Q: Tom, I need some help. I am very narrow shouldered and I can't seem to get any muscle size in my deltoids as my triceps seem to take over. I have a large chest which makes me look even more out of proportion. Do you have any suggestions for exercises or workouts that would isolate and build size in my shoulders? I especially need width and my rear deltoids are non existent. ThanksA: Your shoulder width is partly determined by genetics. The width of your shoulders will ultimately be determined by your bone structure. However, regardless of your genetics in the clavicle department, you can always develop much wider shoulders with proper training. Larry Scott was known for not being particularly genetically gifted in the width department, but he made the most of what he had and it didn't stop him from becoming the First Mr. Olympia.
The deltoids are a spectacular muscle and an extremely important one to develop, especially the side deltoid, which gives you more shoulder width. When your shoulders get wider, it creates an optical illusion of a smaller waist. By adding muscle on your side delts and also your reducing waist size, you can completely transform your body's appearance and symmetry.
To prove the point to yourself, try this little test at home: Put on a t-shirt and evenly stuff some tissue under your sleeves on both sides of your shoulders. Now look in the mirror. It is stunning how much even a half an inch of additional width on your shoulders can improve your aesthetics.
Unfortunately, for some people, the deltoids can be stubborn and they don't grow without extremely hard work. You can count me in that group - I have to really blast em' to get them to respond. Stubborn deltoids must be prioritized and they sometimes need to be "coaxed" into growing by using some advanced bodybuilding techniques.
The most basic size builder for shoulders (deltoids) is the over head press, in any one of its forms, preferably using free weights:
1) Military press (overhead barbell press)
2) Dumbbell press
The standing overhead press is the better total body strength exercise, as it demands activation of the core and involvement of the entire body. Bodybuilders usually prefer the seated version, as it stabilizes you and allows you to concentrate more on developing the deltoids by excluding some of the core involvement.
Machine presses are good for variety, but don't neglect the free weights. Work very, very hard on the barbell and dumbbell presses as your primary movements.
Presses alone can build a good foundation of muscle size and strength so that's usually where a beginner starts. In a full body or 2 day split routine, if you could pick only one exercise, it would be an overhead press. Once you're out of the beginner stage, it pays to add multiple exercises that work each aspect of the deltoid.
Physique athletes design programs by looking at the deltoid in three parts:
1. front deltoid
2. side deltoid
3. rear deltoid
Some people include the trapezius, (traps) with shoulder workouts (usually shrugs), others train traps on back day, but that's a separate discussion. Keep in mind that over-development of the traps can actually detract visually from the appearance of width in your shoulders. Don't overwork your traps unless you're especially weak in that area, or if you simply want that thick, dense look in the neck and traps (some guys like that look, most women don't).
Assuming that you're training on a split routine where you have time for multiple exercises, you would pick one exercise for each section of the deltoid. Here's an example of a traditional bodybuilding program for deltoids using all free weights to work all three heads of the deltoid muscle:
1. Seated barbell military press
2. Dumbbell side lateral raises
3. Bent over dummbbell lateral raises (rear deltoid)
3 sets of 8-12 reps each
These exercises do overlap. For example, Military presses strongly work both the front and side deltoid. In fact, you can't completely isolate any one section of the deltoid, but you can shift emphasis onto front, side or rear delt depending on your choice of exercise and exercise technique.
Overhead presses are a compound exercise, so other muscle groups, including the upper chest and triceps, are working as well. In a press however, the triceps are considered an assistance muscle or secondary mover. The deltoid is the prime mover that is receiving most of the load.
The dumbbell side lateral raises take the triceps out of the movement, so that's why laterals are considered a deltoid isolation exercise. This is the exercise that helps you develop shoulder width, specifically the much sought-after round "cap" on the side of your deltoids.
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The side deltoid is a very desirable section of the muscle to develop, even for women. If you look closely at the top fitness and figure women today, you'll see extraordinary side deltoid "cap" development. They work very hard at that because well-developed side deltoids improve your symmetry and make your waist look smaller. Creating an optical illusion is what bodybuilding training is all about.
For rear deltoids, the most popular exercise is the bent over dumbbell lateral raise. It can be done standing or seated on the edge of a bench (which can relieve pressure from the lower back that may occur during the standing variation). The standing bent over version must be performed with strict form and proper body position to avoid back strain. An alternative is the rear delt machine, which is performed seated vertically.
Once you have this basic framework for a total multi-angular deltoid training program, there are many ways you can take it to the next level to emphasize width and specialize on rear deltoids. I could go on for pages with shoulder training techniques, but here are some of my favorites.
1. Prioritize your deltoids in a split routine.
To maximize your deltoid development in all three sections, front, side and rear, train your delts in a split routine with no other major body parts. For example, by having a shoulders and triceps day (shoulders and a small/minor body part), you can pour all your energy into training the deltoids first without having to worry about training your whole body or other major body parts.
2. Prioritize your rear deltoids by training them first.
3. Use drop sets.
Adding some intensity techniques can help stimulate muscle growth in stubborn body parts and drop sets (aka descending sets) are a particularly effective intensity technique to use with shoulder training. On the last set of each exercise - side laterals and bent laterals - do a drop set. If you're using 30 pound dumbbells on your laterals, you would simply do a regular set, then when you can't complete another rep, drop to the 25's, then repeat with the 20 pounders. Usually two weight drops does it, but some people do more than two drops or even run all the way down the rack.
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You can also extend a set by manipulating mechanical advantage, rep speed and technique. One way is to superset two forms of the same exercise, the strict version first, followed by the looser version second. The side lateral raise can be performed many different ways. The straight arm version is much more difficult because of the long lever arm and mechanical disadvantage. Do it slowly with a hold at the top and it becomes even stricter. lower only 3/4 of the way down and it becomes stricter still. When you reach failure on the strict version, you can continue by switching to the bent-arm side lateral raise and or by speeding up your reps.
5. Add some high rep pump work.
Getting a pump is considered by some people to be a side effect of bodybuilding training and not a goal to be sought in itself. Indeed, it's a mistake to drop all the heavy, low to medium rep work for high reps. However, that doesn't mean high reps don't have their uses. Muscle development can be enhanced by finishing an exercise or workout with a maximum pump set. This develops different muscle fibers and enhances capillarization which can eventually create a more polished look to the physique, when combined with low body fat.
6. Add some high tension work.
The deltoid muscles are unique in the way they seem to respond extremely well to high tension training methods. One such technique is the isometric hold. An isometric contraction is where a muscle contracts without shortening or lengthening, to hold your body in a fixed position. For example, if you hold the side lateral raise in the top "iron cross" position, you will find it extremely challenging, yet very rewarding, as it helps bring out additional muscle development you might not have seen if you only did conventional repetitions. Co-incidentally, have you ever noticed the exceptional side deltoid development on gymnasts?
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(NOTE: This is an advanced-level program)
1. Bent over dumbbell lateral raises (rear deltoid)
2 sets 10-12 reps
1 set 10-12 rep max to failure with strict form (straight arms hold 1 second at top), then continue with as many reps as possible with loose form (faster with bent elbows)
2. Seated barbell military press
4 sets of 12, 8, 6, 4 reps (ascending weight, descending reps)
1 set of 20 reps
3. Dumbbell side lateral raises
set a: regular reps 8-12 reps to failure (12 rep maximum as heavy as you can go)
set b: straight arm laterals, 5-6 reps with 5 second isometric "iron cross" hold at top and slow negatives, followed by as many regular reps as possible, faster tempo
set c: regular reps, triple drop
Here's one final suggestion for rounding off your deltoid routine
Most beginning and intermediate trainees not only neglect the side and rear deltoids, they also overtrain their chest relative to their upper back. They do far more horizontal pushing like bench pressing than horizontal pulling like rowing.
It's important to balance out the volume of pushing and pulling to avoid muscle imbalances and injury. A nice side effect of doing more rowing is the additional stimulation you get for your rear delts. If you do horizontal pulling exercises on your back day, your rear deltoids will get worked again indirectly - especially if you choose rowing exercises with a wide grip and your elbows flared out wide and pulling high.
Also try the rope pull to the face, again with elbows flared out to the sides. Although this is an upper back exercise, it also hits the rear deltoids quite strongly.
Feel free to pick and choose from these techniques and apply them wherever you see fit. You may find some of these techniques helpful for other body parts as well.
Be sure to drop me a note in the training forums and let me know how these methods worked out for you.
-Tom venuto
Most people do presses first on their shoulder day. Generally that's an ideal approach if your goals include more strength as well as hypertrophy. However, if your rear deltoid development is lagging behind your front and side delt development (and this is very common, since most people blow off rear delts or just do a couple half-hearted sets at the end), then it pays to re-arrange the order of exercises. This is called the "priority training principle." Priority training simply means training your lagging body parts first, even if it goes against traditional training "rules."
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