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While most people stick to overhead pressing and lateral raises to build their shoulders, there are many underrated yet unique shoulder exercises that are often overlooked. Not only can these exercises help with delt hypertrophy, they can also help develop mobility and strength in the shoulder joint, keeping the shoulders healthy and injury-free.
Today, we will examine six unique shoulder exercises that can help spark new growth in your delts.
6 Unique Shoulder Exercises That You Need To Try
1) Lu Raises
Lu raises are named after Chinese weightlifting phenom and three-time Olympic champion Lu Xiaojun. If you want to develop unparalleled overhead stability while growing your lateral delts, upper traps and levator scapulae, add this movement to your list of unique shoulder exercises.
Instructions:
- Grab a pair of light dumbbells or small weight plates.
- Stand upright with the dumbbells held in front of your thighs and your palms facing your thighs.
- Inititate an arc-like movement with your delts.
- Rotate your wrist outward and raise your arms completely above your head, before you shrug your shoulders at the topmost position.
- Lower the weight with complete control, and repeat the motion.
- Avoid ego-lifting and using body momentum.
2) Z-Press
This exercise was invented by the four-time World's Strongest Man, Zydrunas Savickas. If you're struggling to overcome an overhead press plateau, this is one of the unique shoulder exercises that can break your rut. It will also help build amazing core strength and scapular stability.
Instructions:
- Set up the barbell in a lower position on the rack.
- Create a strong base by sitting on the floor with your legs held straight, and keep your torso upright and your core braced.
- Unload the bar and set up similiar to an overhead barbell press.
- Brace downwards and push the weight straight up, and shrug at the top of the movement.
- Lower slowly to starting postion. Repeat.
3) Arnold Press
This exercise was popularized by seven-time Mr. Olympia champion Arnold Schwarzenegger back in the 1980s. If you want to work the rear delts, lateral delts, front delts and triceps in one go, add this movement to your index of unique shoulder exercises.
Instructions:
- Set up similiar to a dumbbell shoulder press.
- The wrists should be turned inward, with the palms facing you in the starting position.
- Initiate the exercise by rotating the wrists outwards, and press the weight straight up using the delts and triceps.
- Lower the weight slowly back to its starting position. Repeat.
4) Cable Egyptian Lateral Raise
Struggling to grow your side delts? Add this movement to your arsenal of unique shoulder exercises to build some wide, boulder shoulders.
Instructions:
- Attach a pulley to the lowest attachment of the cable machine.
- Hold on to the cable machine and lean to the opposite side.
- Grab the handle/rope with the free hand and extend it between your legs.
- Use your side delts to lift the load upto shoulder-level, and hold the contraction for a second.
- Lower it back slowly. Repeat.
5) Single-arm landmine press
This exercise is ideal for building your shoulders, triceps, upper chest, and core. If you have shoulder issues, the single-arm landmine press is an excellent overhead press alternative.
Instructions:
- Attach a barbell to a landmine station or wall corner.
- Using one arm, lift the barbell up to shoulder height.
- Brace your core and keep your back flat.
- Press the weight up in an explosive movement, and remember that the bar path will be almost diagonal, not straight up.
- Return the bar to the starting position
- Repeat.
6) Dumbbell Scoop Press
This exercise is one of the few unique shoulder exercises that allow for a greater range of motion, while stretching the front delt and causing shoulder extension. They are best performed with light-to-moderately heavy dumbbells.
Instructions:
- Grab two dumbbells and hand them by your side, while standing upright with your feet held hip-width apart.
- Initiate the movement by moving your wrists outward and scooping the weights up to your shoulders.
- As you reach shoulder height, rotate the wrist inwards, and press the weight straight up.
- As you lower the dumbbells, rotate the wrists again to return to the starting position.
- Repeat.
Takeaway
Incorporate the aforementioned unique shoulder exercises into your exercise routine one-by-one. Make sure to learn the proper form and tempo before progressively overloading. Lu rasies, in particular, can be added at the end of every upper body workout as an excellent finisher.
