How To Integrate These Exercises Into Your Workout Routine
The 16 uncommon shoulder movements listed above offer useful benefits when included in a shoulder workout. However, you don’t need to perform them all in one go.
To help you out, we’ve programmed an example shoulder workout for well-rounded development. Some of the exercises are better than lateral raises, a movement commonly performed alongside standard pressing exercises.
This workout can be used as a general guideline when planning an effective shoulder routine. We’ve started with some compound pressing exercises before moving on to specific deltoid activation work.
The session ends with a shoulder superset to promote a higher training volume, a key factor for effective muscular hypertrophy. This involves performing two exercises together with no rest in between.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest (Between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Arnold Press | 5 | 5 | 45–60 seconds |
| Cable Shoulder Press | 3–4 | 8–12 | 45–60 seconds |
| Barbell Upright Row | 3–4 | 8–12 | 45–60 seconds |
| Dumbbell Scapular External Rotation | 3–4 | 10–12 | 45–60 seconds |
| Cable Face Pull X Standing Cable Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 8–12 | 60 seconds between each superset |
Anatomy Of The Shoulders
Anterior Deltoid
Muscles located at the front of your shoulder region
Lateral Deltoid
Muscles located at the side of your shoulder which gives your shoulders a rounded appearance.
Posterior Deltoid
Muscles located at the back of your shoulder. Helps with posture.
The shoulder is a highly complex ball-and-socket joint capable of several movement patterns. Each of the three main deltoid heads performs different motions while being supported by smaller stabilizer muscles. Developing each of these is vital for proper movement and injury prevention.
The front deltoids are often overworked in common pressing and pushing movements such as shoulder presses and bench presses. Because of this, the rear delts are neglected, leading to muscular imbalances and poor mobility. This also leads to poor external rotation (turning the arm out) and control of the shoulder blades. The serratus anterior (side of your chest) and lower trapezius (middle back) are essential stabilizer muscles to support this functioning.
Our underrated shoulder exercises are designed to work on these common weaknesses when used alongside normal shoulder training. Before we discuss the benefits of these shoulder exercises that most people ignore, below is a quick anatomy breakdown. It will help you understand what each part of the shoulder complex does and why it’s important.
Anterior (Front) Deltoids
The anterior deltoids, or front shoulders, are located at the front of the shoulder complex. They originate from the collarbone and insert into the upper arm.
Their main function is to perform shoulder flexion, which involves lifting the arm forward. Alongside this, they bring the arms across the chest.
They’re often overworked due to their frequent use in pressing movements. This can lead to rounded shoulders and shoulder impingement syndrome if not properly balanced with rear delt work. This is when your rotator cuff tendons are compressed against the shoulder blade, which can lead to pain and restricted movement.
Lateral (Middle) Deltoids
The lateral deltoids, or middle shoulders, are located at the side of the shoulders, between the front and rear deltoids. They originate from the shoulder blade and insert into the upper arm.
The main function of the lateral deltoids is to perform shoulder abduction, bringing the arms away from the body. They create the shoulder cap, vital for giving the shoulders a rounded appearance. They’re mainly targeted with lateral raise movements, which involve bringing the arms out to the side.
Posterior (Rear) Deltoids
The posterior deltoids, or rear shoulders, are located at the back of the shoulder complex. They originate from the spine of the shoulder blade and insert into the upper arm.
Their main functions are to extend the shoulders (bring your arms back) and perform horizontal abduction. This occurs when you bring your arms back and to the side. Alongside this, they perform external rotation, which is where the limbs rotate outwards.
These movements make the posterior deltoids vital for posture and overall shoulder balance. Alongside being the smallest deltoid head, they’re also the most neglected. This is the main focus of many of the underrated shoulder exercises detailed above.
Rotator Cuff Muscles
The rotator cuff muscles originate from the shoulder blade and attach to the humerus (upper arm bone). They keep the head of the humerus in the shoulder blade socket. They consist of four different muscles: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor.
Because of this, they play a vital role in shoulder joint stability, function, and fine movements. Examples include raising and lowering the shoulders and pinning the shoulder blades back.
Each of these muscles performs slightly different roles, acting as stabilizers rather than prime movers. Like the posterior deltoids, we’ve included several exercises that target these vital rotator cuff muscles.
Benefits Of Lesser-Known Shoulder Exercises
The importance of training each of the smaller shoulder muscles cannot be overstated. These are the main benefits of the best shoulder exercises you’re not doing.
Improved Injury Prevention And Shoulder Health
The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, capable of a wide range of movements. However, this joint is also one of the most prone to injury.
Most shoulder exercises commonly use the chest and front deltoid muscles. This leads to imbalances, often leaving the posterior deltoid and smaller rotator cuff muscles underdeveloped. This increases stress on the shoulder stabilizer muscles and tendons, causing shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff injuries.
Performing these underrated shoulder exercises leads to well-rounded development. This helps to protect the shoulder joint, aids with shoulder impingement prevention, and restores function. Most of the exercises listed above specifically target the rear delts and rotator cuff muscles, often neglected in common training programs.
Enhanced Posture
Posture refers to the way your bones, muscles, and joints are positioned when still or moving. It determines how balanced you are and how efficiently you move. Whether you’re working at home or performing daily tasks, posture plays a vital role in health and performance.
Having poor posture can lead to muscular imbalances and discomfort. This is increasingly common in those who spend long hours sitting and hunched forward.
Using these underrated exercises targets many of the key stabilizer muscles responsible for postural control. These include the rear deltoids, serratus anterior, and trapezius muscles. This allows you to improve posture through shoulder work when correctly implemented.
As these shoulder stabilizer muscles strengthen, the prime movers can function as intended. This results in less joint stress and more efficient movement patterns.
Well-Rounded Shoulder Development And Function
The shoulder complex is made up of three main deltoid muscles or heads. Therefore, well-rounded development and function require you to develop each of them equally. Furthermore, it ensures the proper functioning of each shoulder muscle when still or moving.
As discussed above, most lifters focus on pressing movements while neglecting their rear delts and smaller stabilizer muscles. This leads to a flat or unsymmetrical appearance, affecting the overall flow of the physique.
This imbalance affects shoulder function, leading to poor and inefficient movement patterns. Furthermore, it can negatively affect your appearance in sports such as bodybuilding.
Utilizing these underrated shoulder exercises brings the different shoulder muscles through their respective ranges of motion. This increases the overall shoulder balance and function, leading to more efficient movement patterns and improved appearance. Over time, you’ll have more proportional, functional shoulders.
Tips To Make The Most Of These Hidden Gems
Each of these tips can be used to get the best out of our underrated shoulder exercises. Prioritize them for well-rounded development when building an effective shoulder routine.
- Prioritize Correct Technique — Using the correct technique ensures proper muscle engagement and injury prevention. Poor technique when using these underrated shoulder exercises can cause too much front deltoid engagement. As a result, the rear deltoids and rotator cuff muscles aren’t properly activated.
- Use A Wide Exercise Variety — The three main deltoid heads are better activated using different planes of motion. Therefore, it’s vital to utilize each of them for well-rounded development. Ensure you include these hidden gems alongside your normal movements to work the rear deltoids and vital shoulder stabilizer muscles.
- Train With Intensity And Volume — Training intensity refers to the difficulty of exercise, while training volume is the amount of work performed. Both are vital training considerations for effective shoulder muscle growth. Ensure you apply the correct training intensity and volume, using the example program above as a guide.
- Ensure Enough Rest And Recovery — Rest and recovery should be seen as vital aspects of a well-organized shoulder training routine. During this time, energy levels are replenished and muscle growth occurs. Ensure at least 48 hours between each shoulder training session.
Conclusion
The shoulders are a complex and often imbalanced muscle group capable of multiple movement patterns. However, they’re not impossible to train with the right approach. When correctly implemented, these underrated shoulder exercises improve the appearance, function, and strength of this key muscle group. So, what are you waiting for? Add these underrated shoulder exercises to your routine and tell us about the differences you notice!
Frequently Asked Questions
Three shoulder exercises can be enough for a well-rounded shoulder workout when correctly chosen. These should target all three deltoid heads alongside the smaller rotator cuff muscles.
Ensure that you use slow, gentle movements that don’t place added stress on the shoulder joint. Monitor your symptoms using the help of a qualified healthcare professional. They should give you appropriate exercises for your shoulder condition.
Whether it’s appropriate to skip a shoulder day depends on your current training routine. However, you’ll need to include some of the shoulder exercises listed above. Therefore, we would recommend not doing this.
The rotator cuff muscles are key shoulder stabilizers that ensure proper movement and reduce injury risk. Therefore, you should directly train them as part of your shoulder routine. Ensure that you manage training volume appropriately.
Resources
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