I have to admit, I like changing my routines because I get bored of the same old exercises. For a few weeks I just can’t get enough of a certain exercise and I love it, and then after a while I get bored, and want to try something else. It’s like the old adage, you can have too much of a good thing.
Having said that, I do believe certain exercises are better than others. It’s just how they feel to me when I perform them. Some exercises are spot on my muscles, while others seem to be missing something. There are several deltoid exercises which I use regularly regardless of how boring they get, because they work, and work well.
Here they are…
Dumbbell shoulder press (Front deltoid):
You can perform this exercise with a barbell (seated military press) but I love the freedom dumbbells give me, and I find I can get a better range of motion this way.
Here’s how it goes: seated, preferably with your back resting against an upright back rest, hold a dumbbell in each hand slightly in front of you and outside of your shoulders. Forearms should be completely vertical underneath the dumbbells.
Angle your wrists slightly inward. Now, press the dumbbells up above your head, twisting them as you do so, before reversing the motion and slowly lowering them back to the starting position.
Sometimes, I will perform this exercise without twisting the dumbbells, which means I start off with my wrists facing forward, and end the movement with them facing forward – just as if I were holding a barbell.
Upright Rows (Side deltoid):
I absolutely love this exercise. Hold a barbell and let it hang down at arms length in front of you, with your knees slightly bent, and your torso bent forward slightly at the hip. Use a grip of slightly wider than shoulder width to a fair bit wider – however you feel comfortable.
Now, maintaining this position, pull the barbell upward until its level with your nipples, and slowly lower it.
Performed properly, you’ll really feel this in the side deltoids, and they’ll stick out a mile once you’ve finished your last set. It’s a fantastic exercise.
Bent over rows (Rear deltoid):
Another rowing exercise which I particularly enjoy. Mainly for the lats, this exercise also helps to build good rear deltoids. This exercise is performed almost exactly as you would upright rows, the main difference is this time you are bent over at the torso to slightly above parallel with the floor, and you pull the barbell up to the sternum (the area where the rib cage meets in the middle). Like I say, this one really is for the lats, but it really works the rear deltoids well, too.