Shoulders are one of the muscles that can make the biggest difference to your physique. Having thick, wide shoulders is a sure sign of power and a sight that a lot of women won’t ever complain about.
A lot of people like to train shoulders, but not a lot of people know the correct way to train them to achieve a wider appearance and therefore a more aesthetic look.
A simple look art the anatomy of the shoulders shows us that there are 3 different areas on them that need stimulation in order to grow. These are the front deltoids, the middle deltoids and the rear deltoids. In order to have well-balanced and healthy shoulders, you do need to train them all.
The problem is, most people don’t. The majority of people who train will spend a lot of focus on the front deltoids, that are involved in shoulder movements such as barbell and dumbbell presses, upright rows and any variation of a front press. Now there is nothing wrong with any of these movements, but you need to remember that the front deltoid is also involved all other pressing movements. That’s right, anytime you are hitting chest you are stressing the front deltoid. You might even be stressing it more than the chest itself if you don’t know how to set up for a pressing movement correctly. Also pay attention to your posture, your chest should really be the first thing that enters a room. Are your front deltoids in front of your chest and rounding slightly forward? This can be a sign of over training the front deltoids and under training your upper back, which helps pull back the shoulders and keep you upright.
The middle deltoid is where all the gains are at. If you are going to properly read any of this article, this is the bit you will benefit most from. To get that capped look on the shoulder, which is what gives you that width when someone looks at you front on, you need to be hitting the middle deltoid hard and often. The best way to do this is with lateral raises. These can be performed with dumbbells or if you are lucky enough, you may have a machine at your gym that works through the same movement pattern. Use the exercise you connect with the best – it's easier to grow a muscle you can feel. Hit the middle deltoids with reps between 10-20 and start adding more volume and frequency to them by reducing the amount of sets and exercises you do on the front deltoids. Don’t worry, they won’t shrink, but they will feel healthier and your chest exercises will most likely start to feel better.
The rear deltoids are almost as important as the middle for 3D shoulders. They are probably the most underdeveloped part of the shoulder on most lifters, which is surprising because once developed they give you an extra element to your physique. They are easy to perform and once again respond better to higher reps.
If you are lacking middle and rear deltoids, a good shoulder workout you can follow is below. Aim to do it twice a week and tweak where needed.
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Barbell Press – 2 sets 6-10
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Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 2 sets at 10-15 reps and 1 set at 15-20 reps
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Cable lateral raise (behind back) - 2 sets at 10-15 reps and 1 set at 15-20 reps
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Rear lateral raise – 3 x 15-20
Follow this shoulder plan for 8-12 weeks and watch your lagging shoulders begin to pop. Don’t forget to apply progressive overload and eat in a calorie surplus!
