12 Best Shoulder Exercises: Enjoy bodybuilding

Introduction

When it comes to building a strong and impressive upper body, shoulder exercises are the key. Well-defined shoulders not only enhance your physique but also contribute to overall upper body strength and stability. However, to achieve well-rounded shoulder development, it’s essential to target various muscle groups around the shoulders, including the biceps, triceps, forearms, hands, and even the elbow through appropriate and effective shoulder exercises. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the 12 best shoulder exercises for strong and aesthetic shoulder building while also working on these adjacent muscle groups.

Shoulder Exercises for Bodybuilding

1. Overhead Shoulder Press

• • Primary Target: Deltoids
  • Additional Benefit: Triceps
  • The overhead shoulder press is one of the fundamental shoulder exercises. It targets all three heads of the deltoids while also engaging the triceps. Use a barbell or dumbbells to perform this exercise for effective shoulder building, Remember! adjusting the weight to your skill level. Read more about overhead shoulder exercises. 
  • For a full body workout plan, read our blog titled My Fitness Plan: Targeted Workouts for Every Body Part

2. Front Raise

• • Primary Target: Anterior Deltoids
  • Additional Benefit: Forearms
  • These shoulder exercises primarily target the front (anterior) part of the deltoids. To perform these shoulder exercises, hold a dumbbell in each hand, stand upright, and raise your arms in front of you to shoulder level. This exercise also engages your forearms to maintain control. Read more on dumbbell shoulder exercises. 

3. Lateral Raise: Shoulder Exercises

• • Primary Target: Lateral Deltoids
  • Additional Benefit: Hands
  • Lateral raises help build the “capped” look by targeting the lateral deltoids. With a dumbbell in each hand, lift your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground. This exercise also improves hand grip strength in addition to shoulder building.

4. Rear Delt Fly

• • Primary Target: Rear Deltoids
  • Additional Benefit: Forearms
  • These shoulder exercises work on the often-neglected rear deltoids. For this purpose use a pec-deck machine or a bench and perform the rear delt fly. This exercise not only strengthens the rear deltoids but also engages your forearms for stability.

5. Arnold Press: Veteran Shoulder Exercises

• • Primary Target: Deltoids
  • Additional Benefit: Biceps
  • One of the Veteran shoulder exercises, the Arnold press is a variation of the overhead press that involves a twisting motion during the lift. This twist engages the biceps more and provides a unique challenge to the shoulders. If your focus in shoulder building are biceps, Arnold press is a must have.

6. Upright Rows

• • Primary Target: Deltoids (especially traps)
  • Additional Benefit: Hands and Elbow
  • These shoulder exercises can be performed with a barbell or a cable machine. They primarily target the traps and deltoids while also working the muscles in your hands and elbows as you grip the bar. This will ultimately result in strong arms and shoulder building.

7. Push-Ups

• • Primary Target: Deltoids (front)
  • Additional Benefit: Triceps and Chest
  • Push-ups are a versatile bodyweight shoulder exercises that target the front deltoids, triceps, and chest. To engage the forearms more, try diamond push-ups or use push-up bars.

8. Bent-Over Lateral Raises

• • Primary Target: Rear Deltoids
  • Additional Benefit: Forearms
  • This exercise requires you to bend at the hips while holding dumbbells. Raise your arms out to the sides, targeting the rear deltoids and engaging your forearms for stability.

9. Barbell Shrugs

• • Primary Target: Trapezius
  • Additional Benefit: Hands and Elbow
  • Remember! Building strong traps can give your shoulders a more powerful appearance. These shoulder exercises target the traps and also work the muscles in your hands and elbows as you hold the weight. Read more on barbell shoulder exercises.

10. Tricep Dips

1. • Primary Target: Triceps
   • Additional Benefit: Shoulders (rear)
   • Tricep dips not only strengthen the triceps but also engage the rear deltoids as you push your body up. Using parallel bars or a bench, lower yourself down and push up using your triceps. It will ad to adore of your body along with shoulder building. For more detailed tricep related workouts, read our blog titled 20 Best Tricep Workouts for Sculpted Arm

2. Hammer Curls

   • Primary Target: Biceps
   • Additional Benefit: Forearms and Hands
   • Hammer curls are an excellent bicep exercise that also engages the forearms and hands. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip and curl the weights towards your shoulders. For detailed bicep workouts, read our blog titled 21 Best Bicep Exercises.

3. Wrist Curls

   • Primary Target: Forearms
   • Additional Benefit: Hands and Elbow
   • To round off your shoulder and upper arm workout, incorporate wrist curls. These exercises target the forearms directly while also working the muscles in your hands and elbows.

Read the link for a full body workout plan for beginners at home, intermediate level trainers and workout plan for advanced level trainers. 

Conclusion

Building strong shoulders isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s also essential for overall upper body strength and stability. The 12 shoulder exercises mentioned in this guide not only target the deltoids but also engage adjacent muscle groups, including the biceps, triceps, forearms, hands, and elbows. By incorporating these shoulder exercises into your training routine, you can achieve a well-rounded and powerful upper body, ensuring that you not only look impressive but also have the strength to back it up. Remember to start with proper form and gradually increase weights to avoid injury and achieve the best results. For more comprehensive shoulder workout read our blog titled 35 Essential Shoulder Exercises: Master the Shoulder Workouts