5 Shoulder Exercises a Pro Bodybuilder Swears by for Building Boulder Shoulders

If there’s one thing fitness enthusiasts can agree on, it’s the desire for bigger, more defined shoulders. Whether you’re male or female, capped delts are always in style. They may not be as flashy as a sculpted six-pack, but they make T-shirts hug just right and tank tops hit even harder. 

While there’s no shortage of shoulder exercises to choose from, IFBB Classic Physique pro and RP Strength’s Head Physique and Bodybuilding Specialist, Jared Feather, says there are a few key moves he swears by to build that coveted round, 3D look.

Related: The Overhead Press Variation Longtime Lifters Swear by to Push Past Plateaus and Pack On Size

5 Shoulder Exercises Pros Use for Big Delts

Freemotion Front Raise

How to Do It

1. Stand facing away from a cable or Freemotion machine, feet shoulder-width apart, holding the cable or handle in each hand with palms facing each other. (Alternately, you can use resistance bands by stepping on them and holding one in each palm.)
2. Keep your arms straight with a slight bend in the elbows, letting them hang slightly behind you for a deeper stretch. 
3. Bring both arms forward and raise them up to shoulder height simultaneously. 
4. Pause briefly at the top, squeezing your front delts. Lower the handles back down slowly with control. 
5. That's 1 rep. 

Cable Upright Row

How to Do It

1. Attach a straight bar, rope, or handles to the low pulley on a cable machine, to start. (Alternately, you can use a resistance band by stepping on it and holding each end, making an X.)
2. Stand facing the machine with feet shoulder-width apart, grasping the bar, rope, or handles with an overhand grip, hands about hip-width apart.
3. Keep your chest up, back straight, and core engaged.
4. Pull the bar or rope straight up toward your chin, leading with your elbows.
5. Pause briefly at the top, feeling the squeeze in your traps and shoulders.
6. Slowly lower the weight back down to the starting position.
7. That's 1 rep.

Why It Works

"They're an amazing lateral delt exercise, amazing exercise overall for the musculature surrounding the delts, [and] encourage great trap involvement as well," Feather says. 

Related: 50 Best Shoulder Exercises of All Time to Build Cannonball Delts

Freemotion Y Raise

How to Do It

1. Attach handles to the low pulleys on the Freemotion machine, to start.
2. Stand facing away from the machine, feet shoulder-width apart, holding a handle in each hand with palms facing down.
3. Start with your arms by your sides, elbows slightly bent.
4. Raise both arms diagonally upward and outward to form a “Y” shape.
5. Pause briefly at the top, squeezing your upper back and shoulder muscles.
6. Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.
7. That's 1 rep. 

Why It Works

"It's one of the only variations where you can actually come all the way across your body and get the full stretch for that lateral delt," says Feather. 

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

How to Do It

1. With a slight bend in the elbows, lift the dumbbells out to the sides until they reach shoulder height, to start. 
2. With control, slowly lower them back down. 
3. Avoid swinging the weights with momentum. 

Cable Facepull

How to Do It

1. Attach a rope handle to the top pulley of a cable station, to start.
2. Grasp an end in each hand with palms facing each other.
3. Step back to place tension on the cable.
4. Squeeze shoulder blades together and row the rope toward your face, leading the pull with your elbows.
5. Hold the contraction for 1 second, then reverse.
6. That's 1 rep.