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Broaden your shoulders and improve upper body symmetry

Best Side Delt workouts

The side delts, or lateral deltoids, are responsible for the width and rounded shape of your shoulders. Well-developed side delts enhance upper body aesthetics and play a functional role in shoulder abduction and stabilization. These workouts focus on isolating the lateral delts using exercises like lateral raises, upright rows, and overhead presses. Whether you're training for appearance or performance, strong side delts contribute to balanced, injury-resistant shoulders.

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Workout

Workout 1 Side delts (Strength & Width)

This workout for the side deltoids builds wider shoulders and increases shoulder width by utilizing lateral raise variations that specifically target your side deltoids. You perform 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions for most exercises, with a focus on controlled movements that truly make your side deltoids burn. The workout progresses from basic lateral raises to more challenging variations like bent-arm raises to fully develop the muscles that create shoulder width.

Improve shoulder stability, strength, and aesthetics

The benefits of side delt workouts

Training the sides of your shoulders increases shoulder width and improves the visual proportion between your upper and lower body. Strong lateral deltoids also support compound exercises like overhead presses by stabilizing the shoulder joint. Integrating exercises for the sides of the shoulders helps prevent imbalances that can lead to injuries or limited mobility, especially if your routine already involves significant activation of the anterior or posterior shoulder muscles.

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Workout 2 Side Shoulders (Precision & Endurance)

This side delt workout focuses on perfect execution and building endurance in the sides of your shoulders through controlled movements and higher repetition sets (10-12 repetitions). You'll perform single-arm exercises and lateral raises from different angles to truly focus on the proper activation of each shoulder and to build the muscular endurance needed for repeated efforts. The workout emphasizes feeling every repetition and maintaining perfect control, rather than just moving heavy weights.

FAQ: The Best Side Delt Workouts

Can side delt training help with shoulder pain or instability?

Yes, to a degree. Strengthening the side delts supports the shoulder joint and helps prevent imbalance-related injuries. However, if you’re experiencing ongoing pain, it’s important to address the root cause with mobility work or professional guidance.

Do I need machines to grow my side delts?

No. Dumbbells and resistance bands are highly effective for training side delts. Cables offer continuous tension, which can be a bonus, but aren’t necessary. Properly performed lateral raises with free weights often yield great results.

Why are my side delts not growing?

Common reasons include using weights that are too heavy (causing momentum to take over), poor mind-muscle connection, and not varying angles or resistance. Focus on strict form, slow tempo, and full range of motion to better activate the muscle.

How often should I train my side delts?

Side delts can be trained 1–2 times per week with 3–4 sets of focused isolation work. If you do a lot of pressing, you may already be hitting them indirectly, but dedicated lateral raises ensure targeted stimulation for growth and symmetry.

What are the most effective exercises for side delts?

The most effective side delt exercises include dumbbell lateral raises, cable lateral raises, upright rows (with proper form), and overhead presses. These movements target shoulder abduction, which directly engages the lateral delts.

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You have just discovered some of the most effective side delt workouts: ideal for adding width and definition to your shoulders. With the app, you can build a routine that consistently targets this area and helps you develop balanced upper body strength.

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Related Side Delt Workouts

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Best Shoulder workouts

Shoulder workouts target the deltoid muscles: front (anterior), side (lateral), and rear (posterior) which play a key role in pressing, lifting, and stabilizing your upper body. In these workouts, you'll train all three heads for balanced development, improved strength, and injury prevention. Compound movements like the overhead press and push press build raw strength, while isolation exercises such as lateral raises and rear delt flyes help shape and define the shoulders. Whether you're chasing performance, symmetry, or aesthetics, dedicated shoulder workouts are essential to complete upper body training.

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Best Biceps and Shoulder workouts

Biceps and shoulders are key upper-body muscles that work together in many pulling and pressing movements. In these workouts, you’ll train both areas to improve strength, definition, and symmetry. Compound exercises like overhead presses and chin-ups form the core of your routine, engaging large muscle groups for size and power. These are supported by isolation movements such as lateral raises and hammer curls to refine shape and target specific muscle heads. Whether you're aiming to improve aesthetics, enhance athletic performance, or support better posture and movement, these workouts help you train smarter and grow stronger.

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Best Rear Delt workouts

The rear delts, or posterior deltoids, are often undertrained compared to the front and side delts: but they’re essential for a strong, balanced upper body. Located at the back of your shoulders, rear delts support posture, improve pulling mechanics, and help prevent shoulder injuries. These workouts target them directly with exercises like reverse flyes, face pulls, and rear delt rows to improve both aesthetics and performance.

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Best Arm workouts

The arms are made up of essential muscle groups, including the biceps, triceps, and forearms. In these workouts, these muscles are trained together to create balanced strength and impressive definition. Core compound movements like close-grip bench presses, tricep dips, and barbell curls lay the foundation by engaging multiple muscles at once. These exercises are complemented by isolation work such as hammer curls, tricep pushdowns, and wrist curls to target specific areas and maximize arm development.

Train smarter with weekly schedules

Routines for side delt gains

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Bodybuilding Split (5x/week)

This 5-day bodybuilding split is designed for lifters who want to build size, definition, and symmetry through dedicated muscle group specialization. Each day focuses on specific muscle groups with enough volume and intensity to maximize hypertrophy while allowing adequate recovery between sessions. Perfect for intermediate to advanced lifters who want to sculpt their physique with precision.

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Barbell Only Split (4x/week)

This 4-day split is all about moving the biggest loads with the classics. No machines, no isolation fluff, just the foundational compound movements that have built athletes for decades. Whether you're training at home with a simple setup or prefer the simplicity of barbell-only sessions, this program delivers complete body development using nothing but the most effective compound lifts. With four focused sessions across the week, you'll hit every major movement pattern while allowing proper recovery between training days.

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Strength Focus (3x/week) routine

This routine is designed for raw strength building and muscle development. Built on three focused sessions that target every major movement pattern, this program delivers consistent progress through compound movements and proven strength-building protocols. Perfect for intermediate lifters who want to see in-10 deadlife, more bench, and total functional strength while training just three days a week.

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PPL + Abs Add-On (6x/week) routine

This high-frequency training schedule for those craving real muscle size and core strength. This approach combines the classic push/pull/legs split with dedicated abdominal work to maximize both muscle growth and functional core strength. Six training days per week allow optimal volume distribution across all muscle groups while providing the attention to detail that serious lifters demand. Every session builds on the previous one, creating cumulative muscle development and robust core function.