• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Generation Iron

Generation Iron Fitness & Strength Sports Network

  • Movies
  • Original Content
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Pre-Workout
      • Fat Burners
      • Testosterone Boosters
      • Creatine
      • Protein
      • BCAAs
      • Multivitamins
      • Omega-3
      • Joint Supplements
      • Super Greens
      • Meal Replacement
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Foam Rollers
      • Best Massage Guns
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
  • Equipment
    • Cardio
      • Treadmills
      • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Stair Climbers
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Best Apparel
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Weightlifting Shoes
    • Strength
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Complete Home Gyms
    • Training
      • Best Knee Sleeves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
      • Best Weightlifting Wraps
      • Best Weightlifting Gloves
  • More
    • About Us
      • Our Team
      • Our Experts
    • Advertise
    • Franchise With Us
    • Exercise Guides
    • Athlete Profiles
    • Podcasts
    • Power 30
    • Bodybuilding Awards
    • Supplement Awards
  • Shop
Workouts

Achieve Mind Boggling Shoulder Gains With These 4 Exercises

by Vidur Saini Published on Oct 20, 2022

Best on the Planet - Backs Worthy of A Superhero Cape
This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure policy).

A Complete Shoulder Workout.

Broad shoulders are a sign of strength and power. Imagine what would Superman look like with tiny shoulders. A study from the University of Albany found that a woman’s sexual satisfaction is strongly linked to her partner’s attractiveness and shoulder breadth.

Going by this research, who wouldn’t want to have a nice set of shoulders. This is easier said than done. Shoulders are one of the hardest muscle groups to develop. Building round shoulder caps requires a combination of compound and isolation exercises.

Shoulders consist of three heads; medial (middle), anterior (front) and posterior (rear). Most people have lagging shoulders because they fail to train all the three heads equally. The rear deltoids are usually the most stubborn among the three.

We have designed this workout keeping in mind an overall development of your shoulders. If you’re stuck on a plateau, you should also experiment with advanced training techniques like supersets, drop sets, rest-pause sets, etc.

1. Military Presses – 3 Exercises 12 Reps

Military presses are a compound exercise which works the medial and the anterior shoulder heads. You should start your shoulder workout with the military presses as they are one of the most taxing exercises.

Since this is an overhead movement, you need to be extra careful while performing it. Ask someone for a spot if you’re going for a PR. You should also be using lifting equipment like a weightlifting belt and wrist wraps for support.

2. Dumbbell Front Raises – 3 Exercises 12 Reps

Dumbbell front raises work the anterior (front) deltoids. Most people make the mistake of going too high while performing this exercise. Raise the dumbbells to your eye level without using any momentum.

Negatives are an important part of the dumbbell front raises. Don’t drop the weights like a bomb, keep the negatives slow and controlled. If you want a better pump, perform unilateral sets. Unilateral sets are when you perform all the reps on one side before moving on to the other.

3. Pec Deck Rear Flyes – 3 Exercises 15 Reps

Most people lack in the rear delt department. They make it even worse by not training their rear deltoids often enough. Since your rear delts are at your back, it is hard to establish a mind-muscle connection with them as you can’t see them in the mirror.

Pec deck rear flyes are an isolation exercise. Using cables help in maintaining constant tension on your rear delts throughout the movement. Pause for a second at the top of the movement and squeeze your rear delts.

4. Cuban Presses – 3 Exercises 12 Reps

Cuban Presses are an incredibly effective exercise which helps in building overall muscle mass. Hold dumbbells in both hands and place them in front of your quads. Perform an upright row and at the top of the upright row, switch to the shoulder press position.

Complete a shoulder press and return to the starting position by performing a negative on the upright row. Use moderate weights while performing this exercise as it is more brutal than it might look like.

5. BONUS: Barbell Shrugs – 3 Sets 15 Reps

Don’t leave out your traps while training your shoulders. The trapezius is one of the major muscles of the back and is responsible for moving, rotating, and stabilizing the scapula (shoulder blade) and extending the head at the neck.

While performing the barbell shrubs, most people put more weights on the bar than they can handle. Bring your shoulder to your ears and hold them there for a second. You can also perform this exercise using dumbbells.


What day of the week do you train your shoulders? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

About Vidur Saini

Vidur is a fitness junky who likes staying up to date with the fitness industry and loves publishing his opinions for everyone to see.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Get the Latest

Stay informed with the latest news, product reviews, & expert advice.

Popular Reviews

  • best protein powders

    The Best Protein Powder Supplements of 2025 (Tried and Tested)

  • Best Creatine Supplements For Bulking & Muscle Growth of 2025 (Personally Tested)

  • top x pre workout

    The 14 Best Pre-Workout Supplements of 2025 (MD Reviewed)

  • Performance Lab SPORT BCAA

    The Best BCAA For Bodybuilding Health & Performance Goals

Trending Articles

  • female fitness models

    18 Best Butts On The Internet (Updated 2024)

  • ronnie coleman the king workout

    Ronnie “The King” Coleman’s Complete Bodybuilding Workout

  • The Ultimate Mike Mentzer Workout and Diet

  • Chris bumstead's 2024 workout and diet plan

    Chris Bumstead’s 2025 Complete Bodybuilding Workout & Diet Plan

Popular Now

  • best protein powders

    The Best Protein Powder Supplements of 2025 (Tried and Tested)

  • Best Creatine Supplements For Bulking & Muscle Growth of 2025 (Personally Tested)

  • top x pre workout

    The 14 Best Pre-Workout Supplements of 2025 (MD Reviewed)

  • female fitness models

    18 Best Butts On The Internet (Updated 2024)

  • best citrulline supplements

    The Best Citrulline Malate Supplements for Performance and Pump

  • ronnie coleman the king workout

    Ronnie “The King” Coleman’s Complete Bodybuilding Workout

Generation Iron

Generation Iron is the first and only digital network delivering health, fitness, bodybuilding, and strength sports content. We deliver premium content with the biggest names in fitness and provide expert coverage, reviews on top brands, workout tips and trends in the worlds of fitness, health and strength sports.

Strongman Corporation
Vladar

Sections

  • Trending News
  • Original Movies
  • Original Content
  • Supplement Reviews
  • Equipment Reviews
  • Exercise Guides
  • Nutrition Guides
  • Athlete Profiles

More

  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Our Experts
  • Advertise
  • Franchise With Us
  • Podcasts
  • Power 30
  • Shop

CONTACT

Generation Iron Brands LLC
134 West 29th Street Suite 902
New York, NY 10001
Email: [email protected]

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X / Twitter
  • YouTube

© 2025 · Generation Iron · Disclaimers · Privacy Policy · Accessibility