Deltoids (shoulders)

• The upright row is performed while standing, holding a weight hanging down in the hands, by lifting it straight up to the collarbone. This is a compound exercise that also involves the trapezius, upper back, forearms, and the biceps. The narrower the grip the more the trapezius muscles are exercised.
  • Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, Smith machine or cable machine.

• The shoulder press (or military press) is performed while seated, or standing by lowering a weight held above the head to just above the shoulders, and then raising it again. It can be performed with both arms, or one arm at a time. This is a compound exercise that also involves the trapezius and the triceps.
  • Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, Smith machine or shoulder press machine.
  • Major variants: Arnold Press (dumbbells are raised while rotating the palms outwards).

• The lateral raise (or 

  Deltoids (shoulders)

  
• The upright row is performed while standing, holding a weight hanging down in the hands, by lifting it straight up to the collarbone. This is a compound exercise that also involves the trapezius, upper back, forearms, and the biceps. The narrower the grip the more the trapezius muscles are exercised.
  • Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, Smith machine or cable machine.

• The shoulder press (or military press) is performed while seated, or standing by lowering a weight held above the head to just above the shoulders, and then raising it again. It can be performed with both arms, or one arm at a time. This is a compound exercise that also involves the trapezius and the triceps.
  • Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, Smith machine or shoulder press machine.
  • Major variants: Arnold Press (dumbbells are raised while rotating the palms outwards).

• The lateral raise (or shoulder fly) is performed while standing or seated, with hands hanging down holding weights, by lifting them out to the sides until just below the level of the shoulders. This is an isolation exercise for the deltoids. Also works the forearms and traps.
  • Equipment: dumbbells, cable machine or lateral raise machine.
  • Major variants: front raise (lift weights out to the front; emphasis is on the front deltoids), bent-over ~ (emphasis is on the rear deltoids).

• Sholdfer fly is performed while standing or seated, with hands hanging down holding weights, by lifting them out to the sides until just below the level of the shoulders. This is an isolation exercise for the deltoids. Also works the forearms and traps.
  • Equipment: dumbbells, cable machine or lateral raise machine.
  • Major variants: front raise (lift weights out to the front; emphasis is on the front deltoids), bent-over ~ (emphasis is on the rear deltoids).