Blast your deltoids intelligently

When blasting your delts, try starting with standing side dumbbell raises. Alternate arms with very slow and deliberate movements.

For correct form, be sure to raise dumbbells to nose-level and keep your elbows straight. Use 2-3 working sets and for an extra pump hold the weight in the top position for 3 seconds or so on the final few reps of each set.

You can also vary standing side dumbbell raises by bringing the arms slightly forward at an angle. Shoot for a grove about halfway between side raises and front raises. Use light weight initially to really feel the movement.

Deltoids respond well to light and moderate poundage providing proper form is maintained.

On the standing raises, you’ll also benefit from experimenting with the hand and wrist position—try it thumbs down, palms down, palms up, etc.

This will change the angle of attack on your delts slightly and help add variation into your program. With this in mind, you should also try the various lateral raises while seated on a flat bench—this often helps you to maintain proper form and really isolate the delts.

Try this next time your at the gym warming up delts to get a sense and feeling of the different heads being worked.

Take a 10 lb. dumbbell in one arm and raise it in front of you up to shoulder level. While keeping the height of the dumbbell steady, move your arm first across your body towards your opposite shoulder . . . you should feel the very front of your delt flex slightly. Now keeping your elbow straight, move your arm outward towards your side . . . you’ll feel the tension in your shoulder shifting.

While you’re doing this, you can also rotate your palm and wrist from thumb-up to thumb-down and take note of the different deltoid heads tensing with the varied hand position.

Place your opposite hand on your flexed shoulder to feel how the delts respond to the various positions of the arm and hand.

Behind The Neck Presses: Set the barbell at a comfortable weight, place it behind your neck, an inch behind your shoulders. Your hands should be placed at shoulder width. Keeping your elbows straight with your torso, slowly push the barbell upward. Stop just before your elbows become locked, squeezing your shoulder muscles, and then slowly allow the weight to bring your elbows back to the starting position. Stop an inch before the barbell touches your shoulders and immediately begin the next repetition. Do this 8-12 times for 4 sets.

Seated Bent Over Dumbell Laterals: Sitting on the end of the bench, make sure that you’re bent at the waist with your knees pressed together. You want your arms holding the weights down by the floor so that your palms are facing each other. Slowly lift your weights out to the side and turn your hands outward so that your thumbs are facing the floor. Bring your arms upward and stop at when they’re at head level. Squeeze during the contraction for a second, then slowly drop your arms back down to the starting position. Repeat the movement for 10-12 reps. Try doing three sets.

One Armed Cable Laterals: Set up the D-handle to the lower hookup of the cable machine. With the hand that’s farthest away from the cable machine, take the handle, placing your free hand on your hip. Slowly raise the weight across the width of your torso so it arcs across your chest. The motion should stop when your arm is extended completely to your side at head level. Squeeze your deltoid muscle for a moment or two before slowly releasing your hand down to the opposite hip. Try 12-15 reps on each side for 3 sets.

It is imperative to stretch thoroughly before partaking in any of these exercises. Nothing can be deadlier to a bodybuilder’s training program than a nagging shoulder injury.

And remember, heavy weights are not necessary for the lateral exercises. Try to use manageable poundage on these exercises. You must first achieve proper form and ultimately provide the range of motion needed for sculpt those deltoids.