Building strong, well-defined shoulders is key to achieving the iconic Alpha male physique. Broad shoulders give you the width that enhances the striking V-shaped upper body. With all three deltoid muscle heads fully developed, you’ll appear powerful and broad, whether you’re rocking a t-shirt or dressed up in a suit.

So, what are the best shoulder exercises you should be performing when in the gym? This article lays out the 15 best shoulder moves to build cannonball delts.

Looking for further workout inspiration? Check out our complete guide to workouts for men here.

Shoulder Anatomy

The deltoid is the primary muscle controlling shoulder movement. Other muscles, including the supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres major, and teres minor, help stabilize the shoulder joint.

The deltoids’ primary function during exercise is to support the raising or extending of the arms. There are three portions (or heads) of the deltoid muscle. They are the:

• Anterior (front) head
• Lateral (medial) head
• Posterior (rear) head

The deltoids are a unique muscle group. Other multiple-head muscle groups (such as the biceps) have the same origin and insertion points for their muscle heads. However, when it comes to the deltoids, the three heads have unique origin and insertion points.

That’s significant. It means that you will have to do different exercises for each head of the deltoid to move it through its full range of motion. Whereas, when it comes to a muscle group like the biceps, which has two heads, the range of motion for both heads is almost identical.

To identify the best exercises for each of the three heads of the deltoids, we need to identify their origin and insertion points. Then, we’ll be able to locate the needed range of motion.

Anterior Head

The front, or anterior, deltoid starts from the outer portion of the clavicle and attaches to the deltoid tuberosity, located at the top of the upper arm. This part of the muscle participates in any movement in which the upper arm is pulled forward and/or upward. 

However, the ideal movement to fully engage the front delts is one that takes the humerus from a starting point alongside the torso, in the area of the ribs, and slightly behind the torso and then moves the arms forward and slightly upward for the hands to meet in line with the clavicles.

Lateral Head

The lateral deltoid begins at the outer edge of the acromion process and the scapula near the base of the neck. It attaches to the deltoid tuberosity at the top of the humerus, or upper arm. The function of this part of the muscle is to raise the arm from your sides out laterally and up until it is parallel with the floor.

Posterior Head

The rear, or posterior, deltoids originate from the upper ridge of the scapula (shoulder blades) and attach to the deltoid tuberosity, joining the other two heads of the muscle. Its primary function is to pull the humerus down and out from the body.

15 Best Shoulder Exercises & Workouts

The 15 following exercises will provide you with a lethal arsenal of weapons for creating cannonball delts. We encourage you to try each one out as you narrow down the best moves to include in your shoulder workout.

1. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

The dumbbell lateral is the best thing you can do to isolate the lateral head of the deltoid. It’s surprisingly difficult, so be sure to use a weight that allows you to control the entire movement.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Choose a lightweight that allows for controlled movement.
2. Keep your arms slightly bent but locked in place, pull your shoulders back, and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
3. Lift your arms out to the side from the shoulder until they are parallel to the ground (do not raise them higher).
4. Slowly lower the weights, resisting gravity. Pause at the end of each repetition to prevent momentum from taking over before the next rep.

Sets: 3 to 5 sets with 8-10 reps per set
Tempo: 2 seconds up, 1 second down.

2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The dumbbell shoulder press primarily works the front deltoids. By using dumbbells, you force each side of the muscle to work independently while also recruiting the stabilizer muscles of the shoulder joint.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Sit on a bench with the back fully upright, with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hold the dumbbells over your shoulders, palms facing forward, and elbows out.
3. Push the dumbbells upward while bringing them slightly toward each other until your arms are fully extended (do not let the dumbbells touch).
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Sets: 3 to 5 sets with 8 to 10 reps per set
Tempo: 3 seconds up, 2 seconds back down

3. Arnold Press

The Arnold Press, named after the Austrian Oak himself, involves wrist rotation as you perform the press. This engages all three deltoid heads, making for a super-effective shoulder exercise.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Sit on a back-supported bench with a pair of dumbbells held at shoulder levels, palms facing your body.
2. Push your feet into the floor as you push the weights overhead. Rotate your wrists as you press, so that your palms are facing forward in the top position. Stop just short of lockout to maintain tension on the deltoids.
3. Reverse your wrist position on the way down, so that your palms are again facing your body in the bottom position.

Sets: 3 to 4 sets with 8 – 10 reps per set
Tempo: 3 seconds up, 3 seconds down

4. Upright Row

The upright row targets the deltoids and the traps, along with other areas of the upper back and even the biceps. It can be performed using a barbell, an EZ bar or even a pair of dumbbells. If you’re new to the movement, it’s best to use an EZ bar, as it alleviates some pressure from your wrists.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the EZ bar with both hands. Let it hang in front of you with your elbows slightly bent. Bring your shoulder blades together and lock them down. Inhale deeply and tighten your core.
2. Exhale and lift the barbell straight up toward your chin, flaring your elbows out while keeping the bar close to your body. Stop when your hands are roughly in line with your shoulders.
3. Hold the position for a moment before lowering the bar to the start position.

Sets: 3 to 4 sets with 10-12 reps per set
Tempo: 2 seconds up, pause for a second, slowly lower back down

5. Dumbbell Front Raise

The front raise isolates the deltoid’s front, or anterior, head. This is the part of the muscle that adds bulk from the front and contributes to the boulder shoulder look.

The front raise can be performed using any kind of free weight, such as weight plate, or a resistance band, but your best weapon is a pair of dumbbells. As with the other shoulder exercises, start off with a light weight, as you’ll slowly but surely feel more and more fatigued as you work your way through the repetitions.

Step-by-Step Guide: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms straight down in front of your thighs.
2. Without bending your elbows, raise your arms straight up in front of you, keeping them straight. If alternating, lift one arm at a time.
3. Raise your arms until your hands are in line with your shoulders, avoiding lifting higher to maintain tension on the front deltoid.
4. Slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.

Sets: 4 sets with 10-12 reps per set (10 – 12 each side if alternating)
Tempo: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down

6. Overhead Push Press

The Push Press is a version of the overhead barbell press that utilizes a slight squat and push to help you lift heavier weight overhead. This is a good choice if your goal is to build overall shoulder mass and strength.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the barbell with elbows facing forward, as if preparing for a front squat.
2. Bend your knees into a mini squat, keeping your core tight.
3. Drive through your heels, extending your legs, and simultaneously press the barbell overhead until your arms are straight.
4. Lower the barbell back to your chest and move straight into your next rep.

Sets: 3 to 4 sets with 8 to 10 reps per set
Tempo: Slow and controlled, but ensuring the entire movement is kept fluid.

7. Cable Face Pull

The cable face pull targets your trapezius muscles and other areas of the upper back, adding all round strength and stability to your upper body.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Head to the cable machine, attach the double rope attachment, and set the pulley at head height to properly target the rear delts.
2. Grasp the rope with palms facing down, arms extended straight in front of you.
3. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. If balance is an issue, adopt a split stance with one foot in front of the other. Pull the rope toward your face, bending your elbows out wide and keeping the rope at eye level. Focus on maintaining an upright posture.
4. Rotate your forearms at the end of the pull so they form right angles, with upper arms parallel to the floor. Your hands should be in line with your ears.
5. Pull the rope back until your hands are slightly behind your head, but avoid leaning your head forward to maintain tension on your shoulders.
6. Slowly extend your arms, returning the rope to the starting position.

Sets: 3 to 5 sets with 10-12 reps per set
Tempo: Incredibly slow and controlled for the entire movement.

8. Push-up

Push-ups are one of the most efficient, effective and best shoulder exercises for men – they’ll target your chest muscles in the process, too.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Place your hands on the floor, arms straight, and position yourself on your toes. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Tuck your pelvis slightly and brace your core to keep your back flat and avoid sagging.
2. Slowly lower your chest towards the floor, keeping your elbows close to your body. A slight outward flare is fine, but avoid letting your elbows form a 90-degree angle from your body. Inhale as you lower down.
3. Exhale as you press through your hands, returning to the starting position with arms straight.

Sets: 3 to 4 sets with maximum reps to failure
Tempo: Slower is better, but ultimately you want to ensure your form is perfect.

9. Barbell Overhead Carry

The barbell overhead carry puts your body under a lot of tension while building shoulder strength and mass. What’s better is that the exercise doesn’t only improve your physical strength, but also your mental toughness. 

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Load the barbell with 60-70% of your overhead press one-rep max. Then, grab the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width and bring it up to shoulder level,.
2. Press the barbell overhead, and lock out your elbows. 
3. Now take very slow and deliberate steps. Walk for around 10-20 yards. Rack the barbell, take a break, and then repeat the movement. 

Sets: 4 sets of 1 overhead carry
Tempo: 20-30 seconds per set, 30-second break

10. Single-Arm Cable Front Raise

The front cable press isolates your front deltoid. Using a cable keeps continuous tension on the muscle and allows you to better control the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Set the pulley on a cable machine to its lowest position and put a D-handle on the cable.
2. Face away from the machine and hold the D-handle in your right hand, keeping your fist close to your body and down. Your left hand will sit on your left hip. Maintain a tight core and soft knees.
3. Fully extend your right arm, and raise it until the fist is in line with your shoulder. Hold the position for one second, and then lower under control to the start position.

Sets: 3-4 sets of 10 reps
Tempo: 1-second raise, 1-second return

11. 3-Way Shoulder Raise

The 3-Way Shoulder Raise is three movements in one, allowing you to hit all three deltoid heads – and get an awesome shoulder pump!

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms straight by your sides.
2. Lift the dumbbells out to your sides, keeping your arms straight until they reach shoulder height. Pause briefly at the top.
3. From the sides, bring the dumbbells forward, keeping arms straight. Continue until the dumbbells nearly meet in the center in front of you at shoulder height.
4. Raise the dumbbells from the front position up overhead, ensuring your arms remain straight throughout the movement.
5. Reverse the sequence to lower the dumbbells. Bring them back to the front, then out to your sides, and finally lower them to your starting position.

Sets: 3 sets with 10 reps each
Tempo: 10 seconds per set

12. Spellcaster

This exercise works both your shoulders and your obliques. It’s also an effective functional movement that helps enhance swinging and thrwing power and explosiveness.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell held in each hand. Twist your torso to the right and bring your left hand across to position it next to your other hand.
2. Swing your body up and to the left, simultaneously bringing your hands overhead to the left of your head.
3. Lower to bring your hands to the left side as you twist your torso in the same direction.
4. Swing your body up and to the right, simultaneously bringing your hands overhead to the right of your head.
5. Continue to alternate sides as you complete your rep count.

Sets: 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps each
Tempo: 4-5 seconds per rep

13. Half-Kneeling Landmine Press

The half-kneeling landmine press combines horizontal and vertical movements to ensure you make your shoulders stronger. On top of that, if you’ve experienced any shoulder injury recently, this exercise can be used as a modified overhead press. 

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Load a barbell into a landmine press apparatus and kneel in front of it. Your rear knee should be underneath your hip, while your ankle should be underneath your front knee. Grab the bar with an overhand grip at shoulder level.
2. Press the bar out at a 45-degree angle, continuing until lockout.
3. Lower under control to the start position.  

Sets: 3-4 sets with 10 reps
Tempo: 4-5 seconds per rep, 2-3-second return

14. Seated Barbell Press

The seated barbell press works all three deltoid heads, while also building overall upper body strength.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Sit on a back-supported bench with a barbell at your feet. Grab the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip and bring the bar up to shoulder level.
2. From a strating position with the bar across your clavicles, press the bar directly overhead, stopping just short of lockout.
3. Lower under control and repeat for the desired rep count.

Sets: 3 sets of 10 reps
Tempo: 4-5 seconds per rep, 4-second return

15. Waiter’s Walk

This exercise simulates the actions of a waiter carrying a stack of plates through a restaurant. It’s an effective exercise for all three deltoid heads.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Stand with a kettlebell held at head level with the base facing the ceiling. Your elbow should be in line with your shoulder and bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Maintain this arm position as you walk 10 steps forward and back.
3. Switch your hands and repeat the movement. 

Sets: 3-4 sets of 5 reps each
Tempo: 15 seconds per rep

Wrap Up

You now have access to a powerful arsenal of shoulder exercises that can totally transform your upper body. Construct your workout by choosing three or four movements, ensuring that all three deltoid heads are targeted, and performing a total of 12-16 sets. Vary your rep range, from a high of 30 to a low of 6, with your heaviest weight.

Train your shoulders twice per week, ensuring at least 48 hours between workouts to allow for full recovery and growth.