Best Workout to Blow Up Your Shoulders - 4 Exercises Only

If you’re looking to build massive shoulders while keeping your training simple, you’re in the right place! Most people mess up shoulder training, but with just a few exercises, you can sculpt impressive, strong shoulders without overwhelming your routine. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get those boulders on your shoulders, including some alternative exercises and tips for integrating them into your workout routine.

And the person who came up with the best workout to blow up your shoulders, comprising of only 4 exercises, is Milo Wolf. Dr Milo Wolf shares his invaluable knowledge on a YouTube channel ranging from hypertrophy and strength training to losing fat.

Let’s dive right in!

Understanding Your Shoulders: The Three Heads

Your shoulders have three main “heads” or muscle areas: the front delt, side delt, and rear delt. The front and rear delts are often involved in many pushing and pulling exercises you do for chest and back, which means they’re likely getting some attention already. But it’s the side delt—the one responsible for making you look broader—that often gets overlooked in basic compound movements. This guide is going to focus on making sure all three heads get the love they deserve, with a special emphasis on the side delt, the muscle that really gives your shoulders that wide, capped look.

What You’ll Need to Know About Shoulder Workouts:

Focus on the side delt to create broader shoulders.
Don’t ignore the rear delts (they get neglected in most routines).
Front delts are often worked through pushing exercises, but you’ll isolate them here for balanced growth.

Let’s get started with Wolf’s favourite shoulder workout! It’s a mix of isolation and compound exercises designed to hit every part of the shoulder.

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1. Cable Lateral Raise – Your Go-To for Side Delts

The side delt is the star of the show if you want to appear broader. The best exercise to kick off this workout is the cable lateral raise.

Why Cable Over Dumbbells?

Isolates the side delt more effectively.
Allows for a deeper, loaded stretch than traditional dumbbell lateral raises.
Easily adjustable to overload progressively by adding reps each week.

Here’s how to do it right:

Set the cable to be perpendicular to your arm at the start of the rep to increase resistance during the stretch.
Perform the exercise behind your back, which enhances the range of motion. Your hand should finish right behind your hips. It’s an “out of sight” motion, but you’ll feel the burn right where it counts!
Key mistake to avoid: Don’t extend your chest or bend sideways to get the weight up. Keep the movement strict and your form tight!

Sets and Reps:

3 to 5 sets, aiming for higher reps. Start with 2 reps left in reserve and go to failure on your last set. Rest for around a minute between sets.

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2. Rear Delt Cable Crossover – The Best Rear Delt Builder

Moving on, the rear delts are crucial for balanced shoulder development. Most guys have solid front delts from pressing movements but often lack rear delt strength and size.

Rear Delt Cable Crossover: Why This is Your New Best Friend

The rear delt crossover directly targets the rear delts through horizontal abduction, which is their main function.
It also gives a deep stretch and allows you to work both sides at the same time.

Execution Tips:

Set the cable at shoulder height and take a few steps forward to maintain tension.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows, but avoid turning it into a tricep exercise by bending too much.
Avoid hip and spine movement—it’s all about controlled, explosive pulls and slow, steady negatives.

Sets and Reps:

Go for 10-15 reps per set, which is ideal for muscle growth and versatility. If you’re in a rush, this exercise also works well for drop sets.

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3. Machine Overhead Press – Heavy Compound for Front Delts

Now that the side and rear delts have been smashed, let’s give the front delts some attention. Rather than isolating them with a front raise, a compound movement like the machine overhead press works best for overall shoulder development.

Why Machine Press?

It’s stable, allowing you to go heavier without worrying about balance.
Easier to overload week to week by adding small weight increments.
The machine also reduces fatigue from supporting muscles, letting you focus on the delts.

Mistake to Watch Out For:

Turning it into an incline press: Make sure the seat is set high enough to keep your elbows directly under your hands throughout the movement. Otherwise, you’re just doing more chest work, and your delts won’t get the full benefit.

Sets and Reps:

Work anywhere from 5-20 reps. Push yourself hard on these, as they’ll give your front delts a serious pump!

4: Machine Lateral Raise

Since the side delts are often undertrained compared to the front and rear delts, it’s worth adding in an extra lateral raise variation. The machine lateral raise is perfect for this because it provides constant tension throughout the range of motion.

Finisher Tip:

Finish your shoulder day with a drop set on the machine lateral raise. Pick a weight you can handle for 10-20 reps, then drop the weight by 20% and go again immediately, squeezing out at least 5 more reps. Repeat this for four sets, taking the last one to failure.

How to Fit This Workout Into Your Routine

Now that you’ve got the workout down, how do you fit it into your schedule?

Aim to hit this workout once or twice a week, depending on how often you train your shoulders directly.
You can either place it on its own day or add it to a push day that includes chest and triceps.

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Some Tips for Maximum Growth:

Focus on progressive overload: aim to add either more weight or more reps each week.
Control the negative: take 2-3 seconds on the way down to keep tension on the muscles.
Don’t rush your rest periods—about a minute is great for hypertrophy (muscle building).

Alternative Exercises and Variations

Want to mix it up? Here are a few alternatives you can swap in based on equipment availability and personal preference:

Dumbbell lateral raises instead of cable lateral raises.
Face pulls if you don’t have access to a rear delt cable machine.
Barbell overhead press for a more old-school compound lift.

Conclusion: Get Those Boulder Shoulders!

Building impressive shoulders doesn’t have to be complicated. With these key exercises, you’re hitting every part of the shoulder and ensuring balanced development. Focus on keeping your form tight, controlling your tempo, and progressively overloading the muscles for maximum gains.

Now it’s your turn to try this workout! Customise it to your needs, and don’t forget the importance of recovery and consistency. Stick with this plan, and soon enough, you’ll be sporting those wide, powerful shoulders that’ll turn heads in and out of the gym!

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