find that they have a relatively simple time firing off the anterior deltoids, but difficulty engaging the other two heads. We're going to outline a simple routine to switch up your shoulder training. While going heavy can certainly build muscle, constant tension and lactate build up are also important. Check it out.

"21s" for the Delts

Dumbbell Shoulder Press Multi ROM

Dumbbell Shoulder Press Multi ROM

First on our list is going to be a variation of the classic shoulder press. Using dumbbells that you can handle for 12-15 reps, perform the following:

  1. 5 partial reps at the bottom of the movement
  2. 5 partial reps at the top of the movement
  3. 5 full reps

Reverse Cable Flyes

Rear Deltoid Cable Flyes

Rear Deltoid Cable Flyes

Next for the rear deltoids is going to be a reverse cable fly. Using a moderate weight:

  1. Perform sets of 12-15 reps
  2. Keep the weight light enough to feel the rear delts working, avoid over engaging the trapezius muscles. 
  3. Keep the arms relatively straight with a slight bend at the elbows down to the bottom of the motion.

Lateral Raises

An old classic, the lateral raise is a staple for hitting the medial deltoids. Again, using a moderate weight:

  1. Work in sets of 15-20 repetitions
  2. Keep the weight moderate so that you can focus on burning up the medial deltoids.
  3. Avoid "shrugging" when moving the weight. Imagine moving the hands out and away form the body in an arch to lessen trap involvement, and focus on the medial head of the deltoid muscle group.

Perform the entire routine, one exercise at a time. You're looking to do 3 sets of each exercise, with 60-90 seconds of rest between each set. This is definitely a painful but simple deltoid workout.