When it comes to shoulder exercises, there is an undisputed king for building cannonball delts to create a wide breadth and v taper, the lateral raise. Anyone who says overhead pressing is key to big shoulders and a wide frame probably also puts on a sock and then shoe, going one whole foot at a time. If you do at least one dedicated horizontal push a week, you’re already lapping up all those pressing gains for your shoulders.

There is RARELY a guy with underdeveloped front delts—you see flat shoulders with no shape and minuscule rear delt. Whether seated, standing, or one arm at a time, leaning with dumbbells, kettlebells, or plates, the lateral raise should be a bread and butter exercise for any shoulder day. Grip and arm positioning also play a crucial role. Keeping grip closer to the actual weight towards the back instead of the middle of the handle and focusing on “pulling” with the pinky and ring finger recruits more rear delts to help compliment a well-developed shoulder. Shoulders are a very finicky muscle group and, in my experience, respond the best to a medium weight with rep ranges of 8-15.

Another thing that creates the desired response is finishing off the final set by running the rack, dropping the weight, and burning out repeatedly until you’re left struggling with the 10lb weights. This rush of blood flow into the muscle combined with excessive microscopic tearing of the fibers, again and again, is a 100% certified organic recipe for boulder shoulders.