5 Cable Shoulder Exercises to Build Bigger Delts

Unsure how to build big shoulders without dumbbells or barbells? Here are a few cable shoulder exercises to boost your gains and develop capped, boulder shoulders.

Cable Shoulder Exercises for Capped Delts

The shoulders are made up of three separate muscles — the anterior, posterior and lateral heads. Let's take a look at the five most effective cable shoulder exercises to target all three heads for healthy, 3D shoulders:

1) Cable Front Raise

Cable front raises for massive strength and shoulders. (Image via Unsplash/ Daniel Apodaca)

Lagging front delts are uncommon among lifters, as most gym-goers typically overdo push movements like the bench and overhead press. If you're one of the unlucky few struggling to develop anterior delts, cable front raises are among the best cable shoulder exercises you can add to your workout plan.

Instructions:

Stand upright while facing away the cable machine. Attach a straight bar to the lowest pulley.
Stand with your feet on either side of the cable.
Pick up the bar, and raise your arms straight up till it's parallel to the gorund.
Hold the top contraction for a second. Don't just drop the weight; control it on the way down.
Repeat for 8-12 reps, and perform 3-5 sets.

2) Cable Lateral Raise

Cable lateral raise are one of the best shoulder exercises. (Image via Unsplash/ Milan Csizmadia)

Side delts are responsible for creating shoulder width. If you want an amazing V-taper, cable lateral raises are one of the best cable shoulder exercises you should add to your routine. Cable lateral raises are much better than traditional shoulder raises due to the constant tension provided by the cable. They also come in several variations.

Instructions:

Stand to the side of the cable machine. Attach a D-shaped handle to the lowest pulley of the cable machine.
Grasp the handle with one hand. The cable should be behind your legs or between your legs. You can hold on to the machine, and lean away slightly for a better stretch and range of motion.
Raise the handle using your side delts till your arm is almost parallel to the floor.
Lower you arm while controlling the eccentric. Repeat for both arms.
Perform 3-5 sets of 10-20 reps.

3) Standing Cable Reverse Fly

Reverse fly for boulder shoulders. (Image via Unsplash/ Anastese Maragos)

The rear delts are the most underdeveloped and neglected muscle group among lifters. Cable shoulder exercises like the reverse fly are ideal for targeting this muscle.

Instructions:

Attach handles to two cables placed at chest height. Grab both handles with a neutral grip.
Keep your arms straight, and maintain a slight bend in your knees. Brace your core, and avoid lower back arching.
Bend the elbows slightly, and pull the handles to the sides.
Extend the arms almost entirely. You should feel a strong contraction in the rear delt and upper back.
Return to the starting position slowly. Repeat for 3-5 sets of 8-15 reps.

4) Face Pull

Start doing face pulls. (Image via Unsplash/ Daniel Apodaca)

Any lifter who desires healthy, pain-free shoulders must perform face pulls. Face pulls are one of the top cable shoulder exercises to build the external rotators, traps, and rear delts.

Instructions:

Attach a rope to the cable machine, with the attachment placed above eye level.
Grab the ends of the rope with both hands. Use a neutral grip, with your palms facing each other.
Pull the rope towards your face. Rotate your forearms at the elbows to work your external rotators more.
You should feel a strong contraction in your rear delts and upper back. Hold for 1-2 seconds.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for 8-12 reps, and perform three quality sets.

5) Dual Cable Overhead Press

This exercise is meant for fresh gains. (Image via Pexels/ Tima Miroshnichenko)

This is an excellent alternative to dumbbell shoulder press and barbell press. The constant tension on the cable makes it one of the best cable shoulder exercises to work all three heads of the delts together. If you've hit a plateau on other overhead pressing movements, try this exercise to stimulate fresh gains.

Instructions:

Stand upright facing opposite the cable machine. Set both pulleys at the lowest position, and attach two seperate handles to their ends.
Stand directly in the center of the cables. Set up as you would for a normal overhead press.
Flex the glutes, and push the handles straight up till your arms are fully extended.
Lower them slowly focusing on the eccentric part of the movement.
Perform 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps.

Performing cable shoulder exercises is an excellent way to break the monotony of usual shoulder training and add a new stimulus to grow the shoulders. Choose one movement for each delt, and perform them two to three times a week to build big, capped and healthy shoulders.

Edited by Bhargav