How to build shoulder muscles - exercises and techniques

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2011-12-21

Every man wants to have broad, muscular shoulders. After all, they largely define the beauty of the male figure. In this article, we will talk about how to make your shoulders broader.

So, the muscle that shapes the shoulder is called the deltoid and consists of three bundles: the anterior, medial, and posterior. The width and volume of the shoulder are mainly formed by the anterior and medial bundles. But the posterior deltoid should not be forgotten either, as true beauty lies in harmonious development.

The basic exercise for training the anterior bundle is:

Moreover, the wider the grip, the more load is placed on the medial bundle. However, you shouldn’t grip too wide. The standard grip width is just slightly wider than shoulder width. The main exercise for working out the medial bundle of the deltoid is:

So, if you want to make your shoulders massive, at least one of these two exercises should be included in your training. A good option is to perform these two exercises in one workout, doing them back to back.

Now about dumbbell swings. No shoulder workout is complete without them. Although swings are not basic exercises, they allow you to pump the shoulder from all angles.

These exercises can also be combined to make a superset. For example – swings bent over, then immediately to the sides while standing, and then swings forward. This way, in one set, you will work out the entire shoulder. But remember, these exercises are very sensitive to incorrect technique, and you shouldn't chase weights at the expense of proper execution. You should do no less than 8 – 10 repetitions.

A good exercise for developing the anterior deltoids is the "Arnold press" (video below). It allows for better targeting of the anterior deltoids due to the rotation of the wrist at the bottom, which better stretches the shoulders.

For effective pumping of the anterior deltoids, you can use a superset of:

For training the medial deltoids, this will be a superset of:

There is also an option (for those who like to experiment) of doing dumbbell swings forward but with wrist rotation. That is, in the upper phase, the wrists are rotated (supinated) so that the palms face upwards. This shifts the load to the inner part of the anterior deltoid (the part closer to the chest). A similar exercise is:

Don't forget that the posterior deltoid works in:

As well as in various bent-over rows.

If you want to focus specifically on the shoulders in your training program, place the shoulder exercises at the beginning of your workout. And it's better to combine them within one session or with arm exercises, or with leg exercises, or even train only shoulders (if your weekly training frequency allows it).

I hope these tips will help make your shoulder workout more productive. By the way:

They can expand your ribcage and thus make your shoulders wider. But this only works for those whose skeleton has not yet fully developed, meaning up to about 17 – 18 years old.