REPWIND

The shoulders

The delt has three heads doing three different jobs. Training one is not enough, and it is nearly always the rear that is missing.

Shoulders — Chest, Triceps

PrimarySecondaryNot worked

What it is

The front delt flexes the shoulder — it already works on every press you do. The side delt abducts: it is what gives width, and only lateral raises really load it. The rear delt extends and externally rotates; it works on horizontal pulls, never quite enough.

How to load it

The front head already gets plenty of indirect volume from chest work — do not add more. Put direct work into the side and rear heads, eight to fifteen sets each per week, in longer sets. The shoulder tolerates heavy loading poorly on isolation work.

The recurring mistake

Taking lateral raises above horizontal by shrugging. Past horizontal the traps take over — you think you are loading the delt, you are loading something else.

All 32 exercises in the catalogue

Names are the ones the app uses.

Barbell · 4

Barbell Front Raise
Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press
Barbell Upright Row (wide-grip)
EZ Barbell Anti Gravity Press

Dumbbell · 14

Dumbbell Alternate Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Arnold Press
Dumbbell Bench Seated Press
Dumbbell Front Raise
Dumbbell Incline Hammer Press
Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral Raise
Dumbbell Iron Cross
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise
Dumbbell Rear Delt Row
Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise
Dumbbell Seated Front Raise
Dumbbell Seated Lateral Raise
Dumbbell Upright Row

Cable · 6

Cable Crossover Reverse Fly
Cable Front Raise
Cable Lateral Raise
Cable One Arm Forward Raise
Cable One Arm Lateral Raise
Cable Rear Delt Row (with rope)

Machine and bodyweight · 1

Military Press

Lever machine · 3

Lever Lateral Raise
Lever Military Press
Lever Seated Reverse Fly

Smith machine · 1

Smith Seated Shoulder Press

Band · 3

Band Bent-over Rear Lateral Raise
Band One Arm Forward Raise
Band Standing Rear Delt Row