Define Your Delts with the Best Shoulder Exercises Devised
Ever wondered why your gym partner looks physically fit, more than you? His shoulders, chest, and abs look perfect and very much athletic. Your case seems to be different even though your workout regimen is consistent and advanced. Let’s follow this health and wellness blog!
Well, every individual works out differently and has different training goals. Think about the number of reps, how many sets, duration of rest periods, and choice of exercises, they are different.
In other words, Mr. A’s workout routine may be totally different from Mr. B’s. And even though they might be the same, each weight lifter or runner has a unique workout DNA.
Since this DNA is different, each trainer may get different results after completing a workout session or routine.
Basically, it’s not bad to want to do your own thing during your exercises. But there are certain tips and principles that help achieve better results from your routine.
Most sites have a thousand and one tips that promise better results after engaging in the tips. Instead of engaging you in multiple ways, we have picked the 5 best ways to define your delts with these shoulder exercises.

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Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise
This exercise majorly targets your rear deltoids. The one-arm bent-over lateral raise is an alternative form for bent-over lateral raises and most gym experts say, it is superior to the two-arm bent-over lateral raise.
The one-armed exercise works your delts as well but, it allows you to focus all effort and energy on one side of your arm at a go.
The one-armed version allows you to perform more rotations at your waist region during reps, making it easier to cheat and unable to achieve better results.
But, the two-armed version reduces such momentum and allows you to focus and put pressure on your rear delts to lift the weight.
Strengths:
To perform this exercise, you need a mat, a pair of dumbbells, and energy. This exercise is versatile which means it can be done in a gym or at home either standing on both feet or seating at the edge of a flat bench with your chest directly facing your knees.
By using dumbbells, your body muscles play a role in stability which means that your rear delts may not gain so much.
However, it can also help to create a better body physique that could assist in better movement, lifting, rotation, and more.
How to:
- Position dumbbells in each hand and keep your chest up. Ensure that your back is flat, your knees are bent slightly, and your eyes are fixed directly on a point on the floor, 2mm from you.
Then, bend your chest till it’s directly facing your knees and your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
- Position the dumbbells directly beneath you and bend your elbows slightly.
- Apply weight on your body and raise the dumbbells up and extend it to your sides in an arc manner till your arms are parallel to the floor
- Pause for a second and lower the dumbbells back to their original position. That is one rep.
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Cable Front Raise:
This exercise majorly targets the anterior (front) deltoids. While performing this exercise and if done correctly, your anterior deltoid carries the load. Results are achieved from the continuous tension provided by raising the cables.
Strengths:
Dragging the cables can cause a little bit of discomfort because of the way it is placed inside laterals across your body.
This discomfort is eliminated by doing front raises which allows the cable to roam free during the exercise. This is a small benefit, but it ensures that minor distractions during reps are avoided.
How to:
- Hold a d-handle in one hand. Stand in a staggered position about shoulder-width apart with your back facing a low cable pulley.
- Place your free hand on your hip for support and stability.
- Keep your chest up, back flattened, eyes maintaining a straight gaze just in front of you and knees slightly bent. Apply weight on your body so you can lift the cable up and extend it out in front of you till your upper arm is parallel with your shoulder where the cable is being held.
- Squeeze and pause and gradually lower your arm back into its original position.
- Switch to the other side of your arm and repeat the exercise. That is one rep.
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Push Press
This delt exercise focuses majorly on the anterior and middle deltoids. This exercise is suitable for all our heavy compound exercisers.
The push press is a powerful exercise that needs to be done with lots of energy and momentum. To handle serious loads, this exercise combines heavy overhead action, energy, and momentum. We can say, the perfect push press with benefits needs all these three combinations.
To properly define your deltoids, you need to perform the push press exercise. But, remember to start lightly by using light weights so you can be thoroughly prepared and warmed up.
Strengths:
The push press exercise is done with your legs firmly fixed on the floor. While performing this exercise, several muscle groups are targeted and include your legs, arms, and of course, the shoulders. Because of this benefit, your entire body is built and worked out.
How to:
- With a barbell in front of you, lift it up from the floor to shoulder level.
- Hold the bar firmly, with your palms facing up, elbows pointing towards the front, upper arms closely parallel with the floor. The bar should be slightly at a point close to your upper chest.
- In a standing position, lower your hips to the ground and slightly bend your knees to go down. End in a squatting position.
- To return, drive your legs to go upwards and extend your arms and lift the bar over your head till your elbow is slightly bent at your back.
- Hold in that position for few seconds then release by lowering the bar back to the resting position on your upper chest and move into the next position. That is one rep.
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Face Pull:
The face pull exercise targets the rear deltoids and middle trapezius. The name of this exercise sounds awkward, well, it’s not the usual horrific scene we see in Hollywood.
The face pull exercise is the perfect exercise for sculpting the rear delts. It is a unique rear delt exercise and works your rear deltoids and mid trapezium better than other rear deltoid exercises.
Strengths:
The face pull delivers many physical benefits and is better than the traditional cable raises and bent-over dumbbell lateral raises. The main benefit is that it works the middle trapezium as well and creates a balance that allows you to handle excessive weight all around. With the buildup of this excessive weight, there is a direct and massive growth of muscles.
How to:
- Attach a rope to a pull-down station and ensure the weight selected is enough to make up for your own weight.
- With the pulley in front of you, begin in a standing position and grasp each side of the rope with your hands. Do this with your palm facing each other, then raise your elbows till it is at shoulder level and extend it to the sides.
- Use a kneepad for better support and place one foot on it.
- To begin this exercise, push your body backward till your body forms a 45-degree angle with the floor. With your elbows raised, apply weight and pull the rope back to your face till your hands are extended behind your ears.
- Squeeze and pause, then return to the starting position. Ensure you maintain the same weight throughout the exercise.
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Seated Barbell Shoulder Press:
The seated barbell shoulder press exercise targets the anterior, rear, and middle deltoids all at once. If one of your body goals is to have a huge and fitted shoulder and you haven’t achieved this goal: you are not trying the barbell press well enough.
Although it is challenging, uncomfortable, and is a high-intensity training exercise, this exercise is totally worth every rep.
Performing this exercise perfectly and consistently will help to develop your deltoid better. You shouldn’t and wouldn’t be on the same deltoid level after consistently engaging in this exercise.
Strengths:
For severe load, using a barbell is more preferable to using a dumbbell. Dumbbells are lighter in weight compared to barbells. With barbells, you could go three to five reps with a maximum load while performing the barbell press but for dumbbells, it will be totally appropriable.
How to:
- With a barbell press station just in front of you, begin in a sitting position.
- Sit erect with your lower back arched slightly and feet flat on the floor.
- Grasp the bar firmly about shoulder-width apart with your palms facing up, elbows faced down and outward.
- Un-rack the bar carefully, and raise it till it gets to shoulder level.
- Press the bar straight up to your chest till your elbow is bent slightly.
- Squeeze and hold for few seconds and then lower the bar carefully to a point at your upper chest and clavicle area.
Conclusion
To define your deltoids, perfectly, you need to engage in the above exercises. The exercises above are proven ways to build bigger, denser, stronger, and wider delts.
The perfect shoulder exercises to work your delts include bent-over lateral raise, cable front raise, push press, face pull, and seated barbell shoulder press.