How To Get Bigger Shoulders

Building bigger shoulders is a sought after goal for many weight lifters (at least those of the male population). When developed and conditioned enough the this muscle group resembles a pair bronze pumpkins that greatly contribute to the desirable V-shaped torso, signifying dominance and masculinity. Furthermore, wide and muscular shoulders give the impression of a trimmer waistline and are considered one of the most attractive bodyparts in the eyes of women. Prior to designing a new weight lifting routine or implementing one of the many available shoulder routines, some attention must be directed toward functionality of the muscle. The anatomy of the shoulder is somewhat complex and consists of the rotator cuff, a group of 4 small muscles underneath the upper arm, as well as the anterior (front), medial (middle), and posterior (rear) deltoid heads, the 3 larger muscles that give the shoulders their overall shape. The rotator cuff muscles and tendons connect the humerus (upper arm bone) to the scapula (shoulder blade) and are responsible for much of the stabilization required to perform weight lifting and everyday tasks. A torn rotator cuff can make an upper body workout every difficult by causing pain and impairment during movement of the arm. Each of the 3 deltoid heads contract to move the arm in different directions relative to the body. The anterior head moves the arm out to front of the body, the medial head is involved in side movement, and the posterior head contracts to cause arm movements from front to rear of the torso. A key component to building bigger shoulders is directing equal attention toward all three deltoid heads to achieve a balanced look from all angles.
Knowing the basic anatomy of the shoulder makes it much easier to choose the most appropriate weight lifting exercises for an effective routine. The barbell or dumbbell shoulder press is the ultimate mass builder for all 3 deltoid muscles, although most emphasis is placed on the anterior head. Avoid performing shoulder presses behind the neck if using a barbell as doing so can place undue stress on the rotator cuff. Front, lateral, and bent-over lateral dumbbell shoulder raises target each of the 3 heads (anterior, medial, and posterior respectively) individually and are great for developing separation between these muscles. Front raises can be changed from an isolation to a compound exercise by using a barbell, working both anterior heads together. Wide grip upright rows are a very effective movement for isolating the medial heads from the remainder of the shoulder muscles (the trapezius and biceps are also heavily involved) with much more weight than used for lateral raises. Another effective mass building exercise for the medial deltoids are lateral raises performed on a machine because the range of motion is locked and both shoulders move together. The posterior heads are brought into play significantly during almost every upper back exercises and therefore do not required a lot of direct work for development (a good number of shoulder routines actually group these muscles as part of the upper back and exclude them from the workout). Proper form is the most effective method of strengthening the rotator cuffs and specialized exercises should be avoided altogether (read this article).

Anterior Deltoid Emphasis

• Barbell or dumbbell shoulder press 2-3x6-10
• Dumbbell lateral raises 2-3x10-15
• Dumbbell bent-over lateral raises 2-3x10-15
• Barbell front raises 2-3x8-12

Medial Deltoid Emphasis

• Dumbbell lateral raises 2-3x10-15
• Machine lateral raises or wide grip upright rows 2-3x8-12
• Barbell or dumbbell shoulder press 2-3x6-10
• Bent-over lateral raises 2-3x10-15

Note:  The most effective mass building exercises for posterior deltoids are upper back movements (rows and pull ups). Bent-over lateral raises can easily be included in an upper back routine and can be replaced with dumbbell front raises for both shoulder routines above.