6 Best Exercises to Bulk up Your Shoulders

Looking to bulk up your shoulders? Well, there are several exercises that can help you achieve the same. But keep in mind that it takes a lot of training and hard work to train your shoulders for massive growth.

Shoulders consist of three heads, namely – the anterior head (front delt), posterior head (rear delt), and medial head (side delt). For the ultimate super solid shoulder muscle, it is important to hit all three heads equally. While shoulders are already targeted in different exercises, to bulk them up, however, it is essential to include a variety of compound exercises in your fitness routine to achieve even growth in each muscle fiber.

To help you get started, we’ve listed below a few of the most effective exercises that are sure to work wonders on your shoulders. So, are you ready to work on the size and growth of your delts? Consider adding the following exercises to your workout routine to target your shoulders from every angle.

Exercises to bulk up your shoulders

Try the given exercises in your next upper body workout routine at the gym and aim to practice them in a sequence for at least 3 sets. If you are new to weights, perform these exercises under the guidance of a trainer to ensure safety.

1. Standing bent-over lateral raises

To do this exercise:

• Grab a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing one another. With your feet at a shoulder distance, stand tall and bend your knees slightly for a more comfortable position.
• Keep your back straight and hinge at your hips and move the dumbbells together below your chest.
• Slowly lift your arms out and up until they get parallel to the floor. Lower the dumbbells back to the start with control and repeat the exercise for a few reps.

2. Barbell overhead press

To do this exercise:

• Hold a barbell using a narrow grip and with your hands positioned slightly wider than a shoulder-width distance. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width.
• Ensure that your elbows are perpendicular to the floor and close to your body.
• With the barbell in front of your front delts, slowly press the bar up while keeping your legs, abs, back, and glutes perfectly engaged.
• Once the bar reaches over your head, extend your elbows so that the bar gets directly over the crown of your head.
• At the top of the movement, shrug your shoulder muscles and engage your traps to prevent pain. Also, do not allow your knees to bend when pressing the barbell up.

3. Seated dumbbell press

To do this exercise:

• Sit on an exercise bench with your feet planted on the floor at a comfortable position. Keep your abs engaged and back straight.
• Grab a dumbbell in both hands at your shoulder height and make sure that your wrists are in a straight line with your elbows.
• Now slowly push both the dumbbells over your head with your arms extended, but do not arch your back.
• Return the dumbbells to their initial position under control and repeat the exercise.

4. Bent-over reverse fly

To do this exercise:

• Hold dumbbells in both hands and slowly hinge at your hips until your upper body gets nearly parallel to the ground. Keep your feet at shoulder-width distance.
• Allow the weights to hang straight from your shoulders and ensure that your palms are facing one another.
• Keeping your arms slightly bent and your back perfectly straight, lift your arms out to your sides until they get in line with your body.
• Hold, and then return the dumbbells to their initial position.
• Repeat.

5. Kettlebell single-arm press

To do this exercise:

• With your feet placed at a shoulder-width distance, stand tall and grab a kettlebell in your right hand just in front of your shoulder. Keep your palm in and the kettlebell resting properly on top of your forearm.
• Now maintain this position, and press the kettlebell straight up while rotating your arm and bringing your palm facing forward.
• Complete a few reps on your right side, and then hold the kettlebell in your left hand. Perform an equal number of reps.

6. Barbell upright row

To do this exercise:

• Hold a barbell using a narrower grip than shoulder-width distance.
• Slowly pull the barbell straight up towards your chin and ensure to keep it close to your body.
• Lower the bar back to the start and repeat. While doing this exercise, do not pull the barbell higher than your chin as it can strain your shoulders.

Takeaway

When performing the aforementioned exercises, don’t lower the barbell or dumbbells too quickly as it can be dangerous for your muscles and joints. Keep the movements controlled and slow to target the right muscles and achieve great bulk. Also, choose a weight that allows you to complete at least 12 reps without compromising your form.