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Exercises

Shoulder exercises for men: presses, lateral raises and rear delts

Published October 29, 2026

The best shoulder exercises for men are the barbell overhead press and seated dumbbell press for the front delts and overall strength, the dumbbell and cable lateral raise for the side delts that make shoulders look wide, and the reverse pec deck, rear delt fly and face pull for the rear delts. Bench pressing already trains the front of the shoulder hard, so most men need more side and rear work, not more pressing. Train shoulders twice a week with one press, one lateral raise and one rear delt exercise, 1 to 2 reps short of failure. Beginners can start with the machine press and dumbbell lateral raise.

  1. Barbell Overhead Press Shoulders
  2. Dumbbell Lateral Raise Shoulders
  3. Dumbbell Shoulder Press Shoulders
  4. Cable Lateral Raise Shoulders
  5. Reverse Pec Deck Shoulders
  6. Face Pull Shoulders, Upper Back
  7. Arnold Press Shoulders
  8. Machine Shoulder Press Shoulders

Overhead presses for the front delts and strength

One press a week, done heavy, is enough for the front of the shoulders, since your bench and incline work hit them too. Pick the version that fits your gear and your joints.

Front delts and triceps, standing barbell press

Barbell Overhead Press

Shoulders

The heaviest shoulder press, and it trains your whole body to stay rigid under the bar. Make it your main shoulder lift if your shoulders tolerate a bar overhead.

How to do it

  1. Set the bar in a rack at collarbone height and grip it just outside your shoulders, wrists stacked over your elbows.
  2. Unrack it onto your upper chest, take one step back and set your feet about hip width apart.
  3. Squeeze your glutes, brace your abs so your ribs stay down, and take a big breath.
  4. Press straight up, pulling your chin back so the bar clears your face.
  5. Once the bar passes your forehead, push your head through until the bar sits over the middle of your foot with your arms locked.
  6. Lower it along the same line to your upper chest and re-brace before the next rep.

Cues

  • Glutes tight, ribs down
  • Chin back, bar straight up
  • Head through at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to finish reps, which turns the lift into an incline press: lower the weight until your torso stays vertical for the whole set.
  • Pressing the bar forward around your face: pull your chin back and keep the bar close enough to brush your nose.
  • Stopping short of lockout: finish every rep with the bar over your mid-foot and your arms straight, or the rep doesn't count in your log.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Seated Barbell Overhead Press, Landmine Press

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Front and side delts, seated dumbbell press

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Shoulders

Dumbbells let each arm find its own path, which most shoulders like better than a straight bar. Sitting with back support lets you push the sets harder.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench upright or one notch back from vertical, sit with your feet flat, and rest a dumbbell on each thigh.
  2. Kick one knee up at a time to bring the dumbbells to shoulder height, then set your back against the pad.
  3. Turn your elbows slightly forward so they sit a little in front of your torso, palms facing forward or angled in.
  4. Drive both weights overhead on a slight inward arc until your elbows are straight, keeping your ribs down and your back on the pad.
  5. Lower slowly until the dumbbells are around ear height or a bit below, then press again.

Cues

  • Ribs down, back on the pad
  • Elbows a little forward
  • Press up and slightly in

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back off the pad to finish reps: that turns it into an incline press, so lighten the weight and keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
  • Flaring the elbows straight out at shoulder height: bring them a little forward so the shoulder joint stays comfortable at the bottom.
  • Stopping each rep well above your ears: lower to around ear height so the delts work through a full range.

Swap for: Arnold Press, Machine Shoulder Press

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Front delts, machine press

Machine Shoulder Press

Shoulders

The best first press for beginners: the path is set, you can't drop the weight, and you can safely go close to failure while you learn how hard a set should feel.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles start at about shoulder height.
  2. Sit with your back flat against the pad, feet planted, and grip the handles.
  3. Press up until your arms are nearly straight overhead.
  4. Lower the handles back to shoulder height under control and press again.

Cues

  • Back stays on the pad
  • Press up, not forward
  • Control the way down

Common mistakes

  • Arching hard off the backrest to finish a rep: lighten the stack and keep your ribs down.
  • Cutting the rep short at the top: finish each press with your arms almost fully straight.
  • Letting the stack rest between reps: stop the handles just above it so your shoulders stay loaded.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Smith Machine Shoulder Press

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Front and side delts, rotating dumbbell press

Arnold Press

Shoulders

Turning your palms as you press adds side delt work and a longer range. Use it as the second press of the week, lighter than your straight dumbbell press.

How to do it

  1. Sit on a bench or chair with your back supported, two dumbbells held at chin height, palms facing you and elbows in front.
  2. Press the dumbbells up while turning your palms to face forward, so they finish forward at the top.
  3. Straighten your arms overhead without letting the dumbbells clang together.
  4. Lower slowly, turning your palms back toward you as the dumbbells return to chin height.

Cues

  • Turn and press in one motion
  • Ribs down, back against the pad
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back to get the weights up: brace your stomach and pick lighter dumbbells.
  • Turning the palms only at the very top: start rotating as soon as the press begins.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Band Overhead Press

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Front delts and upper chest, angled press

Landmine Press

Shoulders

Pressing up and forward along the bar's arc, instead of straight overhead, lets men with stiff or sore shoulders keep pressing. Squeezing your glutes to stay upright trains the core as well.

How to do it

  1. Wedge one end of an empty barbell into a landmine or a corner, and load the free end with plates.
  2. Stand facing the loaded end, feet about shoulder width, and lift the end of the bar to your upper chest.
  3. Wrap both hands around the sleeve end, elbows under the bar and close to your ribs.
  4. Squeeze your glutes and keep your ribs down, then press the bar up and forward along its arc until your arms are straight.
  5. Let your shoulder blades reach forward at the top, then lower under control until the bar is back at your chest.

Cues

  • Both hands on the sleeve
  • Press where the bar wants to go
  • Ribs down, glutes tight

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to finish the rep: if your chest tips back as the set goes on, take a plate off and keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
  • Pushing straight up against the arc: the bar is fixed at the floor, so aim up and forward and let it travel its own path.
  • Elbows flaring out wide: keep them under the bar so the press stays in line with your shoulders.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Incline Dumbbell Press

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Lateral raises for wider shoulders

The side delts set how wide your shoulders look. They are small, recover fast and grow from lots of sets, so this is where most of your shoulder volume should go.

Side delts, dumbbell raise

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Shoulders

The most direct exercise for wider shoulders. Light dumbbells and strict reps beat heavy swinging; most men should start with 10 to 20 lb.

How to do it

  1. Pick light dumbbells you can raise for 12 clean reps, and stand with your feet hip width apart, the weights hanging by your thighs.
  2. Lean your chest forward a few degrees, pull your shoulders down away from your ears and soften your elbows.
  3. Sweep the weights out and slightly forward, leading with your elbows, until your upper arms are level with your shoulders.
  4. Hold that top position for a beat, then take two to three seconds to lower until the dumbbells are a hand's width from your thighs.
  5. Start the next rep from there without resting at the bottom or bouncing out of it.

Cues

  • Elbows lead, hands follow
  • Shoulders down, neck long
  • Push the weights out, not up

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the weight up: if your shoulders rise toward your ears, drop to lighter dumbbells and stop each rep where your upper arm is level.
  • Swinging the torso to start each rep: brace, stand still and keep the first inch of the lift as slow as the rest.
  • Bending the elbows more and more as the set goes on: set the bend on rep one and keep it, or the lever shortens and the set gets easier without you noticing.

Swap for: Cable Lateral Raise, Machine Lateral Raise

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Side delts, cable raise

Cable Lateral Raise

Shoulders

The cables load the side delts at the bottom of the raise, where a dumbbell is almost weightless. Use it as a second lateral raise each week.

How to do it

  1. Set both pulleys of a crossover at the bottom and stand between them, feet about shoulder width.
  2. Cross your arms low in front of your thighs: your right hand holds the left handle, your left hand the right one.
  3. Stand tall and raise both arms out to the sides, elbows slightly bent, until your hands reach shoulder height.
  4. Lower slowly until the handles cross again in front of your thighs. On a single pulley, do the same one arm at a time.

Cues

  • Lead with the elbow
  • Push the handle out, not up
  • Shoulder height and stop

Common mistakes

  • Heaving the weight up with a lean and a shrug: if your torso moves, drop the pin a step.
  • Raising past shoulder height: the traps take over above that point.

Swap for: Leaning Cable Lateral Raise, Dumbbell Lateral Raise, Cable Y Raise

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Rear delts and the rotator cuff

The back of the shoulder fills out the shoulder from the side and balances all the pressing men do. The external rotation is light work for the small muscles that steady the joint.

Rear delts, machine reverse fly

Reverse Pec Deck

Shoulders

The easiest rear delt exercise to feel and to take close to failure. A good first rear delt exercise for beginners.

How to do it

  1. Set the handles to the rear position, sit facing the pad, and adjust the seat so the handles are at shoulder height.
  2. Hold the handles with arms straight in front of you, palms down or facing in.
  3. Sweep your arms out and back in a wide arc until they are in line with your body.
  4. Return slowly, stopping just before the weight touches the stack, and repeat.

Cues

  • Wide arc, not a row
  • Arms almost straight
  • Keep the stack off the rest

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the elbows back like a row: the arms move out to the side.
  • Too much weight with jerky reps: these grow on 12 to 20 controlled reps.

Swap for: Face Pull, Rear Delt Cable Fly, Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

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Rear delts, seated dumbbell fly

Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders

Bent forward on a bench with light dumbbells, it trains the rear delts with nothing but a pair of dumbbells. Lead with your elbows and stop at shoulder height.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the end of a bench, feet together and planted, with a light dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Fold forward from the hips until your chest nearly touches your knees, and let the weights hang below your legs, palms turned in.
  3. Bend your elbows a little and lock that angle in for the whole set.
  4. Open your arms out and up in a wide arc, elbows leading, and stop when your upper arms line up with your back.
  5. Pause for a beat at the top, then take two to three seconds to bring them back down until your arms hang straight again.

Cues

  • Arms wide, like spreading wings
  • Reach for the walls, not the ceiling
  • Chest stays on your knees

Common mistakes

  • Sitting up as the weights rise: if your chest leaves your knees to finish the rep, drop to lighter dumbbells and stop where your upper arms reach your back.
  • Turning the fly into a row: if your elbows bend more and drift toward your ribs, your lats take over; keep the same small elbow bend from the first rep to the last.
  • Shrugging your shoulders toward your ears at the top: keep your neck long and think about reaching your hands toward the walls rather than the ceiling.

Swap for: Reverse Pec Deck, Rear Delt Cable Fly

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Rear delts and upper back, cable rope pull

Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

It trains the rear delts and the muscles that rotate the arm outward together, the pulling work that heavy benching leaves out.

How to do it

  1. Set the pulley at or just above head height and attach a rope. Grab it with your thumbs pointing back toward you.
  2. Step back until your arms are straight and the stack lifts, then stagger your feet or sit on a bench so you can lean back slightly without swaying.
  3. Pull the middle of the rope toward your forehead by driving your elbows out and back, keeping them at shoulder height or higher.
  4. As the rope reaches your face, pull the ends apart and rotate your hands back until your fists sit beside your ears, like a double-biceps pose.
  5. Hold that position for a beat, then let your arms straighten under control until your shoulder blades slide forward again.

Cues

  • Elbows high, hands finish behind them
  • Pull the rope apart, not just back
  • Reach forward at the start of every rep

Common mistakes

  • Loading it like a row and leaning back to move the stack: drop the weight until you can hold the end position for a second without your torso rocking.
  • Letting the elbows drop below your shoulders: the pull turns into a row and your lats and biceps take the work. Raise the pulley or lighten the load.
  • Stopping when the rope touches your face: the outward rotation at the end is what the face pull adds, so finish with your fists beside your ears.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Reverse Pec Deck

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Rotator cuff, external rotation

Dumbbell External Rotation

Shoulders

Light rotation work for the small muscles that hold the ball of the shoulder in place. Two easy sets twice a week is enough.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light dumbbell with your elbow bent to 90 degrees and tucked at your side.
  2. Turn the forearm out, with the elbow pinned to your ribs.
  3. Return slowly until the forearm is across your stomach.

Cues

  • Elbow glued to your side
  • Light and slow

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbow drift away from the body: hold a rolled towel under the arm.

Swap for: Dumbbell Lying External Rotation, Band Pull-Apart, Face Pull

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Beginner, first shoulder training

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets14 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentShoulder Press, Dumbbells, Fly Machine, Adjustable Cable

You are new to the gym or have never trained shoulders on their own, and you want to learn the main movements safely.

Beginners grow from fewer sets, so two days of three exercises, 7 sets a day and 14 a week for the shoulders, is plenty. Each day has one press, one lateral raise and one rear delt exercise, and the machine press comes first while you learn.

Day 1
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Machine Shoulder Press 3 × 8–12 3 2 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 2 × 10–15 2 75 s
Reverse Pec Deck 2 × 12–15 2 1 min

Open Day 1 in the session builder

Day 2
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 8–12 3 2 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 2 × 12–15 2 75 s
Face Pull 2 × 12–15 2 1 min

Open Day 2 in the session builder

How to run it
Do Day 1 and Day 2 two or three days apart, after your chest or back work. Start with a weight you could lift 3 more times on every set.
How to progress
Stay at 2 to 3 reps in reserve for the first month. Then add reps until you reach the top of the range and go up the smallest step the machine or rack allows.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Trained for a while, want wider and rounder shoulders

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets21 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Adjustable Cable, Dumbbells

You have lifted for a year or more, your presses are decent, and your shoulders still look narrow next to your chest.

Side delts are the gap for most men, so this plan gives them 9 sets of lateral raises a week, more than any other part of the shoulder, while the front delts get one press per day. Rear delts get 5 sets, which with your rows and pulls covers them.

Day 1: Heavy press
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Overhead Press2 warm-up sets first 4 × 5–8 2 3 min
Cable Lateral Raise 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 × 15–20 0 1 min
Face Pull 2 × 15–20 1 1 min

Open Day 1: Heavy press in the session builder

Day 2: Dumbbells
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Arnold Press 3 × 8–12 1 2 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly 3 × 12–20 1 1 min

Open Day 2: Dumbbells in the session builder

How to run it
Do Day 1 and Day 2 on your two upper or push days, with at least two days between them. Lateral raises can also go at the end of a leg day if a session runs long.
How to progress
Add 5 lb to the overhead press when all sets reach the top of the range at 2 reps in reserve. On lateral raises, add reps up to 20 before moving up one dumbbell size, since the jumps are big for a small muscle.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Overhead pressing bothers your shoulders

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets16 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentLandmine, Adjustable Cable, Dumbbells, Fly Machine

Pressing straight overhead pinches or aches, often after years of heavy benching, and you still want strong, full shoulders.

The landmine press keeps a press in the week at an angle most shoulders accept, while raises and rear delt work carry most of the growth. About 12 sets a week over two days, plus external rotations as light extra work.

Day 1
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Landmine Press 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Cable Lateral Raise 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell External RotationPer arm. 2 × 12–15 3 45 s

Open Day 1 in the session builder

Day 2
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Reverse Pec Deck 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
Cable Lateral Raise 3 × 15–20 1 1 min
Dumbbell External RotationPer arm. 2 × 12–15 3 45 s

Open Day 2 in the session builder

How to run it
Do the two days on non-consecutive days. Start each with a light set of external rotations as a warm-up.
How to progress
Add weight to the landmine press when sets reach the top of the range at 2 reps in reserve. Add reps to raises and flys first. Keep external rotations light, adding 2.5 lb only when 15 reps feel easy.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

Which exercises increase shoulder size?

Lateral raises add the most width, overhead presses add mass at the front, and reverse flys and face pulls fill out the back. Doing all three twice a week covers the whole shoulder.

What shoulder exercises should beginners start with?

The machine shoulder press, dumbbell lateral raise and reverse pec deck. They are easy to learn and safe to push hard, which helps you learn what a hard set feels like.

How often should men train shoulders?

Twice a week. The side and rear delts recover quickly and grow from more sets spread out, while one heavy press a session is enough for the front.

Do I need front raises?

Usually not. Bench presses, incline presses and overhead presses already train the front delts hard. Spend those sets on lateral raises instead.

Should I train shoulders heavy?

Heavy for the presses, 5 to 10 reps. Light for raises and flys, 12 to 20 reps, where heavy weights only bring the traps and lower back into it.