Best Shoulder Exercises

The best shoulder exercises are the overhead press for heavy pressing strength, the lateral raise for side-delt width, the face pull for rear delts, the dumbbell shoulder press for a deeper start per arm, and the band pull-apart for rear-delt volume anywhere. Pressing alone builds the front head and leaves the sides and rear behind.

The 5 best shoulders exercises

  1. Overhead PressHeavy compound

    Takes the heaviest load of any shoulder press, and standing forces your core to keep ribs stacked over hips.

  2. Lateral RaiseSide-delt isolation

    Pressing leans on the front head, so width comes from strict 12-20 rep raises led by the elbow.

  3. Face PullRear-delt cable work

    Rope at eye level, elbows high, pull past your ears; cable tension stays on where dumbbells go slack.

  4. Dumbbell Shoulder PressBeginner-friendly press

    Each arm works alone and the dumbbells can start at ear level, deeper than a barbell lets you go.

  5. Band Pull-ApartEquipment-light rear delts

    A band lives in your gym bag, so rear-delt sets happen on travel days and between pressing sets.

Every shoulders exercise (12)

Below is the full shoulder list: barbell, dumbbell, cable, machine, and band options. Each one opens to form cues, rep ranges, and the mistakes that stall progress, so you can swap for whatever your gym has free.

Overhead Press demonstrationOverhead PressShoulders · BarbellDumbbell Shoulder Press demonstrationDumbbell Shoulder PressFront Delts · DumbbellArnold Press demonstrationArnold PressShoulders · DumbbellLateral Raise demonstrationLateral RaiseSide Delts · DumbbellFace Pull demonstrationFace PullRear Delts · CableMachine Shoulder Press demonstrationMachine Shoulder PressFront Delts · MachineCable Lateral Raise demonstrationCable Lateral RaiseSide Delts · CableUpright Row demonstrationUpright RowSide Delts · BarbellFront Raise demonstrationFront RaiseFront Delts · DumbbellRear Delt Fly demonstrationRear Delt FlyRear Delts · DumbbellReverse Pec Deck demonstrationReverse Pec DeckRear Delts · MachineBand Pull-Apart demonstrationBand Pull-ApartRear Delts · Bands

Common questions

What exercise makes your shoulders wider?

The lateral raise, since width comes from the side delt and nothing loads it as directly. Overhead pressing drives the front head and rows hit the rear, but the side delt only works hard when your arm travels out to the side against resistance. Cable lateral raises keep tension at the bottom, where dumbbells have none.

How often should you train shoulders?

Two to three times a week suits most lifters. Side and rear delts are small and recover fast, so splitting your weekly sets across a few sessions is easier to do well than cramming them into one long shoulder day. Heavy overhead pressing is the part that needs real recovery; once or twice a week is plenty.

Do I need direct rear delt work if I already row?

Yes, in most programs. Rows pull with the elbow close to the ribs, which loads the lats and mid-back more than the rear delt. The rear delt does its share when the elbow travels high and wide, which is what a face pull, rear delt fly, or reverse pec deck give you. Wide-elbow rows help, but they rarely replace it.

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